The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

THE RIVER 213 if to postpone as long as possible the fatal instant when the foul deed was to be done. | “Then, wherefore vex yourself on their account? ” asked Adelaide, gazing up, with all the power of her assumed fondness, into his face. ‘It is not so much on that account, it is not so much for them that I am annoyed —”’ “On account of whom, dearest Edmund? ”’ “My own infernal folly! ’’ he replied, bitterly, and with startling suddenness. | “Your folly? ”’ ‘Yes, wretch! ”’ and he hurled her into the stream. A moment before, his looks had been swept around quick as if it were a lightning-flash that was thus circling the wintry landscape. No observer met his view, and thus at the instant the marked-out spot was reached was his pur- pose executed. A wild shriek thrilled forth from Adelaide’s lips, swiftly followed by a splash and heavy plunge, and for a few moments she disappeared from the view of the wretched murderer, who stood dismayed and horrified on the bank. The circling and gurgling and agitation of the water showed where the unfortunate woman was battling and struggling in the depths below. Suddenly she reappeared on the sur- face, and wild cries again rang forth. ‘Edmund — murderer! Help! help! for God’s sake, help!” and her countenance, distorted and absolutely hideous with the wild anguish and the dread horror depicted upon it, presented to his dismayed view a spectacle full well calculated to haunt him ever more. Struggling and battling against the engulfing waters, carried downward by the stream, vainly did the miserable woman endeavour to reach the bank, and a second time did she disappear from the gaze of her murderer. ‘The sudden sinking of that hideous ghastly countenance — a counte- nance which but a minute before was full of exquisite beauty — smote him, as it were, with a sense of relief; yes, smote him, for the revulsion of feeling was marvellously abrupt from consternation and horror to comparative presence of mind. Then did Edmund recollect another portion of his mother’s instructions, and rushing to and fro along the bank with every appearance of the most frenzied terror, he shouted for help. All of a sudden his foot slipped, and in he fell. COnNIEOOOkKS (C(O)