Belle-Rose — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

294 A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE. order to go and bring Madame d’Albergotti. Ina few minutes Suzanne entered. : ‘‘Since we separated, madame,’’ Monsieur de Louvois -gaid to her, ‘‘I have made a reflection. I wish, in con- sideration of your extreme youth, to forget the fault of which you have rendered yourself guilty.’”’ ‘Ah!’ ‘thought Suzanne, ‘‘already it is no longer but a fault; just now it was a crime.”’ ‘‘But,’’? continued the minister, ‘‘I attach one condition to this favor. Monsieur de Pomereux, an acquaintance of yours I believe, has been charged by me with informing vou as to what that condition is. lI leave you.. Monsieur le Comte will bring me your reply; I desire it to be such that I can set you at liberty immediately. ’’ Monsieur de Louvois withdrew, and Monsieur de Pom- ereux and Suzanne were left alone. CHAPTER XXXII. A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE. | After the departure of Monsieur de Louvois, the Comte de Pomereux, on seeing the great eyes of Suzanne fixed upon him with an expression of astonishment and in- quietude, understood that the mission with which he had charged himself was more delicate than he had thought at first. But Monsieur de Pomereux was not a man to recoil before any enterprise; the most extravagant were pre- cisely those which pleased him most.. So he proceeded to impart to her the intentions of Monsieur de Louvois. ‘““You have heard the minister,’’ he said to her; ‘‘your | fate is in your own hands, madame.” ‘““That is to say, monsieur, that it is still between his, since he attaches a condition to it.’’ ‘““To tell the truth, madame, I have obtained from my illustrious cousin more than I hoped for, but in a different manner from what I should have desired. ”’ “Explain yourself, please. ’’ Monsieur de Pomereux was silent for some moments. ‘‘My faith, madame,’’ he all at once exclaimed like a man who takes his part, vl believe the simplest way is to — come out with it plainly.” | “That is also my opinion, monsieur.’ Eomicbooks (ere)