Belle-Rose — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

- + > eS ° 7 ; a. *) ‘ ’ * . S@ — * ‘ - ' . - ‘ - - ew s THE CONVENT IN THE RUE DU CHERCHE-MIDI. 231 ‘‘1am perfectly willing, but what can a poor devil of an. ex-corporal do in opposition to a minister?”’ ‘‘All the same, you will aid me.”’ “With great pleasure; Captain Belle-Rose is a brave soldier who has not punished me every time that I de- served it; this lady whom you call Madame d’Albergotti has served him all in her power; well, ventrebleu! I will serve her with all my strength.”’ ‘It is first necessary to know where he has been taken, ” said she. “We will find out by ferreting in that great barrack of a hotel; I will find some comrade or some lackey who is ac- quainted with the ushers or clerks. I have good legs and my tongue is not too bad, as you will see.’’ ‘*As soon as you learn the place of her retreat, you will come and inform me of it?”’ ‘*Parbleu! since it is for you, I will ask it.’’ ‘‘And you will not lose a minute?”’ ‘*Not a second.”’ Claudine returned to the hotel in the Rue de V Ondiileia little less troubled than she was when she had met Grip. pard. Grippard was a conscientious man, who performed Icyally all that which he promised; unfortunately he had more loyalty than intelligence, and he rarely succeeded in things which required a certain amount of cunning. He installed himself before Monsieur de Louvois’ hotel and bravely set to work to question the lackeys, the ushers, and all the employees who circulated there. He was standing there, looking for a new face to question, when ~ he perceived Bouletord descending the grand stair-way with aradiant air. The brigadier had one hand upon his hip, and with his other hand he was cvrling his mustache. Never had his hat been placed so awry, never-had his sword so proudly beaten his legs, never had his boots been planted so squarely upon the pavement; he was a man who wore an air of triumph from head to foot.. Grippard had seen Bouletord on the day of the expedition to Vilie- juif, but Bouletord had not seen Grippard who was dis- guised. The corporal did not hesitate, and resolutely ac- costed his comrade. ‘‘Good-day, brigadier,’’ he said to him. “Quartermaster, if you please, ’’ replied Bouletord, with a superb air. ‘‘Ah! diable! you are advancing, it seems.’ ‘It is Monsieur de Louvois whom I have ides seen who Eomicbooks co