Agnes Vol. 2 — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, eigatepeGireninstest a ey { CHAPTER VIII. THE APPOINTMENT AT TIE VILLA. Manrceutin sank back upon his pillow, almost completely exhausted by the terrific excitement | fo “Do you with something like feverish petulance. not possess an antidote——” “ And whence cime that antidote P” said Ci- | prina, calmly and quietly. “ From the hands of a woman whom I would not have it generally known that 1 had visited. Iam alluding to ua Dulfina, to whose house in the middle of the night I went, through which he had been burried as if on tho ‘as I have before told you, to procure medicaments wildly-flapping wing of tho hurricane. But he | for yourself, She it was who gave me the anti- ‘now caught somewhat of that feoling of confi- | dote. Thero seemed to be something like the force dence which Ciprina herself evidently expe- rienced ; he began to think that aomething ter- rible, but as yet utterly unknown to bimeelf, must have occurred, and that he had harboured the most injurious suspicions against Ciprina, 3? of prophecy itself in her words “ Ah, Ciprina!” said Marcellin, speaking in a voiee that was feeble from exhaustion and tremu- _lous with emotion, “all that you have just been 1 telling me, reminds me of the many things you “Tell me,” he said, “ what is it that has hap- have done on my behalf; and the very dauger you pened P” . ‘¢ We havo both incurred the most fearful dan- gers,” answered Ciprina, “ That fiend in human shape, Lucrezia Mirano ” “Ah! is it possible,” ejaculated Edgar, “ that this demoness has again ” “ Yes—sho has again sought and found oppor- tunilies of pursuing her terrible machinations,” continued Ciprina; “but heaven be thanked! they have beon frustrated. Ab! fortunate was it that I placed in the adjoining chamber the por- trait of her prototype Lucrezia Borga! It must have been some sudden movement which she made ' —or else some ejaculation from hor lips—I know |; not which—that startled the up into a condi- , ” { tion of completest wakefulness ; and then “ But Oh, Ciprina !” asked Edgar, “ how was it ! possible that she could have found her way into | your apartments ? Do you not think that it was some terrible hallucination ?” havo just now incurred of perishing by pvison was entailed upon you by the circumstance of your having thrown a protecting shield over me/ You seem to be spoaking to me in an altered tono— thore is a coldness ” “ Quostion me not, Edgar Marcellin, on this subject,” interrupted Ciprina, still firmly and yet , quietly. | Aud why not question you?” asked Marcellin, “Think you not that I am interested in the de- 1 ! ‘ 'moanour that you display towards me? — think you that I have no feeling, aud that I am not disturbed when I see that you are cold und dis- tant 7 , “ No—not cold and distant,” said Ciprina, with some little degree of vehemence; and then imme. _ diately resuming the Jevel quicscence of mann: she had been before displaying, she added, “I am not cold nor reserved ; and reat assured that in no single point will my attentions be less sedu- “Ah, no! it was a frightful roality,” rejoined , lous or my ministratic,s Jess constant than thoy Ciprina. “ There is a secrot means of access to the ante-chamber—I saw the wainscot close be- bind that vile woman ” ! * Ob, Ciprina !’”” murmured Edgar, “ neither | you nor I are safe withi®these walls!” “ Fear not,” interrupted the young lady, with a |; voice and look that were bot:, decisively firm. “TI will baffle her in all her arts—I will defeat her in | all ber projects have hitherto been. ,»,ut henceforth you will be- hold in me only a ‘arse to attend upon you, and a guardian to pro4:ct you apainst danger. I now comprehend my @rue position—you have made me understand it—the lesson was a severe one—but still it was better that my mind should be thus enlightened !” “Good heavens, Ciprina!” ejaculated Edgar ws | Marcollin, “ what do you meang I do not under- “ Better seek the authorities of justice at once !” | stand you !” ajaculated Marcellin passionately, No,” answered Ciprina, for a moment speak- vg cnd looking with the same decisive firmness as | ofure—and then hastily adding, ‘“ No—not yet! —such a course will not be politic! We must have ; etter proofs than those which we possess———" | “And what better proof,” demanded Edgar, ; ‘than that she dealt me the blow which has pros- : ‘rated we here P” | “You just now suspected,” rejoined Ciprina, “that I was capsble of administering poison to you!” “Ob! for a word hastily spoken,” ejaculated the invalid, with a true anguish depicted on his countenance, “ you would not bear rancour against me !” “Rancour? — no! heaven forbid!” answered Ciprina. “ But that word hastily spoken was as . &ANd what if she wore to allege,” asked Ci- | much a sign to me in respect to the current of prina, “ that she met ix the picture-gallery a man | your thoughts, as the straw which is whirled past whom she took to ha s robber, and that she atabbed him, believing that it was in self- defence ?” “Then denounce her as a poisoner!” inter. jected Marcellin with increasing vehemence. “ You yourself have beheld enough thie night ” “* Teanquillize yourseli—or excitement will kill you,” interrupted Ciprina -impressively, ‘ No- thing that you suggest can I now do. If I were to proclaim this tale of poisoning, I should be asked how you and I escaped——” “And how did we escape ?” inquired Edgar may be taken as an indication of the direction of the hurricane. In short, Edgar Marcellin, you bave no real confidence jn me—you think so little of me that at the very first glimpse of anv threat- ening circumstance your suspicion would fasten itself upon me and I who have done all that [ can to save you, and have risked my uwn life in your behalf!’ Ciprina bad not naturally much strength of mind nor much command over her emotions. She was of too sensuously indolent a disposition—too prone to abandon herself to a voluptuous languor, AOC COMNMUG i@i SS