Agnes Vol. 2 — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

manded that dinner should be served with the least possible delay, Charles performed his ablutions and made some change in his toilet,—both of which processes wore agreeable enough after having tra- velled night and day without stopping from Naples ‘to Florence. The cause of this suddenly under- taken and rapidly accomplished journey shall be immediately explained to the reader. On issuing from the bed-chamber to the sitting- room where dinner was now being served up, Charles drew forth a letter from his pocket; and pressing it to his lips, he kissed it two or threo times with all the fervour of a young man’s de- voted love towards an amiable and beautiful being who was in every sense worthy of that strong attachment. During the intervals of the repast, Charles read and re-read the letter half-a-dozen times, though he had previously read and re-read it twice as many times during his journey from Naples to Florence. Tho letier bore the date of the 19th of October, which was tho very same day whereon Edgar Marcellin had met Lisetta in Lon- don, and through her intervention had not mercly been enabled to vbtain accoss to Corinna at Sidney Villa, but had likewise communicated to this young lady and to Agnes Kvelyn the cortainty that tho Marchioneas of Mirano had been the murceress of Giulio, The letter of Agnes therefore, we say, had been written on that same day; and imme- Giately on recbiving it at Naples, aftcr the usual postal interval, Charles had set off for Fioronce, where we now find him arriving in tho evening of the 1st of Novomber. It is not our purpose to transcribe the whole of Agnes Evelyn’s letter; we shall therefore merely transfer to the pages of our narrative a sufficient extract to render the reader acquainted with the precise nature of Charles De Vere’s mission. “And now, my dear Charles,” wrote Agnes, * T have given the full details of all that the Ita- lian girl Lisetta and M. Marcelhn have commu- nicated to Corinna Paoli and myself. M. Marcel- jin leaves England without delay to proceed tu Florence. In the hurry of bis departure just now from Sydney Villa, I omitted to mention to him that I intended t& write to you upon the subject. Therefore, dear Charles, if you can by any possible means manage to Jeave your diplomatic duties for a brief space, and repair to Fiorence to render your assistance, if needed, you will find M. Mar- cellin there. You may have already seen, from the details I have recorded, thut it is an affair to be treated with the utmost circumspection, pru- dence, and delicacy. Signor Paoli is himself un- fortunately placed as a Neapolitan refugec who may at any instant be ordered out of the Tuscan territory; while M. Marcellin stands a chance of being denounced wpenty as the assassin of Giulio, as he has already been secivet/y accused of that crime: for everything is now to be expected alike from the vengeance and from the fears of the wicked Marchioness. You perceive therefore, dear Charles, that this is not a case in which your diplo- matic position may at once enable you to apply to the Tuscan authorities, to initiate prompt and active mensuyge against the Marchioness. You will have to™be guided by circumstances. You must see Signor Paoli in the first instance ; and he will doubtless introduce you to M. Marcollin, who must necessarily arrive in Kiorence some few days AGNES; OR, DEAUTY AND PLEASURE. SSRN Atta. A eett Ts before you can bo there. You will then learn to what extent*M. Marcellin may have succeeded in collecting evidences according to the hints and sug- gestions he received from Lisotta in London. In short, my dear Charles, I know that you will be enabled to assist the unfortunate Signor Paoli and the falsely accused M. Marcollin with your counsol in the first instance, and afterwards no doubt by the interest which your position enables you to command and which can be brought to bear upon the Tuscan Government. I know likewise that for more reasons than one you will be glad to take this mission in hand; because you will be render- ing mea service, fur I feel deeply interested in everything that concerns my amiable young friend Corinna—and because you will be aiding the pur. poses of justice and of righteous retribution.” The reader now comprehends the preciso mo- tives which had brought Charles De Vero to Flo. ronce. Tho distance was about two hundred and eighty miles; and as Italian travelling, even by post, and when money is lavished onthe postilions, is never of a very delectuble description, it may be oasily understood how at the rate of about eight miles an hour it had taken our hero upwards of thirty-six hours, including stoppages, to accom- plish the distance. Those stoppages had only been for thes purposo of changing horses; for whatsoever refreshments Charles required, he had partaken of in the vehicle. Thus on arriving in Ilorence, it was natural enough that he should allow himself an hour for his ablutions, his chango of toilet, and his repast, ere ho ontered upon the business which he had in hand. iiaving concluded his repast, Charles was think. ing about inyuiring of the waiter fur a porter to conduct him to the strect where he expected to find Signor Paoli, when he beheld a plan or map of I‘iorence suspended in a neat frame to the wall of tho apartment. By means of a couple of mi- nutes’ study of this map, our young hero was enabled to make himsel® master of the relative positious of the Lotcl where he had taken up his quartors, and of the strect to which ho was about to bend his way. Jie thereforo dispensed with any guide; and setting out, fuund himself in about ten minufes in the particular street which he sought. Ife now looked for the number of the house to which the instructions of Agnos had directed him; and he porceived that it was a pri- vate residence,—the dwelling being a small one, with no carriage gateway—an omission by no means usual in the Florentino capital, where tho houses are chiefly built in tho form of a square, accommodating a great number of familics. Charles rang the bell: bis summous was an- swored by a neatly dressed girl of fifteen or six- tecn, who in reply to his question relative to Sig- nor Votroro, informed him that ber father was at home: he was conducted up a stuircase into a small neatly furnished room, where he was left alone for twoor three minutes,—at the expiration of which interval a short middle-aged man, wear- ing spectacles, made his appoarance. “My name is Poetroro, signor,” he said, with a bow that was sufliviently polite, though it indi- cated acertain degreo of reserve: “may I ask what businegs you have with mo?” “TI believe that a Neapolitan refugee of the namo of Paoli, is living beneath your roof?” AOC COMNMUG i@i SS (C@