Belle-Rose — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

as THE AGONY. — : 108 Belle-Rose shivered from head to foot. ‘“‘Dismiss this,’’ continued Monsieur d’Assonville, with asad smile; *“‘f am dead; what difference does it make by whom and why 1am killed! Other thoughts besiege me, and my mind is troubled. Listen, before I die; afterward, avenge me if you wish.’’ Belle-Rose took Monsieur. d’Assonville’s hand and pressed it. ‘‘Do you promise me to perform all my last requests?”’ “I swear it.’’ “IT counted on it. Monsieur de Naucrais, my brother, is the possessor of a letter addressed to you. I handed it to him on leaving the army. “T was acquainted with your duel and your disappearance, but I knew you innocent. My conscience answered to me for you. “He will return,’ I said to myself, ‘and what I charge him with doing, he will do.’- You see that I was - not deceived.”’ A fit of coughing stopped Monsieur d’Assonville; he car- ried a handkerchief to his lips, and withdrew it stained with a bloody foam. “My God! you are killing yourself!’ exclaimed, Belle- Rose. ‘‘Monsieur de Villebrais has slightly aided me to do so,’’ replied the captain, with a smile. ‘‘Put off the rest of your revelation till to-morrow; to- morrow you will be more calm.”’’ “My friend, the dead donot speak. If you wish to hear what I have to say to you, you must listen to me to- night——”’ A burning blush covered the cheeks of Monsieur d’As- - gonville, and to it succeeded the pallor of marble. Fever made his teeth chatter. Belle-Rose went from one end of the room to the other, wringing his hands. ‘“‘l suffer slightly,’’ said the captain; ‘‘why did he not kill me at the first blow? I stifle, and I am always thirsty, give me drink——”’ Belle-Rose presented him a cup filled with milk. The captain drank a swallow. of it. | “That is a diet-drink you are giving me! Have you not a bottle of old Burgundy?’’ Belle-Rose drew a flask from a cupboard and filled a olass. He remembered the surgeon‘s words. If Monsieur d’Assonville had asked him for whisky, he would have given it to him. The wounded man swallowed two glasses in succession, €o Eomicbooks