Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

126 BEAUTIFUL RLENZI. dued sigh of sympathy swayed the multitude as she stood once more before them, her pale face so sorrow-worn and meek, lifted with its saintly patience to that of the judge. You could have heard a fly buzzing in the most gossamer of cabinets, while the judge addressed the prisoner : ‘Inasmuch as it has been found that you were perfectly innocent of intent to injure Cecil Beaumont, and_ that he attempted self-destruction of his own free will, and failed ; and since it has been proved that he is alive and well this day and desirous of your acquittal, we do, without formal consideration of the question, honorably and utterly acquit you of the crime laid to your charge.” The ecstasy trembling in the hearts of a thousand burst upon the air; one moment my sister’s white, seraphic face beamed on mea tide of joy and wonder, then she fell back with a low sob, into the arms of the doctor. And with feet which trod on air, I followed her to the carriage and thanked Heaven that she was saved. | CHAPTER XVI. MY PHANTOM. ‘Ts it gone? my pulses beat— What was it? a lying trick of the brain? Yet I thought I saw her stand A shadow there at my feet !’—TENNySON. The house was noiseless; the crescent moon smiled in at my half-closed window-blind, low down in the mellow sky; the musky, dreamy perfume of the night-blooming cereus filled my room from a vase on the mantel; my sister’s faint cough sounded from the west room, where she peacefully slumbered, Sophie keeping watch; no disturbing thoughts harassed me; I was full of gratitude for the mercies of the past day; exhaustion had prepared me well for my pillow; the night was wearing slowly on. And yet I could not sleep. My flights of thought consumed hours, and came back to find me wakeful as ever. _ What had come over me? No sound caught my senses; not aripple of the waves CORNUCG OOO S (©)