Belle-Rose — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE, —«.-_~—>—-287 you are wrong, and your refusal exposes you to a danger which you did not expect. ”’ _‘**What is it, monsieur?’’ “That of seeing me fall in love with you.’ Suzanne shrugged her shoulders. | “Eh! madame, you need not ridicule the idea. If you had married me, you would perhaps have escaped this peril, but you are not sure of avoiding it now. “Tf it is a peril, acknowledge at least that Monsieur de | Louvois will take care to place me where it cannot reach me.’ *‘And that is what vexes me. Prison for prison? in your place, I should have preferred marriage. It is a Bastile from which one sometimes escapes. ’’ Suzanne stopped Monsieur de Pomereux with a gesture. ‘*So be it,’’ said he. ‘‘You are now between my cousin’s claws; but it shall not be said that I attempted nothing for your deliverance; the thing interests me a little now, and I shall put everything to work to set you free again.’’ : An hour later Monsieur de Louvois called for Monsieur de Pomereux. ‘“Well,’? he said to him, as soon as he perceived him, ‘have we made the citadel capitulate?” ‘Eh! parbleu! one is almost sure of triumphing over a woman, and you send me to-:a phenomenon. ’Pon my word, Heloise, of faithful memory, is not worthy, in my opinion, to lace Madame d’Albergotti’s corset. ”’ ‘*In short she prefers the prison or the cloister to your person.’ ‘““You see how humiliated [am by it. Itisa very bad example for the court, and you cannot imprison her too soon. ’’ ‘*T will take care of that,’’ replied Monsieur de Louvois, writing some words upon a paper. Monsieur de Louvois’ accent as he said this made Mon- sicur de Pomereux tremble, although he was not easily moved. He threw alook of pity toward the door of the cabinet occupied by Suzanne, and went out. Immediately after Monsieur de Louvois had a moment’s conference with Monsieur de Charny. ‘*Well, she refuses Monsieur de Pomereux. The convent is still left us,’’ said Monsieur de Louvois, placing his sig- nature at the bottom of a letter which he had just written. ‘*Bah!’’ said the confidant, ‘‘a cell is preferable to a bier.”’ Soon after, an usher came toinform Madame d’ Albergotti | “ Gomicboo ¢s) (E(0)