Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

O04 THRICE WEDDED. and childbirth alone. Mercy to such as you? Wretch, unnatural father, who never cared even to look upon his offspring’s face, or clasp in his arms the tiny creature formed from his own flesh and blood! No! no mercy shall be shown you; we have sworn it, and our oath is inviolable.” Lhe cringing villain: turned shiveringly to his sister; his teeth chattered in his head, and huge drops of cold perspir- ation rolled down his shrunken cheeks. Oh, Rose,” he cried, ‘‘plead for me; do not let them mur- der me; think how I reared your boy; I cared for him for over twenty years, and do I not deserve something for it? I — cannot die now. Ishall go to eternal perdition—oh, save me, save me!” His sister’s lips curled slightly at the sight of his ab-— ject fear, though her face was pale as death as she replied, huskily: “It would please me better, Ralph Moulton, to see you on your knees pleading to Heaven for mercy. You cannot expect much love from me, though I would that you had time to repent.” 3 ‘“Oh, Heaven! will no one help me?” ‘‘Here cometh one, and it shall be as she says,” sternly said the Count Gerient, as he beckoned Vivien to come for- ward. She came, pale as marble, but beautiful as an angel, lean- ing upon Fredrich Weimher’s arm. | Slowly, softly she glided forward, and stood before the kneeling wretch. : He did not see her at once, she had come so silentiy; but chancing to raise his eyes after a moment, he instantly started wildly to his feet, his eyes protruded from their sockets, his nostrils dilated, and his under jaw dropped like ~ - adead man’s. | fs Back!” screamed Squire Moulton, frantically. ‘Back to the land of spirits whence you came. Heavens! why come you here to torture me thus?” | Villain, itis your daughter!” said her uncle, solemnly. “It isa lie! Back with you—come no nearer—mercy— Vivien!” | oe, | With a shriek of mortal agony that pierced every heart — jike an arrow, that rang and echoed, and rang again through - that lofty, spacious cavern, curdling the blood in every vein, and paling every cheek with horror, the miscreant, by -comicbooks -€O