The Opposite House: A Novel — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

172 The Opposite Flouse. The old noblewoman confronted her like a pallid ghost, with dilated eyes and hands clenched so con- vulsively that they pressed the delicate cambric handkerchief into a mere wisp. “You know all this?” she shrieked, with savage exultation. ‘“ You know—you know him?” “Ves,” said Heloise, gravely; ‘‘and 1 know, too, that long ago you cherished some suspicion ; that you closely watched the false count—I mean Brand !” “Brand!” repeated the baroness, in a terrible voice. ‘Brand! Where did you learn all these things, child? Where are your proofs—your wit- nesses ?” “T can produce no witness, or at best only a con- federate and fellow-knave!” said the dancer, with flashing eyes. “ But I have one proof in my hands. Convince yourself, baroness, whether those lines could have been written by any other person than the ex-Count Berndt!” She drew from her pocket a scrap of paper and unfolded the rustling letter. Baroness von Rotterswyl snatched it from her hand with passionate haste and read, in agitated tones: ‘¢Old pal, I shall be with you in Wiesbaden to-morrow, and bring the whole party, Gerrald, the aristocratic little goose, also old Lady Rotterswyl. Her presence isn’t particularly agreeable. CoMmicbooOoks.c©