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Show 4GB Tl1e Bacltelor-A Tale. (AUGUST, \~o~ks, which lHrs. Henry l1ad ordered to be ex. closely engaged throughout the greater ~art ~f the h1b1~e~- for the amusement of her guests, and this night in which Poor Agnes was missed, d1~b~he~ed cxlu.buwn h~ thought would atlract every idle per- the rumors which chlrgcd him with parttclpat!On son m the vtllage, who might be otherwise loml· in the crime of her abduction. ~ing inconveniently near the scene of his opera- With the natural hardihood of his c haracter, 11008 · Cbude Ripton thought of these reports with the . On these accounts, he had selected this night for most conternptuuus indiflCrencc, yet he brought hts scheme, and he had occupied l1 is place of con- them to hi!! father's notice as a reason for asking cealment but a few moments, when he was rejoiced his permission to remO\'C from \Vouon, whe re, he to see the figure of Agnes passing stealthily to- said, with an air of the most honest indignation, wards the gate which led into the garden. He he was unwilling to reside, since his c haracter was presently heard'' the gleaming latch uplifted," and daily exposed to the most unjust and malignant 1n anot_her se~ond he was by her side. Agnes was imputations. so ternbly agitated, that his support was requisite T he kind and induiiTent father rrrantcd this reI ~ ~ustain her steps, and he neglected no means of qnest.liberally supplied his demand: for money, and S'1 :10~ her encouragement. Claude lefl Wouon for the cit.y to which he had · ~he person to whom I am about to confide despatched Agnes. you ts honest and trusty. I am distressed beyond The fiOnesl and trusty individual to whom she description, m_y dearest, because I cannot accom- had been confided, was a broken keeper of a billiard· pany you to lllght. But I will be with you to mor- room and one of the creatures over whom Claude row,7_0 r the next da~·, and then all will be well." Ript~n had established complete control, and who ."'Ill~ such expressiOns he conducted the trem. had often been the depraved tool of his illicit de. blmg gt_rl over the narrow bridge to the spot wl.cre signs. th~' ~~atse "'rr.~s st~nding. . With the utmost punctuality Latour followed the as~e, onswnr Claude, I fear we Wt!l be directions of his patron and deposited his charrre lat;," satd the rough voice _of L~tour. . in a sequestered part of the city, :lS he had be;n fhey handed Agnes quJCkly tnto the carttage, directed. Unused to the glare and noise of a lar,.,e ~nd Latour leaped into the vacant seat beside her. town, Agnes was almost stupificd by the stir a~d :;~.,at route shall I take '!" said he. turmoil through which she was carried, and was h 1' oil ow the bank of the river until you get to glad to gain the retirement of two prettily furnished ~he s~cam.~re t1~:· ~~~nding alone, there you ford rooms, which had been provided for her in a house, lto~s;~ver, rep 1 tptun, as he remounted his whuse shab~y ~xterior did not promise so much The chaise whirled awa and A ncs was borne com~ort. Nothwg but the most artful persuasion from the home consecrate~\n her ~nemor b th had Jn~uced her ~o consen_t to the elopement, and tenderest associations. y y e th~ pnvate marnage whtch was to take place. Rtpton had represented to her, in exaggerated "What will not woman when she lo\·es; terms, the stern pride of Ids fathe r, and Lhe biuer, And 0 lost, alas! "ho can restore her ?" implacable resemment he would feel. if any know. ledge of the intended marriage should meet his ear, Astomshment and JOdJgnatwn nerc felt throngh· lie then implored her to trust herself to him, and out the len_gth and breadth of \Votton the next to consent to a marri:1gc strictly private, and if d~y, when It_ was known that Agnes Searle had after that solemn ceremony had bound them indisd: sappcared Ill the. darkness of night, and under solubly , he could not soften the anger of his fathe r c_trcumstanccs so smgular and inexplicable. The or overcome his opposition, he assured her he wonld sweetest condolence Wa3 extended to her bereaved immediately restore her to the home of her parents, p~rents, for her beauty and goodness had won ad- and with pride acknowledge her as his wife. nmers from all classes, and the most energetic He reached the city two days after Agnes had efforts were ~ade for l_ter rccove~y. ~u!>pici~n was left her native village, and he hastened to the place atta~hed t~ Claude lhp~on, and 111 spne of h1s em- where Latour had been directed to place her. He phat1c demal, many believed that he knew more of then told the trusting girl that the marriage must the m~t~er than 1_1e cho~e to tell. Bnt th~ majority be solemnized in the most private manner, in her ~f opuuons a;-quttted lum, for after Jeavmg Agnes apartments, by a Catholic priest, of known piety, m t_he care ot Latour as we hal'C described, he rode to whose faith he was attached bv education and rapLdly' back to the ,•illage, and reentered Mrs. early associat ion. Agnes conse-nted, and that Henrys h_ouse unobserved, whilst the company evening she gave her hand and the truest a trections were look1~g at the brilliant exhibition of fire- of her heart to Claude Ripton. In spite of hE'T WOJks. H 1s short absence had not been noticed, confu sion and the fact that she had never seen the and he .remained until a late hour, the most buoyant perfOrmance of the snlcmn rites of matrimony,thc and m1rthful of that light-hearted crowd. The ceremony seemed to have been hurried ovN with large number of persons who had seen him thus bul little gravity, and the harsh voice which read 1845.] T he Dacl1elor-A T ale. 499 the serv ice struck upon her ear with a disagreeable, the shady alleys of the garden, "and her moneys but not unfamiliar sound. would be decidedlv convenient to mP. just now-as to that mallet the~unt would not be unacceptableCII.-\ PTER V. for as Captain Absolute says in the Play, 'tis the same to me whether I marry the old lady or the From the fruition of his wicked pleasures, Claude niece. Apropos-I must make a visit to the charmRipton was suddenly summoned by a letter, which ing Agnes-so lovely and forlorn-and break her conveyed the unpleasant tidings that the ill slate of mind to a perception o~ the 1rue strength of the hcahh in which his father had so long languished chain which binds us. By Jove, that grurf rascal, was about to terminate fatally. He bade Agnes Latour, played the Parson so clumsily, that l trem· farewell, and hastened to the bedside of his father. bled fur a discovery of our precious plut." A few days after, the venerable man expired and Thus, this scheming and wicked man was alwas borne to his grave, honored by those who had ready preparing the most cruel ingratitude in return known him best. Claude was sincerely afilicted, for the loving trust which had been reposed in him and mourned the loss of Ids generous and affection· by an artless girl 1 and was coolly meditating J>lans ate parent with" all the silent manliness of grief." for his ad\'ancement, although she might UP. con· On an examination of the papers of the deceased, signed to the \'icc and obloqny of til('. most degra· he found that after discharging- the few debts held detllife. Such, however, is the weakness of this against the estate and the payment of annuities to frail ll<lturc, that without the steady support of tho old servants, which had been directed in the will, rules of morality iucu\cated in the divine writings, but a small portion remained, and the disagreeable we sometimes see men of the haughtiest honor conviction was forced on his mind that he must ex- and the most blameless integrity, sink from the change the life of east! and extravagance which higlwst places in the confidence and esteem of he had lately led, for one of labor and economy. mankind, to the" sensual sty" of '' ice and deprav- Mrs. H enry felt the truest sympathy for the com· ity. It is not surprising, the n, that this young man, mendable sorrow of the yonng man, and very cor- whose condllct was guided by no strong principles di:dly offered him the hospitality of her house. He of l' irtne, and whose ambition was stimulated by met this civility with his usual politeness, and his no noble aspirations, shoul<l seek the means of 101- intercourse with Mrs. J[enry's family was soon un· lowing- his e xpensive pleasures in any manner which ceremonious and unrestrained. Margaret Sefton would not be condemned by those persous who conwas an inmate of the house, and her great beauty. stituted his world. ll_v them he knew that the as well as the large extent of her wealth: attracted amour he had so successfully prosecuted with numerous admire rs. Mr. Paul Lefevre had been Agnes Searle, would be admired r ather than deconvinced that his suit would not be favorahly re- spised, and if he could keep it secret until he had ceived by the young heiress, so he had wisely aban- secured the hand and fortune of 1\fargarct Sefton, doned all pretensions to her hand, and l.ad bec:ome it would give him no farther disqu iet. very atlentive to the maturer charms of !\'Irs. Henry. J-Ie paid a hasty visit to Agnes, and regretted Captain Lawrence, a young officer of the Army, the necessity which still forced him to keep their who was related to Mrs. Henry. and who had been marriage a strict secret. H e returned to \ Votton sojourning in Wotton, seemed more likely than any and became most constant and assiduous in his atof Miss Sefton's admirres to win the peerless prize, tentions to l\hrgaret Sefton, who could scarcely fail had not his amatory proceedings been suspendecl hy to be pleased with the rare accomplishments and on order to join his regiment at its station on the respectful homage of such a devoted admirer. }.,or Canada frontier. T he stage was not occupied, there- her amusement he played with deep science and fore, by any formidable competitor when Claude accurate taste, the glorious pieces of the elder masR ipton was introduced, and with a dexterous tact ters of the musical world, or sang with the pathos he soon employed himself in increasing the ad van- and power of his matchless \'oice, those touching tages of this favorable circumstance. T he plea- melodies which modern poets have brought fresh sant society of Mrs. H enry and her niece, and the and glowing from " the green land of song." Tn candid, conciliatory manner of Mr. Lefevre, soon the pure and elastic air of the e'•ening, he strolled restored him to the usual vivacity of his spirits, in her company through the romantic scenery of and he began to occupy his crafty mind in forming the adjacent country, 3.nd sketched with the grace schemes to relieve the impo\'erished condition in and fidelity for which his pencil was remarkable, which he had been left by his l:nher'sdemise. The the features of the landscape which pleased her wealth of Margaret Sefton attracted his longing fancy. Miss S efton was delighted with the society desires, while intimate association produced a very of such an agreeable companion, and not having favorable impression of the elegance of her man- the opportunity to penetrate the. glittering- veil he ners and the sprightliness of her understanding. th rew over so much deceit and df'pravity, the warm- " This Miss Sefton is an incomparable girl," said est emotions of bcr hPart were daily exp:l.llding he to himself, as he strolled one morning through under the influence of his fascinating qualities. |
