Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZLI 93 He drew me close and groaned on my shoulder. He saw at last that icy wall which had risen up and shut him out; nothing but his blind unsuspicion could have made him blindso long. Grieving mutely for him, with noth- ing but silence for comfort, I softly kissed his brow. ‘‘T will tell you the substance of our interview,” he said, mastering his emotion after a time. ‘*‘ As you may suppose, it was a long time before I saw my way clear to come to the point. At last, when she appeared to be quite calm and reasonable, I asked her if she would answer a few questions which it was necessary for me to ask her. She instantly got up with much alarm in her manner, and cried that she would answer nothing. I tenderly asked her the reason, and got no answer. But dearest, I said, it is ab- solutely necessary that you explain what led to young Beau- mont’s death. Your life isin danger, unless you confide to some one the circumstances, so thatghey may be used for your benefit.” ‘<<«T cannot tell you anything,’ shesaid, huskily. “¢* You must,’ I repeated, with firmness, ‘I cannot leave this room until I understand your position.’ ‘‘ She turned as pale as death, and eyed me strangely. “¢ “Who killed Cecil Beaumont?’ I proceeded. “<< No one,’ was the answer. ‘« “‘What?—was it an accident? I cried, ‘were you with him, and was it an accident?’ ‘‘ She began to weep and moan, ‘poor Cecil! poor Cecil? «But answer me,’ I urged. ‘«*¢ What?—you demand an explanation?’ she exclaimed, turning with sudden excitement on me. ‘¢*JT wished to know for your own sake, my child,’ I an- swered, soothingly. «This colloquy lasted for some time, but in spite of her feebleness, her excitement, and her weakness, I gained nothing from her, At last I relinquished that question, and took up another. «¢«Tell me what secret you have, which you hide from me, and receive my counsel.’ “A strange, bitter smile crossed her lips, but she was speechless. I attempted to draw her to my arms, in order to win, by love and pity, her confessions, but she recoiled from me with a shriek. ““¢Go away!’ she cried, ‘don’t touch mel’ CORNUCG OOO S (©)