The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

16 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. would feast my eyes upon the corpse—I would look upon his face again, even though it be in death.” ‘““No—no. I could not if I would; in my frantic eagerness to search for my lost little one, I have wandered from the spot, . and now ] know no more than you do where to search for his remains.” ‘*‘You would cheat me of my vengeance—but you cannot.” ‘‘I do not comprehend you.” ‘*Rouselli lives—he lives! This story of his death is a fabri- cation to cheat me of my revenge. I'll not believe it—Rouselli is not dead!” ‘* These eyes beheld him.” “And yet [ll not believe it. But let me test the truth. If Rouselli, who removed you from my heart, be dead, that tie is broken.” ‘Tt is broken.” ‘‘ Well—if you have lost your child amid this scene of carnage, that tie is broken.” , ‘‘No, no, no. Death has not claimed two victims,” ‘“‘ Doubtless he has. Will you fly with me, and let the past be as a dream, to which we will not again refer? Marie, will you fly with me?” ‘‘ With you, Sternholde—with you?” ‘‘ Ay, wherefore not ?” ‘¢ Rather say wherefore. I will not think of such an act.” ‘*Then I am convinced Rosuelli lives. He who betrayed you— who betrayed my sister Bertha—the beautiful and the good. You hear I can name her without shrinking, without tears. Well, you kuow how much I loved her. She was his victim. Can you wonder that I.look for great revenge now? I have registered a vow to exterminate him and all who belong to him. The family to which he belongs shall fall to rise no more. His means shall become the means of those to whom the law will give them. His name shall not live in the memory of the next generation.”. ‘‘He is dead. What more would you? It may be madness to seek revenge at all, but yet there is something of human nat- ure in it which discriminates between the innocent and the guilty; but it is the act of a fiend to punish, or seek to injure those who have done no wrong, but merely have the misfortune to be connected with the guilty. Farewell—farewell.” ‘*Not so, Marie. We part not thus. Marie, I have a secret to communicate to you, and there is no more fitting time than this. Marie, I love you still!” The young mother stepped back a pace or two, as she repeated the words— ‘Love me still!” ‘¢ Yes, with all my ancient fervor, Therefore [I ask you to come with me. A dim shadow of my early dream of joy may then be fulfilled. You have no ties now. Away with all vain regrets. I love you still, I feel I love you still.” ‘¢ And think you I could, for a moment, dream of yoking my fate to such a one as you? You, whobreathe an atmosphere comicbooks. com