Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

—* Z ‘ : " = ~ BEAUTIFUL RIENZL 49 sternation met me; yet some face that she had seen in that throng had affected her thus. Many gentlemen left their places and approached the platform to offer assistance; over their heads I gazed at two figures hurrying in the oppusite direction to the entrance door; gentlemen in loose cloaks; but what of that? My heart quaked, and—at what? All this took but a moment; before any one could raise my sister, Cecil- Beaumont had crouched over her and lifted her in his slight, strong arms, with such a visible air of the right to do so, that every one stood back and allowed him a free passage to the stage door, while I remained without the power to move, gazing after him at Isolina’s pale face and closed eyes. Some words broke on my benumbed senses. Mr. Lind- hurst was leading me to a couch behind the piano. ‘* Compose yourself, my dear Miss Ivanilla—do not look so terrified. Your sister will soon recover— she only fainted with excitement. I think you are going to faint, too.” T roused myself from my stony stillness. ‘© No, I am not going to faint; I would like to go to Iso- lina.” He bent his head to catch my words; the singers had adroitly covered the accident by a full-voiced chorus and my words were lost in a sea of song. I tore my handsfrom my friend and escaped by the door through whichI had last seen my sister disappear, I was in the cold outer corridor leading by private passages to the dressing-rooms and main entrance. Whither should I di- rect my steps? Idarted into the room behind the stage, and came out as quickly, two or three bandsmen were there repairing their bugles or cornopeens. I found the cloaking- room but it was also empty of those I sought. J wrung my hands:and begun to wish my sweet sister had been gifted with the features of a Mongolian. I saw a flight of stairs leading into an upper hall, and I rushed up these as a last resource only to find myself in a wide, dark hall, evidently aschool-room. But there was a door at my right hand which was locked, and at this] took my stand, knocking vigorously. No one replied, so my heart went into my month with blood-curdling fears, as a stealthy step became audible, comicbook