Agnes Vol. 2 — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

b AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLHASURR. pa seats ennemmemenemenial as a Christian, that you were anywhere else rather I sball see you pre. than in such a place ag this. sontly.” while The young priest then turned abruptly away, a couple of turnkeys who had in the mean- } occupy. Nor was the conjecture erroneous ; for made their appearance, prepared to conduct | the magsive door now alluded to being epened, harlea and Floribe! to the cells that were respec- | Charles was introduced into a cell which the turn- n prehend that the number which was to super. sede a name in the identification or representa. tion of himself, was most probably derived from the particular dungeon which he was destined to " tively yawning for their reception. The Governor, | key informed him he was to occupy. imagining them to be lovers or paramours from © hastily whispered information which the rprised when Charles merely took Floribel’s b&nod, and with°a melancholy species of kindness, (the Gagernor) could not understand. “ Wethre about to be separated, Floribel,” said | Charles: “ani doubtless this is the moment of a. heavy and sevére trial for you, to be consigned to | “ And now,” said the oflicial, “perhaps you will offer no objection and make no difficulty ia sure offidgr of the sbirri had given him, expected to! rendering up whatever valuables, money, papers, a pathetic scene,—tho young gentleman | "wod tht young lady flying into each othor’s arms— | er breathing all possible consolations, the | rings,” said Charles,—“ a bunch of keys likewise, ithor frantic or fainting. But nothing of ' ll this ensued; and the Governor was therefore | none. and weapons, you may have about your person P”’ ‘“‘ Here is my watch—and here are a couple of Weapons I have As for my purse, I pave it some few hours back to a man of whow I purchased a horse.’ “Ido not wish to perform my duty harshly,’ if they enter intu the category. satd something to her in a language which he | said the turnkey ; “ but you must permié me te ; assure myself that you have nothing elge about your person. 1 must make a full report to the Governor. In plain terms, I must search you.” “Ah!” ejaculated Charles; and the colour a prison-cell! But egain I commend you to the : mounted to his cheeks. support of all the courage which you may yossi- | There is | thought of knocking the turnkey down, seizing bly be enabled to summon tu your aid. For an instant—but only for an instant—~he every hope for me; and rest assured that even | his keys, and endeavouring to make an escape : though I may possibly be released before you, yet the term of your captivity shall be brief !” “All this, Charles,” responded Filoribel, in a tone full: of emotion, “is infinitely more than J deserve at your handa, One word ere we separate! Is it true—is it really true for the whisper has reached my ears, is it true that Agnes be. lieves ” . “Agnes believes that you have sought some deep seclusion—that you are ponitent—that you are se]f-reformed . “ Knough, Charies—enough !” interrupted Flo- ribel. “ Kor heaven’s suke do not disabuse my beloved cousin of an idea—which—which 7 ~ Flombel could say no more; but fervently press- ing the hand of the generous-hearted Charles De Vere, sho turned aside as if intimating to the turnkey who stood near that she was ready to ful- low him. At the same time our hero turned to- | papera? wards the other turnkey who was waiting: and but the next moment he abandoned an idea which a second glance showed him to be utterly prepos- terous. “Ab! I forgot!” ho said: “I Lege a letter about my person :’—and he thus allud@i“to the one which he had received from Agnes, and in consequence of which he had undertaken the jour- ney from Naples to Florence. “You are at liberty to destroy whatsoever papers you may have about you,’ responded the turnkey: “ but you must not keep them: and if you do undertake to destroy them, you must do so at once and in my presence.” ‘And what if I refuse ?” inquired De Vere. “Then the papers will be taken from you by _ force | + “ Yes—that 1 comprehend,” interrupted our | i ‘but what will be the destination of those HB What, for instance “The papers would be at onc8 destroyed by the the two prisoners were conducted by separate | governor, who would nos even read them,” re- doors from the lobby. Re tenipmeds CHAPTER XIII. THE PRIEST AND THE CAPTIVE. We must teke leave of Floribel Lister for tho present, and follow in the footsteps of Charles De Vere. The turnkey led him along a stone cor- ridor, the windows of which were very small, high up, and protected by iron bare, At the end of this passage there was a massive door, which the turnkey opened. It communicated with a small court-yard, surrounded by the lofty build- ings belonging to that portion of the fortalies. On the opposite side there was an array of six doors, respectively numbered 24, 35, 26, 27, 8S, and 29. It was towards the door bearing the Jast-mentioned figures that the turnkey con- dicted our young hero, who now began to com- joined the turnkey; “tor it 1s taken for granted \that if you possessed any papers of importance | when you were arrested, they would have been taken from you—or that if on tho other hand you were not searched at all, it was because the autho- rities cared not for any documents that you might have in your possession.” “Then why take from me, for the purpose of destruction, any papers that I have about me?” * Because,” answered the turnkey, “no prisoner is aliowed to retain money as a means of bribery, nor to have papers as the means of correspondence : nor must he preserve anything about his pergon to establish his identity.” “I thank you for these explanations,” replied DeVere. “ As for this letter, therefore, I destroy it in your presence. See! it is done! This card- ease moust be surrendered up to you. And now, as you are so well disposed to be civil and con- ciliatory, I offer not the slightest resistance 6o whatsoever further search you may think 16 6» pedient to institute.” COMME HOG SS (C@