Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. 53 ‘‘T am not hysterical,” I said, very quietly; ‘‘but I am anxious about Isolina. Perhaps she is worse.” Mr. Lindhurst gave the driver a word, and in an instant we were dashing through the remaining streets which sepa- rated me from my home. Five minutes had not elapsed before I was bidding my escort good-night at my father’s door. I thought the servant who admitted me looked very much bewildered; he held the door open after I had en- tered until I turned round and asked him the reason. ‘Qh, ‘nothing, miss,” he replied, solacing himself with a last glance down to the gate before he clesed himself in. I pro- ceeded steadily to my sister’s dressing-room. It wasempty. Well, it was late and she had been ill, of course she was in bed. Sophie came out of my room, and looked at me with a surprised face, but said nothing while she removed my wrappings. ‘Well, are you not going to speak?” I demanded, irrita- bly. ‘* Is Miss Rienzi well or ill; is she in bed?” She dropped my muff and kept gazing at me. J made an impatient gesture, my fears growing clamorous. ‘‘ La, miss! isn’t Miss Isolina with you?” I hastily looked behind, and at each side. No, truly, Miss Isolina was not with me! My face whitened. ‘What are you saying, Sophie? My sister came home an hour ago with my father, did she not?” ‘‘Lawk alive, miss!” was all the response. ‘“‘ Fool!” I raved; ‘‘have you nothing but gaping wonder forme? Where isshe? Are yousure sheis not down stairs with papa, or in Miss Meredith’s room with her?” : ‘Indeed, Miss Iva, she’s not in the house. White, he’s waiting at the door to let her in; her and you, miss, to- gether.” ‘‘And my father—good Heaven! has my father lost sight of her, too? Sophie, you will cease to gaze at me so! Am I an apparition? Who told you she was coming home with me?” ‘The master, Miss Ivanilla. He said Miss Isolina had been sick and gone out to come home, but the air revived her, and she went back to the concert.” ““ Who told him that? It was false!” I cried, becoming distracted with consternation. CORNUCG OOO S (©)