Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

Alfred de Rosann. 27 ‘And why not? There are many at the bagne who are con- demned for murder: they murdered to get money, and in so doing they risked their liberty—aye, and even their heads. Well, then,” continued the convict, ‘‘do you think they would scruple to slit your wind-pipe, if your presence marred or interfered with an escape ?” A cold sweat stood on De Rosann’s brow—an indescribable pang shot through his heart—his brain whirled—his eyes became dim. ‘“¢ Come, come,” cried his 8oi-disant friend ; ‘‘ cheer up, my good fellow—and do not give way to this cursed melancholy. How long are you condemned for ?” ‘‘ Five years,” was the reply, in a voice almost choked with emo- tion. ‘“‘ And I for ten: but if I do not see the good walls of Paris once within as many months, then let Pierre Belle-Rose lose his excellent reputation for cunning and craft.”’ ‘* Ah! how?” enquired De Rosann. ‘¢ There is not a soul,’’ continued the convict, ‘‘ either in our chain, or at the bagne—unless indeed it be yourself—that has not an idea and a hope of escape sooner or later. This is the reason which obliges us to make confidants of our companions ; and the same may account to you wherefore a religious, sulky, moping fellow, who would betray a friend to gain the governor’s favour, 1s suspected. But I will help you to weather all difficulties, if you only connive with me to attain the grand object. What is your crime ?” ‘‘ I was accused of forgery,’’ answered De Rosann, a deep scarlet suffusing his whole countenance. ‘‘A very gentlemanly and noble perpetration,”’ continued Belle- Rose, for such was the name of the individual to whom De Rosann was chained. ‘ I hope the amount was considerable.” ‘Three hundred thousand francs.” _“ Tonnerre de Dieu!” exclaimed the convict, gazing on his youthful companion in admiration mingled with respect; ‘‘ I suppose you are not lacking in ready cash then ?” ‘‘T have not a single sou,” was the laconic answer. ‘God knows you cannot have less,” rejoined Pierre Belle-Rose, his admiration and his respect for De Rosann essentially diminishing. ‘“¢ Every centime would have been taken from me by the Gendarmes the moment I was captured, even had I concealed cash about my erson.”” a See what it is never to have been at the galleys during one’s life,” cried Belle-Rose in a compassionate tone of voice; ‘‘ he does not even know how to conceal his money! Poor young man! But at the next town we must get a supply.—Ha / ¢a, mon brave,” continued the experienced convict, once more addressing himself to De Rosann, ‘‘there are two features in your tale that appear somewhat incon- sistent. Now, as we have no secrets amongst ourselves, I must demand an explanation. In the first place, how does it happen that you did not decamp with your three hundred thousand francs, and place the frontier between you and the police? and in the second place, I cannot conceive how condemnation for twenty years, which is the punishment for a forgery like your’s, could be changed to a paltry five ?”’ COnicbooolks (GO)