Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

236 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI., I listened in passive and icy silence; I could not take in her words. That woman—that murderess her mother? Who, then, was I? Who, then, was Victor Joselyn? Great Heaven! did she say her mother ? The maniac brought her walk to a sudden close by crouching on the floor and beginning to wail and wring her hands. «‘ Lost! lost! lost!” she murmured, hiding her face. ‘Oh, lost, and alone, and unrevenged!” ‘<Hnush!” said Isolina, flying to her side, and bending over, “not alone, mother—your child is here. ‘Take com- fort, mother; Iam here—I wil! not leave you!” The woman rose, and laid herself upon the couch, and dragged my sister. by the hands to sit beside her. cs aa me, then,” she muttered, ‘‘ and don’t lose me; and avenge me on Guiseppe—cruel, false, Guiseppe Rienzi!” «‘ Hush!” breathed my sister again; ‘‘ I am going to sing. Listen.” : Was there ever a stranger sight than this? My sister lulling by tender love our murderess to sleep? Silence came, but I marked it not. The low breathing of the sleeping woman deepened, and at last my sister’s hght hand clasped mine. “Come now,” she whispered, ‘‘and I will tell you all, while she sleeps. Poor darling, you are very patient with me.” She sat at the foot of the couch; I knelt on the mildewed carpet at her feet, with my back to the woman whom yet I fiercely loathed; my eyes wistfully raised to the woman who was about to disclaim the tie of blood between us.” *« My life was perfectly happy, and smooth, and natural, until last summer. I regarded myself as other girls regard themselves who have beloved parents and a happy home. I knew of no hidden destiny or plot. I felt myself what I seemed to be; the love of kindred knit me to those whom I believed my kindred. ‘There was never an emotion of my heart which f hid from them until I went with Mrs. Crans- town last summer to Saratoga. ‘There I sinned for the first time against my filial duty.” : She paused; a slow flush rose to her pallid face; the tears in silent agony stole down her cheeks. **T know ail,” I whispered, bending my face to her lap; ‘do not tear your heart by this retrospection. Victor is at" Comicbooks.¢o