Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. 135 ‘Not a bit of it, my dear sir. It’s a well-known fact that young Beaumont had’ Italian blood in his veins; his father was not Italian—he was a Virginian—then his mother must have been Italian.” «But why fasten upon her at all?” ‘«< Because she did one fraud that we know of. She sub- stituted Leander Rosecraft’s body for that of her own son, at the inquest, and concealed the fact that he was not killed.” “‘Tf you are finished with this young lady,” interrupted the doctor, feeling my pulse; ‘‘ I'll take the liberty of send- ing her off to get some food; and with your permission, Mr. Rienzi, I will take this precious tumbler home with me and analyse it properly. Cheer up, Miss Ivanilla. Nearly dead never filled the church-yard. Youll live to beasold as I am yet, never fear.” | He hurried me rather unceremoniously up stairs, and sent Sophie for my breakfast; then he asked my permission to examine my bedroom for a few moments. When he came back he was more abrupt than ever. “That girl of yours is stupid, and you’re all stupid to- gether!” he exclaimed. ‘‘What’s in your nose—” here he turned to Sophie, who was just entering with the lun- cheon tray, ‘‘not to smell the most overpowering scent of chloroform in Miss Ivanilla’s bedroom? It’s been poured on the very pillow she slept on!” Sophie stood the picture of consternation “1 did smell something very queer,” she said at last; “but Miss Iva said there was medicine in the tumbler of water which I poured away, and I thought maybe it was it.” ‘Child, I cannot understand how you didn’t detect it,” said Doctor Graves, resuming the reproaches which were ad- dressed to me. You should always keep your senses about you. You did very well about seeing, but if you had smelé as well, it would have saved you all the pain you have endured since she made off, besides, perhaps, assisting you to prevent her escape. Girl, go and throw all the windows up in your mistress’ room, and change the bed-linen.” I could not understand either, how the pungent smell - which now hung so heavily about me, and loaded every breath, had not attracted my attention when it was first ad- ministered. CORNUCG OOO S (©)