Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

280 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. ‘‘Tf God will spare me,” is the meek reply; “ ‘and \ think He will. I ought to comfort you before I go.” Then we gather closer, and the summer sea booms in with a louder swell. There is Doctor Pemberton watching the bride’s face with the constancy of a lover, and making private notes of ap- proval or dissatisfaction. Until she need have no more watching, this faithful friend will guard her from every chilling wind with a tender solicitude only second to her husband. There sits our father, and the gentle companion of his life, calm, smiling, thoughtful, after their long struggle; clinging the more closely to the Great Hand, which helped them since the Secret Vendetta was sped; trusting their loved ones all to Heaven, and fearing not much for future SOrTOWS. And here, with her bright face all sunny with the joy which others’ joy ever brought to her, kneels sweet Belle Cranstown at my feet—the cherished friend, adviser, and comforter of my Ernest and me. The musk-laden flowers flannt in the shifting air; a thicket of yellow roses scatter their petals before the feet of the passers-by. Softly they walk—warily after life’s fevered battle. ‘The Star of Hope is shining on them with a silver promise of days to come. They are looking into life’s cup of sweet- ness, and, lo! it is not drained yet. They look into each other’s saddened eyes, and find that love can have a resur- rection; and so she gazes upon the thin, grave face with a gush of womanly tenderness and regret. She cannot speak for that past shame and sorrow, but she draws his head to her swelling bosom, and weeps upon it. God bless Cecil and Lillia—they may be happy yet. And I am happy to sink into a cipher when my brother Victor is by. It is joy forme to see them joined at last. There will be paradise below when thus are united the noble and the good. Come away. The shadows leave them, and the moon gleams in. Let us, too, leave them in their heaven of re- stored love. si rn si sf se She sleeps beneath the daisies of her English home. A COMICOOO S (©)