The Opposite House: A Novel — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

170 The Opposite House. blanched to the hue of her cambric handkerchief. An almost terrified look rested upon the dancer. “hat is also true, she said in a hollow tone. “Count Berndt was a swindler,’ Heloise curtly added. ‘He stole his fiancée’s jewels and money, and shot his brother-in-law in the forest.” “Girl!” shrieked the old baroness, “where did you learn dramas which occurred before your birth, of which no whisper ever reached the world—”’ “Have patience !” said Heloise, gently loosing the hand which the baroness had clenched upon her arm. ‘True, no one knew who had murdered the unfortunate Lewin. The poachers had shot him— was not that the rumor? ButI know. No trace of the traitor was found ; he was searched for in vain. Ida died of grief because she could not survive the condemnation of the man she loved.”’ Baroness von Rotterswyl pressed her handkerchief to her eyes. Everything grew dark before them. “Tt will soon be twenty years,” the dancer con- tinued, ‘‘and the story has been forgotten, like the two victims resting in their graves. My home is in Burgundy, and in my country it is said that a mur- dered man can find no rest until the deed has been expiated. ‘Tellme, baroness, are you at peace, with- out having found the criminal and without knowing that he is punished? Does your heart feel no long- ing for revenge, or has it passed away?” CoMmicbooOoks.c©