The Opposite House: A Novel — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

184 The Opposite Flouse. stony face quivered. Why should she tremble before the hand which had robbed her of every joy in life? Close by the wall lay a dying man, still gasping faintly, his hmbs twitching in the last agony. The black-robed figure slowly advanced and gazed in- tently at the hated features, from which the rude hand of death had stripped the mask. The profile of “Count Berndt” was relieved with horrible dis- tinctness against the floor, waxen, pale and scarcely disfigured, but without its perpetual smile. The hand still clenched the pistol, and from the temple a dark stream trickled down the whole shirt, crim- soning the breast just at the spot where the fatal bullet had struck the hapless Lewin. “The murderer has executed himself, baroness,”’ said the captain of police. ‘“ Your accusation was swiftly followed by justice.” The lady stood motionless before the lifeless form, then, with silent horror, she stepped back, clasping her slender hands: “Thy ways are long and wonderful, oh, God, but they lead to the goal—to vengeance and retribu- tion !”” She bowed her head in prayer, then turned and, with a formal greeting, passed noiselessly through the door. Meanwhile Heloise had watched the course of ComicbooOoks.c©