Mezzoni the Brigand — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

80 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. the count would not be the most likely to fall, and Alberto be spared to her! But if Alberto were to fall, alas! he whom she now loved, would she not be his murderess? She felt that already she was being fearfully punished for her wickedness. She paced restlessly up and down in the narrow apartment, like a caged wild animal, pausing now and then to wring her hands in nervous agony of mind. In a splendidly lighted and spacious apartment on the Strada di Chiaja, the same night that the scene just described took place, Alberto Corrello might have been seen at the gaming table, staking his gold with all his accustomed recklessness, win- ning and losing with apparently the same heedless- ness. It was agay and profligate scene, of which he was the center, for none played so continuously and heavily as he. Alberto was watched by many cu- rious eyes, but he regarded them not at all, his sole attention being absorbed by the game before him. He would pass hours thus, night after night; it seemed to be his only recreation. When the game was at its height, the Count “Amedeo entered the brilliant hall, and walked at once to the side nearest to Alberto Corrello. With- out the least ceremony he touched him upon the shoulder with his hand, and said: ‘‘A word yith you in private.”’ ‘In a moment,’’ was the reply. Alberto staked another sum in gold, lost it, and then turned and said, coolly: “T am at your service.”’ “This way,’ said the count. The two men sought a private room of the estab- ~comicbooks.com ——