Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 73 “ How—speak—girl!”” “ Dear uncle!”? he’s amongst those convicts.”’ “* Amongst the convicts!” shrieked the poor woman aloud, to the astonishment of all present, save herself, her daughter, and Belle-Rose. ““Yes—yes,”’ cried Felicité in the same audible tone of voice, forgetful of Belle-Rose’s injunction to secresy, and heedless of the continued signs he was making, like the telegraph on the towers of Saint Sulpice, or the superb dwelling of his Excellency the Minister of Marine, in Paris. During the confabulation between the mother and daughter which we have so faithfully related, Cham- pignon’s ear caught the word volaille. We have before stated that he had already made up his'mind as to the nature and origin of the said discourse, to which the girl’s repeated nods and winks gave an additional air of mystery. He therefore thought it was now high time to interfere ; and stepping forward as far as the chains would permit him, forhis comrade would not move an inch, he said in a dulcet tone of voice, “‘ Madame, 1 think I can enlighten you relative to the object of your discussion.” “ Pardie !’’ exclaimed the landlady; that’s exactly what I want. I and my daughter are talking abouta couple of fowls—”’ “ Ah! ah !” interrupted Champignon with a com- placent smile: “ I’m at home there !” , ‘The devil you are! and where are they °”’ “T thought—O I find I am—that is,’’ stammered Champignon, with a disconsolate look, “ I—I—am a little—mistaken.”’ “ Come—come !”’ cried the good woman: “no equivocation, my worthy fellow.”’ “Tf I bein the wrong, Madame,” said Champignon meekly, “I am willing to make every apology.” “ Apology—apology! The greedy dog !”’ scream- ed the infuriate landlady ; and rushing upon the gas- tronomer, like a lioness loosened from her cage, she soon teft the traces of her nails upon his two cheeks, (GO) VOL. I.—7 | .connicloooks