Belle-Rose — page 252: what you’re looking at

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

THE LAST HOUR. 941 in her; her cheeks became more hollow, the bluish circle which framed her eyes assumed leaden tints; her wasted hands were dry and burning, there were moments when her lips had the pallor of the vail which floated over her forehead. She accepted remedies only from Suzanne’s hand; but when Suzanne was not there, she poured out - | the liquor and smiled bitterly on seeing overflow that which was to bring some relief to her malady. One day as Suzanne surprised her emptying a vial, she snatched it from her fingers and constrained her to take what was left in the bottom of it. ‘‘Death is here!’’ said Gabrielle, striking with the end her oppressed breast; ‘‘you prolong my torture by some hours.’ “My God! you shall live, my poor child, you shall live!”’ exclaimed Suzanne, who felt herself suffocated by tears. ‘‘And why do you wish me to live?’’ exclaimed Gabri- elle, bursting into sobs; ‘‘am I not lost to him?’’ At this cry Suzanne understood that the heart of Gabrielle was not less sick than her body. Terror and love together were killing her. Suzanne tenderly embraced her and wished to give back a little hope to that desolate soul; but Gabrielle kept a mournful silence; she shook her head and wept; toward evening Suzanne put her to bed a prey to a burning fever. She passed a sleepless night; but in the morning Gabrielle rose and was the first one to go to the chapel; a cold sweat covered her forehead and fever shone in her looks. The unhappy child displayed a fright- ful energy in dying. When evening came, she leaned at times upon the window and looked at the setting sun; the trees of the park were surrounded with a light vapor, the birds pursued each other in the branches, the leaves rustled, and on the horizon were to be seen great bands of light whose reflections inundated the sky with rosy light. A profound ecstasy was depicted upon theface of Gabri- elle, she extended her hands toward space and said, in a trembling voice: | ‘‘My God! how sweet it would be to live if one was loved and free!’’ Then she fell upon her knees, imploring death. A day came when her strength was unequal to her courage; she wished to rise at the first sounds of the bell, but her knees gave way, and Suzanne, who no longer quitted her, having — raised her in her arms, placed her in bed again. The doc- tor came during the evening, and, having examined her, declared that she would not live through the next day. . = “GO (E(O) Ebooks