Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

Ad BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. he drew the furs round us, and took his seat opposite. Mr. Beaumont’s sleigh had not yet arrived, so we left them still tete-a-tete. How clearly I remember that November night! Through the crisp night air and bright moonlight, we whisked cozily along to the clang of silver sleigh-bells; my father gayly chatting to me, my sister sitting quiet and motionless in the corner, I with my eyes intentiy fixed upon the passing objects. From the same hotel from which I had seen Beaumont descending in the evening, I noticed two gentlemen in loose British cloaks such as were then worn, stepping into a sleigh, drawn by a large white horse. I watched the commonplace vehicle with no common- place interest, from the mere fact of its proceeding from that hotel, and in thesame direction asour own, Theim- patient steed which was certainly better fed than the eenerality of its class, ran abreast with us for some rods, then darted past and fell into line with a long stream of equipages just ahead of us, where the jingle of the bells mingled with our own. Having watched this sleigh out of sight, I turned my attention to something else, and found by the increasing throng that we were slowly nearing the hall in which the Cybelle Society were to give the concert. Long lines of vehicles were waiting to deposit their freight at the entrance doors, and a slow stream of those already emptied were moving onward to give place. By an adroit movement our coachman succeeded in de- positing us on the carpeted pavement much in advance of our turn. But although I lingered on the marble top step, with a hundred eager eyes fastened on me, and my father alread leading Isolina along the corridor; and although I kept them waiting some minutes while I gathered up my shawl on my arm and looked for my glove, I failed to see again those two muffled figures. With an exclamation at my own foolishness, I joined the others, and before long we found ourselves among the per- formers, who, among much talking, greetings, langhter, and fluttering of robes, were receiving a few last instruc- tions from the indefatigable Professor Emerson. Isolina and I stood hand in hand together, hoping we would not be separated on the platform, and we were con- (@) Gomi books.co