Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. 63 CHAPTER VIII. ‘$l LOCK THE CASKET WHICH HELD THE GEM.” “Courage, poor heart of stone! I will not ask thee why Thou canst not understand | That thou art left forever alone.’’—TENNYSON. The next day I, by my father’s directions, searched her chamber for any possible clew of her late movements. Carefully, though with ceaseless tears, | examined every paper which came in my way, and found nothing which could have the slightest bearing on the mysterious question. A few penciled sketches of woodland scenery were wrapped in silver paper, and hidden deep down in a drawer; a withered rose, once white, now sere and crumbling into faintly incensed dust, was clasped within a gold-enameled casket, in the same drawer, but what of these? Her little rosewood desk was locked, with the key lying on top, and with a feeling of shrinking reluctance, I opened it. There were many letters, which I glanced at and re- placed. Most of them had been written by my own hand before I joined my unknown sister; a good many were the peculiarly artless and innocent effusions of Miss Meredith ; there were several from Miss Belle Cranstown relating to benevolent projects in which she and my sister had been interested; finally there were several proposals of marriage from different gentlemen, some of whom I had already heard of, others with whose names I was unacquainted. I wrote their names down ona slip of paper and resolved to ask my father about them. Just as I was closing the desk I noticed a small gold knob, about the size of a pin’s head, in one of the compart- ments. I applied myself to it8 examination, and presently succeeded in opening a secret drawer in which I found the missing double-ring. I held it nthe palm of my. hand, moy- ing and twisting it until the slender hoop which lined it be- came detached. It was only a gold ring without chasing or ornament, but this very circumstance raised a curious train of speculations in my mind, which engrossed me for several CONMUC OOO S (©)