Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

26 ALFRED: OR ADVENTURES days, and its thousand towers appeared to mock the threatening sky. The rays of the sun, now falling on this hemisphere less languidly than when the convicts first began their march, gilded the lofty dome of the Hospital of the Invalids and made it glitter like a distant lght- house on some tall rock. The dark and gloomy towers of Notre Dame, that seemed to defy the ravages of time, and despise the centuries which had already passed over their heads, frowned above the myriads of dwellings around them, and raised their parapets to heaven like two Goliaths in the midst of a mighty army. Nor less did the beams of that morning sun irradiate the summit of St. Gene- vieve,* within whose vaults repose the ashes of heroes, of philosophers, and of statesmen. ‘The pinnacles of St. Sulpice, the Sorbonne, and the University caught those gladdening rays; the sepulchres of Pere La Chaise on one side, and the tall buildings of Montmartre on the other, closed in the northern direction this panoramic view of Paris. Tears stood in Alfred de Rosann’s eyes, as the chain once more resumed its march, and as the gay picture of the French metropolis faded from his sight. He had indulged in the pleasures of that me- tropolis—he had tasted of the sweets collected so profusely m that hive of luxury and delight—he had shone in the most brilliant circles of fashion—-he had mingled with the nobles of France at the splendid court of the royal Charles—and now, what was he ?—a degraded out- cast! “Oh!” thought he, as he east a sickening look on his com- panions, “ that the name of De Rosann should ever be thus disgraced ! Oh! that the grave did not sooner close over me, before those accursed fetters should have stamped my infamy, and entered into my soul! La Motte! La Motte! could’st thou but now see him who put his confidence in thee, and whom thy villany has brought to shame !” “You are melancholy, my friend,” said the individual to whom he was attached by the ignominious bond; ‘‘ cheer up your spirits, and don’t let the others see you take it thus to heart, or by the eternal God!” he added with a peculiar emphasis, “it will cost you your life !”’ ‘““ How 2” enquired De Rosann, after a moment’s hesitation as to whether he should answer or not, ‘Speak in a whisper, my young bird,” returned the other, “and I shall be glad to converse with you: but if you let every ear become acquainted with the nature of our talk, I shall hold my tongue at once.” ‘“‘ W ell—well,’”’ muttered the youth hastily. ‘No impatience, my dear boy—and I will stand your friend,” said the convict with most ineffable coolness. ‘‘ This is my third visit to the bagne;+ and a man has not been there twice already without having profited by a little experience. If you mope, and cry, and look dull, the others will mistrust you; and as they are obliged more or less to make friends of each other, they’ll very soon put you out of the way.” ‘¢ They would not murder me ?” asked De Rosann with a shudder. * Now called the Pantheon. ¢ The prisons in which the convicts are confined at Brest, Tou on, &c. ; [email protected]@