Belle-Rose — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

THE GARDENER’S NEPHEW. 265 ‘*Parbleu!’’ said Déroute, with a marvelous assurance, ‘‘and besides, they even speak of her at Paris.’’ -— “What worries me is to lose my place, a good place. ”’ ‘Pooh! a place between four walls.’”’ ‘Ido not say nay. But one hundred livres of wages with food and lodging. One earns one’s dowry in three or four years. ’ ~ that is true; but, bah! Uncle Jerome will earn it for you.’ ‘‘In fact, I am his heir. So my Uncle Jerome, old though he is, is going to become a monk?”’ ‘‘It is necessary. He takes the frock to- morrow. See if your heart tells you to do likewise.’ ‘‘My heart has never spoken to me of the convent; it hears only Catherine. What is vexatious is that I have scarcely a crown left; it is little for such a long road.’’. “Oh! do not disturb Oma, Uncle Jerome has pas vided for that.’’ ~ “How is that?’’ | ‘‘If it happens,’’ he has said to me, ‘‘that Ambrose does not like the convent——”’ . Ambrose shook his head. ‘vou ‘will hand him, twenty crowns and four louis. ’’ As he said this, Déroute displayed upon a table the white and yellow pieces. The eyes of Ambrose sparkled at this sight. ‘All this for me?’’ said he; with his hand upon the money. ‘*All this, and moreover, this double louis for Catherine.” 79 continued Déroute, ‘‘these - Ambrose took the whole, opened his valise, and placed — the money at the bottom. ‘‘Friend Blondinet,’’ said he, ‘'I will leave to-morrow by the coach.’’ “And you will do well; the convent will lose a good gardener by it, but it will be the fault of the king.”’ ‘Is it well understood?’’ continued Déroute, while Am- brose was stuffing his crowns and louis between his shirts and stockings in the valise. ‘*Certainly !’’ “Then give me Madame Patu’s letter.’’ ‘‘Mamma’s letter?’’ ¢é Yes. 92 “What do you want with the letter?”’ ‘‘T¢ will serve me as a proof with Jerome; he must know that I have fulfilled my commission.”’ EOMmIiGcboo gs) €o