Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

‘ALFRED DE ROSANN. 83 in your left hand breast pocket: when the hardy turnkey at the dagne is examining you, whisper in his ear the words ‘ La France!’ and he will not touch that pocket. The same turnkey, whose name ‘1s Plombier, will aid your escape, which, when ef- fected, must be directed to an useful purpose. So soon as you are free, proceed—separately or together, it is the same thing—to one of the towns for which your passports are signed, and cause them to be coun- tersigned for Paris; then push boldly forwards towards the capital. On your arrival, hasten to the Awe de la Chanoinesse, in the Island of the City, close by the cathedral of Notre-Dame, and at Number-—-, in- quire for me by the name of Auguste Leblond.”’ “ And to what is all that to lead ?’? asked Belle- Rose. “'To raise your fallen fortunes,”’ was the reply ; “ and,’’ he added, with a peculiar emphasis, “ to restore to wealth, honour, rank, and love, those: who have been harshly dealt with.”’ , The words went like balm to the heart of De Rosann , “T left Paris this morning at day-break,’’ continued Leblond, hastily ; “my object was to fall in with Alfred de Rosann and Pierre Belle-Rose. I arrived _at this town, purposely boasted at a public-house that I had no passport, was arrested, and, as I anticipated, was brought to prison. Now that my task is com- pleted, I shall produce my papers to-morrow morning, say that I thought I had left them behind the day before, and thus procure my liberty.”’ | ‘But how are you free to walk about the prison at your discretion ?”’ asked Belle-Rose, scarcely know- ing what to think of all that Leblond had told him. ‘Only felons are locked up,’’ replied the singular individual, whose behaviour was so deeply enveloped in mystery. “But I must now retire: good night —and remember the magic words ‘ La France !’ ”’ Belle-Rosé would have interrogated him farther ; but the sounds of retreating steps showed that Leblond — COMmicoooks