Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 251: what you’re looking at

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

248 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. saved me the humiliation of listening to your unwelcome protestations.” «« ‘She has explained nothing? he cried; ‘she would hide all from me, but | am too madly in love to let slip any stone by which I may build up my cause. If indeed you are a nameless child, wearing the honors of a true daughter, a whisper would drag you down from your high estate. That whisper shall never pass my lips if you put your hand m mine and say, ‘“‘I am thine.” ’ «« «Alas, Cecil, you have heard enough to blast your happi- ness,’ I sighed; ‘ait is not l whoam nameless—but I will say nothing. Take me to your mother’s to-night, and you shall hear the other half of this story. I can keep silence no longer!’ I muttered, clasping my hands and almost tear- ing them. ‘¢The poor, hapless boy’s sanguine nature instantly rose at this; he thought he saw signs of yielding. «© «You will come to Greely’s Mills to-night?” he said. s¢¢ Yes—to-night,’ I returned, firmly. ‘<< ¢ And this family?’ «<«T may never return to them. Hush! itis not to you I would fly; I am done forever with love. Now, be wise, Cecil, and return to the lady who holds your troth; believe me, there is no hope of me.’ ‘¢ At first he would not listen, but after some time his elation was such that he declared he would do anything to please me to-night, with the proviso that he should please himself after he heard the story which I declared to be so fatal to his hopes. << <Tf, after I hear the story, I still ask you to be mine, will you consent?’ he cried. «©<«T will consent.’ «¢«Then my Beautiful is won!’ he said, with a brilliant laugh. ‘Send me the little fiancee—I will overwhelm her with kindness—I will convey her to the concert, and be the most devoted of slaves—anything you say is my law to-night.’ ‘“When I was able to present my wretched face to my family, I left him playing jauntily at the piano, and joined you. ** What happened at the concert I can scarcely tell. I was ccudemned to watch the terrible elation of a lover who was under a fatal misconception. I knew nothing of any CORNUCG OOO S (©)