Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 85 while Champignon ‘still remained locked in the em- braces of sleep. The anxious eyes of the two prison- ers greedily sought the contents of the papers; and their hearts leapt within them as they noticed in the dim twilight that these documents were really genu- ine! The very descriptions of their persons were correct to a nicety; and on the back was the regular endorsement and the red stamp of the Prefecture de Police. ‘The names alone were changed; De Rosann was thenceforth to be called Jules de Remonville— and Belle-Rose, Henri Mercier. We shall, however, continue to designate them by their real appellations, to prevent confusion in the progress of our tale. Scarcely had De Rosann and Belle-Rose congratu- lated themselves on the genuineness of their papers, and consequently on the unlimited confidence to be now attached to Leblond’s assertions, when Cham- pignon began to give evident signs of an inclination to shake off his slumbers, by yawning, and stretching out his arms in a most unceremonious manner. The sun had not yet risen; and the twilight entered but partially into the narrow cell, barely sufficient to allow Alfred and his comrades to peruse their passports a few minutes before Champignon awoke. ‘The gastro- nomer inquired what o’clock it was; and on being © told that in a quarter of an hour the Gendarmes would call them to renew their march, he declared his inten- tion of rising and washing himself. “ As for rising,” said Belle-Rose, “ that is not very difficult, seeing you have no bed-clothes to kick off; but as for washing yourself, otherwise than at the pump, when the gaoler opens the doors, you need not flatter yourself you will have the opportunity.’’ _ “J beg your pardon,’’ returned Champignon, gent- ly ; “ may I never spit another partridge if there be not a species of wooden trough or ewer in this cor- ner.”’ | «“ Ah! there really is something,’’ remarked Belle- ‘Rose, carelessly. ) ' ©?Tis as I tell you,” muttered Champignon; and (CO) VOL. 1.—8 COMMEOOKS