Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 278: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZL 7 o71 a woman as Mrs. Beaumont; yes, that should be her pun- ishment. | | “The old woman went away, and was found in a field some miles out of town, dead by a brook-side, her blistered feet in the water, her old scarlet cloak drawn over her face, dead from hunger and exhaustion. «‘T knew that I alone could right Isolina Rienzi, and yet I hardened my heart and did nothing. I have kept this secret, well-knowing the terrible wrong I was doing Victor Joselyn. Ihave kept it until it was criminal to keep it, until anguish had crept deep into your hapless family, and you mourned not only a sister lost, but a sister who was nothing to you. One word of mine would have served you long ago. I might have said ‘Canada,’ when your wild surmises pointed to every country beyond this hemis- phere, but I triumphed in the sorrow of those who had wit- nessed my humiliation. I gloried in having Cecil Beau- mont recklessly fighting off the sorrow which his mad pas- sion had brought him, and—I did nothing. ‘‘This has been the revenge I swore to you on my Car- riage step, and it has been a bitter one; my head is in the dust with remorse; I can never, never face you, nor smile again, while conscience holds up this foul wrong before me. “Tt is Miss Belle Cranstown who reached my strong heart and awakened my conscience; for months she has been a persevering, brave friend, drawing me nearer and nearer to repentance, in spite of my struggles. The link is broken at last. I have poured my guilty confessions at her feet; this is the course she encouraged me to take. She says to fear nothing, not ask it or expect it. Iam not worthy to utter one word in your presence. I have wronged you beyond forgiveness, and shall mourn it to the day of my death. Heaven keep you from all evil. Your repentant, ‘«‘ TL 1LLIA MEREDITH.” that you would forgive, I do comichbooks (E(o) i 4 Lz - ee Me