Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 197: what you’re looking at

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

192 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. And with these blessed tidings he went away, gently locking the door behind him. When I awoke, the moonlight was streaming in through the interstices of the blind; I was a long time lying there before I could recall all that had happened; my memory had been too deeply swallowed up in the dreamless slumber. But I heard the clock in the hall strike one, and at the same time a foot approached my door and it was unlocked by Sophie, who glided to my bedside. ‘«You’re not asleep, Miss Ilva?” ‘No, I have just awoke. What news, Sophie?” ‘¢Qh, miss, we’ve much to be thankful for! That won- derful man has saved them, dear heart. Miss Isolina, poor lamb, is sleeping in the room next here; your ma is sleep- ing or resting, I don’t know which, in her own bed. Miss, it’s all right.” My soul seemed too small to hold the joy which these words brought me; I could not speak, but my heart could speak to Heaven. ‘‘The doctor has sent me up to desire your presence,” continued Sophie, who was softly weeping with thankful- ness. ‘* Dr. Whitney is there, and they want you.” So I rose and dressed myself in the brilliant moonlight with light fingers, which often clasped each other as my thoughts shaped heavenward. . The two gentlemen were in the drawing-room, talking in low, animated tones, and they both rose and approached me with outstretched hands, and both gazed with deep at- tention at me. | - ‘Let me feel your pulse,” said Dr. Pemberton, seizing my wrist between his thumb and finger. «Put out your tongue,” said the village doctor, who was an undersized, thin, anxious-looking individual, buttoned into a white linen coat with black buttons. . “ Pish! nothing the matter with her but hunger!” said my friend, good humoredly ; ‘‘needn’t examine her tongue for that. All right again, hey ?” “T think so, sir.” | ‘«‘ Feel clear-headed? your eyes are as bright as diamonds; how is the head?” « Quite clear, I think sir,” I replied. « And hungry?” ‘‘Yes, indeed!” I responded earnestly; indeed J was COMICOOO S (©)