THE HISTORY OF AGNES.
"When you, dear brother--for so I shall henceforth call you--commenced
your strange and wondrous revelations ere now, you painted in vivid
colors the happiness which dwelt in our poor cottage on the borders of
the Black Forest. You saw how deeply your words affected me--I could not
restrain my tears. Let me not, however, dwell upon this subject; but
rather hasten to explain those powerful causes which induced me to quit
that happy home.
"It was about six weeks before my flight that I went into the forest to
gather wood. I was in the midst of my occupation, gayly thrilling a
native song, when the sound of a horse's feet upon the hard soil of the
beaten path suddenly interrupted me. I turned around, seeing a cavalier
of strikingly handsome countenance--though somewhat stern withal, and of
noble mien. He was in reality forty-four years of age--as I afterward
learnt; but he seemed scarcely forty, so light did time sit upon his
brow. His dress was elegant, though of some strange fashion; for it was
Italian costume that he wore. The moment he was close to the spot where
I stood he considered me for a short while, till I felt my cheeks
glowing beneath his ardent gaze. I cast down my eyes; and the next
instant he had leapt from his horse and was by my side. He addressed me
in gentle terms; and when again I looked at him his countenance no more
seemed stern. It appeared that he was staying with the Baron von
Nauemberg, with whom he had been out hunting in the Black Forest, and
from whom and his suite he was separated in the ardor of the chase.
Being a total stranger in those parts, he had lost his way. I
immediately described to him the proper path for him to pursue; and he
offered me gold as a recompense. I declined the guerdon; and he
questioned me concerning my family and my position. I told him that I
lived hard-by, with an only relative--a grandsire, to whom I was
devotedly attached. He lingered long in conversation with me; and his
manner was so kind, so condescending, and so respectful, that I thought
not I was doing wrong to listen to him. At length he requested me to be
on the same spot at the same hour on the morrow; and he departed.
"I was struck by his appearance--dazzled by the brilliancy of his
discourse; for he spoke German fluently, although an Italian. He had
made a deep impression on my mind; and I felt a secret longing to meet
him again. Suddenly it occurred to me that I was acting with
impropriety, and that you would be angry with me. I therefore resolved
not to mention to you my accidental encounter with the handsome
cavalier; but I determined at the same time not to repair to the forest
next day. When the appointed hour drew near, my good genius deserted me;
and I went. He was there, and he seemed pleased at my punctuality. I
need not detail to you the nature of the discourse which he held toward
me. Suffice it to say, that he declared how much he had been struck with
my beauty, and how fondly he would love me; and he dazzled me still more
by revealing his haughty name; and I found that I was beloved by the
Count of Riverola.
"You can understand how a poor girl, who had hitherto dwelt in the
seclusion of a cottage on the border of a vast wood, and who seldom saw
any person of higher rank than herself, was likely to be dazzled by the
fine things which that great nobleman breathed in her ear.
"And I was dazzled--flattered--excited--bewildered. I consented to meet
him again: interview followed interview, until I no longer required any
persuasion to induce me to keep the appointments thus given. But there
were times when my conscience reproached me for conduct which I knew you
would blame; and yet I dared not unburden my soul to you!
"Six weeks thus passed away; I was still innocent--but madly in love
with the Count of Riverola. He was the subject of my thoughts by day--of
my dreams by night; and I felt that I could make any sacrifice to retain
his affection. That sacrifice was too soon demanded! At the expiration
of the six weeks he informed me that on the following day he must return
to Italy, whither important affairs called him sooner than he had
anticipated. He urged me to accompany him; I was bewildered--maddened by
the contemplation of my duty on the one hand, of my love on the other.
My guardian saint deserted me; I yielded to the persuasion of the
count--I became guilty--and there was now no alternative save to fly
with him!
"Oh! believe me when I declare that this decision cost me a dreadful
pang; but the count would not leave me time for reflection. He bore me
away on his fleet steed, and halted not until the tall towers of
Nauemberg Castle appeared in the distance. Then he stopped at a poor
peasant's cottage, where his gold insured me a welcome reception. Having
communicated the plan which he proposed to adopt respecting our journey
to Florence, he took an affectionate leave of me, with a promise to
return on the ensuing morning. The remainder of the day was passed
wretchedly enough by me; and I already began to repent of the step I had
taken. The peasants who occupied the cottage vainly endeavored to cheer
me; my heart was too full to admit of consolation. Night came at length,
and I retired to rest; but my dreams were of so unpleasant a nature--so
filled with frightful images--that never did I welcome the dawn with
more enthusiastic joy. Shortly after daybreak the count appeared at the
cottage, attended by one of his numerous suite--a faithful attendant on
whom he could rely implicitly. They were mounted on good steeds; and
Antonio--such was the name of the servitor--led a third by the bridle.
This one the count had purchased at an adjacent hamlet, expressly for my
use. He had also procured a page's attire; for in such disguise was it
agreed that I should accompany the count to Italy.
"I should observe that the nobleman, in order to screen our _amour_ as
much as possible, had set out from Nauemberg Castle, attended by Antonio
alone, alleging as an excuse that certain affairs compelled him to
travel homeward with as much celerity as possible. The remainder of his
suit were therefore ordered to follow at their leisure.
"Oh! with what agonizing emotion did my heart beat, as, in a private
chamber of the cottage, I laid aside my peasant's garb and donned the
doublet, hose, cap and cloak of a youthful page. I thought of you--of
your helplessness--your age,--and also of my native land, which I was
about to quit--perhaps forever! Still I had gone too far to retreat, and
regrets were useless. I must also confess that when I returned to the
room where the count was waiting for me, and heard the flattering
compliments which he paid me on my appearance in that disguise, I
smiled--yes, I smiled, and much of my remorse vanished!
"We set out upon our journey toward the Alps; and the count exerted all
his powers of conversation to chase away from my mind any regrets or
repinings that might linger there. Though cold and stern--forbidding and
reserved--haughty and austere in his bearing toward others, to me he was
affectionate and tender. To be brief, yet with sorrow must I confess it,
at the expiration of a few days I could bear to think, without weeping,
of the fond relative whom I had left behind in the cottage of the Black
Forest!
"We crossed the Alps in safety, but not without experiencing much peril;
and in a short time glorious Italy spread itself out at our feet. The
conversation of the count had already prepared me to admire----"
At this moment, Agnes' narrative was interrupted by a piercing shriek
which burst from her lips; and extending her arms toward the window of
the apartment, she screamed hysterically, "Again that countenance!" and
fell back on the ottoman.