Agnes Vol. 2 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASULSH. nen charms of her person,—now riveting the attention of the Count upon the lovely white hand, with the long tapering fingers, and the almond-shaped heir natural pinkiness far more pel- 42 receive the Count of Ramorino with smiles, there was a perfect hellin ber beart. A thousand times in the course of that day and the preceding one had | sbe asked herself bow it was possible that Edgar | nails with t n Mareellin and Ciprina could have escaped the | lucid and beautiful than tho henna-tinted my effects of the puisonP She knew—or at least sho | of oriental beauties, —then displaying the well: “ad been woll assured by La Dolfina, of whom she | rounded and symmetrically shaped arm, baro had purchasod it, that it was speedy in its upera- ; almost to the shoulder,—or else affurding a still tion, and inevitable in its effects: she had poured | more completo view of the gorgeous treasures of some drops into every decanter, glass, and jug | the bust than tho low-bodied dress was wont to containing liquids in the chambers which she had ! disclose! And then too, as Luerczia proffered to atcalthily visited—and could it be supposed that the Count the glase which she had filled, she bent by some strange accident none of those beverages | upon him those blue eyes which seemed to swim had been touched by the lips of the intended | in a soft sonsuous languor—and she smiled too victimes? This indeed was the only solution of | with a sensuous significancy and a sly mischie- the mystery on which the Marchioness could at all | vousness which revealed the ivory whiteness of settle her mind—tho only reasonable conjecture | the teeth. Altogether the amorous Count had which her imagination could conjure up. And: every reason to be charmed, fascinated, and enrap- yet there was a certain vague, uneasy idea floating | tured with her in whose suciety he thus found in her mind, that this was mot the veritable ex- ) himself, seated at that table covercd with all planation of the affair—but that somothing else | delicacies, and in that oxquisitely furnished lay behind the veil which she could neither lift | apartment where the atmosphere was warm and with her hand nor penotrate with her eyos. But , perfumed. during these two whole days she had not ei ae “Lot me not omit to thank you, my dear to procure vther poison—she had not visited La | Count,” said the Marchioness, in the cuurse of Dolfina to seek an explanation, if possible, of the | conversation, “for the prowptitude with which mystery :—she had waitod and waited in the last | you attended to my request in reference to that faint hope that some decanter or jug the contents , dangerous Neapolitan ” of whieh might not have been thrown away or “Ob, 1 beseech you, dearest Lucrezia,” inter- changed, would yet produce the desired effect.| rupted the Miuister of Volice, “not to take the But no! Down to the moment when the Mar-: trouble of expressing a syllable of thanks on chioness Joft her town-mansion to pay this present | account of sucha triile! ‘Tue fellov was turned visit to her villa in the Vale of Arny, that hope | out of Florence at an early hour of the morning “remained unfullilled —~Mdgar Marcellin aud Ciprina | of the day before yesterday; and sume of wy both lived! most zealous vilicers saw him on the high ruad to Without entering for the prosent into a deeper | Lucca,—at the same time giving him tbe strictest analysis of Lucrezia di Mirano’s thoughts, specu- | injunctions nut tu be again found in the Tuscan lations and fears, we may presume that the reader | territories on pain of the severest punishment.” can have no possible difficuky in comprehending “And if ho were to disobey your orders?” in- how unsettled was her mind, gud how perplexod | quired the Marchioncss. | she was to concoive in what impiier all her em- | “Ab! at bis peril he will do it!” ejaculated the barrasements would end. At lena,h the Count di, Couut. “My sbirri failed not to threaten him Ramorino, Minister of Police, was announced ; and | with eternal immuremont in somo fortress amougst then all in a moment the spirits of the Mar-, the Appenines~at Barberfno or Bagno ” chioness rose—she telt as if she were under the | “Oh, how sweet 1t must be to exercise such influence of a poworful protection; and that with | power!” said the Marchioness, with a certain de- w friend to screen her frum aj] difficulty and pro- | gree of emphasis, though in a low tone—for -she tect her from all en\mies, she wight defy evory- , was rather musing to herself thau intendiug to thing and everybody. speak tu be overheard by her companion, The Count had long been enamoured of the “It is sweet to possess power,” replied tho Marchioness of Mirano—hbe had long striven to; Count, “in order that it may be cxereised on bo- obtain ber favours; Lis passion had been excited | half of those whom one loves. Ab, dearest Lu- by the very obstacles its gratification had en- i crezia! if there were over a moment when | felt countered—his desires had derived an additional | thatit was really worth while tu undertake the zest from the same csuse. And now the bour of his ; cares of office fur the sake of enjuying whatsvever success and triumph had arrived—the moment of | advantages the position affurds, it was when issus his happiness was at hand! Never had he seen | ing the mandates that were dictated by your Lucrezia di Mirano to greater advantage—nover | wishes! And as I observed tu you tho .other in his oyos had she appeared more ravishingly | evening, it would afford me infinite delight to have handsome! All uneasiness—all traces of sinistor | an opportunity of proving my devotion in some passions hud vanished from her countenance: her manner far wore important than this compara- ho => One ieee luoks were full of love and tendorness and volup- | tively trivial and insignificant affair in which my tuous Jangueor. The Count of Ramorino folded | services have just been rendered available.” hor again upd again in his arms—be fastened his; “You are all kinduess and all generosity,” said lips tu hera—and while bestuwing the most pas-} tho Marchioness, bestowing of her own accord a siunate kisses, ho received the most deliciously | tender carcss upon her companion. vuluptuous oes in return. “ And you, Luerczia,”’ murmured the Cuunt, in They sat down together at the table: Lucrezia | a voice that was half stifled by tho ecstatic emu. é poured ouf wine; andevery gesture, every move- | tions which he experienced,—“ Oh! you are glori-, went which she made, gave new effect to the | ously handsume! I would do anything for you! O) AOC COMNMUG SS (C@