Agnes Vol. 2 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURT. Oe OR i ele. eee ee OF Oke eee NN ey Fd Es SO ew Qen mw ow was a painful one, and she did not therefore per- gist in it. . It was about seven ‘o’clock in the evening; and ~- Edgar, reclining upon a couch, gradually sank off into slumber. Ciprina bent over him, gazing with 47 Eee ate Ce RRs i dit eld eee ei =O oe Read Ciprina threw back her veil—partly because she had heated herself by running through the stroets, for the weather was warm though it was the last day of October,—and partly because she did not deem it prudent to maintain any roserve with the intense anxiety on his pale handsome countenance: | woman whose succour she had come to seek. La and there was now nothing sousuous in the re- gards of the young lady. If sho wore tho invalid’s sister, ber thoughts could not have been more chaste, nor her attentions more completely fraught with a delicate disinterestedness. Slo perceived thut his sleep soon became uneasy—hbis breathing was diflicult; she fancied that he was either under the influence of a troubled dreaw, or that he was sutfering under tho pain of bis wound. The longer she watched the more alarmed sho grew,—until at Jenvth she resolved to pay another visit to La Dol- fina aod procure a fresh potion. Dut should she in the meanwhile leave him alone—or in the care of Antonia? She knew not precisely how to act; and while she was still deliberating with herself, Xiarcellin awoke with a, sudden start from his un- easy slumber. woman, in the first instance procured for him had dune him good—that the balsam applied to his wound had hitherto shed a healing influence—and that the antidute had proved eflicient against tho poison used by the Marchionoss. So far, therefore, from entertaining any four in respect to La Dolfina’s phill or Ciprina’s fidelity, the invalid had the fullest confidence in both. Kdgar rotired to his chamber: Antonia was summoned to wait in the ante-room, in case he should want anything; and Ciprina, inuffling her- self in a cloak and covering hor countenance with a thick veil, issued forth faom the Miranv mansion. Tho house of La Dolfina was soon reached, for the young lady glided quickly through tho streets : she pulled the iron chain which bung at the duor- post; and in a few moments the sbrivelled muutpby-like woman made her appearance. Ci- prina at once crossed the threshold; and befyre sho had removod her veil, she fuund borself re- cugnised ; fur the hag said, “ What news, signora? Is the younp gentleman better ?” “fe is better—but be is not well,” sho re- pled; “and that is the reason I havo sought you uyain.” No,” said the woman; “it is not likely he would yet be well if the wound wore in the first instance go serivus as to induco you to visit mo at all, It was four nights ago that you came to me and the interval has been tvo short for such re- covery.” She conducted Ciprina up into the apartment Where the skeleton presented ita ghastly aspect— and where the crocodile, the human bones, the infant-monsters in glass bottles, the tablo covered with black cloth, and tho other accessories of the woman’s art or avocation, whichever we may do- Dominate it, wero in precisely the same position @8 on tho previous ovvasion of the young lady's Wisi. ‘iprina threw her arms about his neck, and explained what sho had been revolving in her mind. IJdg&r did indeed feel so feverish and uncasy that he grew alarmed on his own ac- count; so that it was by no means a dillicult task fur Ciprina to persuade him of the necessity for her to pay the contemplated visit g0 the wise- He knew that the potion which she had Doltina gazed upon her with attention, aad said, Tel] mo exactly how it now fares with the young gentleman FP” “Until to-day ho progressed favourably, and cven rapidly,” responded Ciprina: “bat for the last few hours he has been restless and uueasy— ho slept in a troubled manner ” “There has been something to annoy bim P” said the woman, putting the question with the emphasis of one who already foresaw tho answer. Yes,” said Ciprina. “ But L cannot tell you what it is.” “You know, however P” said the woman. “ Yos —I see that vou do. I am not asking for curivsity’s sake—only that I may judge how to act. ‘cll me therefore, has the cause uf annoy- ance passod P” “The particular cause of annoyance has passed,” was the rejoinder: “but my patient naturally chafes at betug confined to the sick chamber ’ “What?” ejaculated La Dolfina, with a leer. ing smilo: “even when he is ministered unto by so beautiful a nurse? But I see that you are in a hurry, and I will do my best for you. Ah! by the bye, du you happen to require any more of my sovereign antidote ?” Ciprina looked hard at the woman—but her countenunce was inscrutable ; so that it was‘ im- possible for the young lady to tel! whether she had spoken with a specific purpose, or whether she were merely endeavouring to disposo of as many ot her commodities as she inight. “ You may give me anuther phial of your anti- dote,” said Ciprina. ‘ Who can tell how useful it inay sooner or Jater become? Ah !” she ejaculated, as a sudden thought struck her, “ those whu pre- pare antidotes doubtless deal in the pyisons like- wise P” “Am I to understand,” inguired the woman, fixing her eyes keenly upon the young lady, ‘that you are in want of poisen?—for it would be singular indeed if the same hand which admi- nisters healing medicines, should likewise deal with venumed drauchts.” “ Treaven forbid!” ejaculated Ciprina, with a shuddering luok so real that the dame at once felt convinced of her sincerity, “Then you had some motive fur asking tho yucstion,” said La Dolfina. “ No,’ replied the young lady, assuming an uir of careless indifference. “ But I feel convinced that you had!” at once rejoined tho woman, “ Now, if you wish me to deal candidly with you, you must in the first in- stance act frankly towards me. Tell me why you put the question, and 1 shall be ecuabled to judge how 1 may shape my own answer.” “Which means,” said Ciprina, with a smile, “that if I reiterate tho assurance that I have no particular motive, you will at once assure me that you nover deal in poisuns: whereas if ou the other hand I tell you that I bavo a particular motive and if L explain it, you will make a eee | WE ee ye es eon oP es Ven sen taaen AOC i@i COMNMUG SS (C@