Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

130 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. than a creation of nightmare? I lifted the tumbler and scanned it anxiously. There was but one drop in the bot- tom, which ran round the crystal circle with the dry, bead- hike rapidity of quick-silver. I asked the girl if she had washed it. . ““No,” she answered; “I'll get you a clean tumbler, miss.” | ‘¢ Never mind,” I responded, ‘‘I want this glass.” I carried it down stairs, but I was so weak and tremulous that I rested three times on the way. It was with diffi- culty that I could open the library door and lean against the wall. My father and Dr. Graves were in close discussion; Mr. Speingle, the lawyer, was also there, attentively listening to the colloquy of the other gentlemen. ‘‘ Heavens!” ejaculated my father, catching sight of me; ‘‘here’s little Iva, as white as a ghost! What has happened, child?” He came to me and took my hand; I was so awed and solemnized by the horror I had experienced, that the sight of so many friendly faces almost made me break down; but I overcame my feelings, and came forward to the table, where I put the tumbler down, and held my shaking hand out to each of the gentlemen. ‘‘What’s the matter?” said Dr. Graves, putting on his glasses and drawing me closer. ‘‘You’ve got a nervous headache, child, and your hand is as dry and hot as an ember. Eh! What’s this?” He bent his head and sniffed loudly two or three times in my face. ‘‘ Who’s been giv- ing you chloroform, eh? Now what—what does this mean? ‘The child’s nearly killed—she’s drenched with chloroform!” ‘“Tmpossible!” I exclaimed. ‘I am not conscious of having inhaled chloroform, but I am—oh, I am dreadfully sick.” ‘‘Hxactly,” he said, seating me on a sofa, where I was glad to sink my head on the cushions. ‘‘Anesthetics are opposed to your constitution, and you opposed the. chloro- form until a sufficient quantity was inhaled to over- power you, and you feel the effects this morning; nau- sea, sea-sickness, headache, etc. Now, don’t you? Come, my dear, confess now—haven’t you been tampering with the chloroform bottle, for the toothache or something?” CORNUCG OOO S (©)