Belle-Rose — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

A DAUGHTER OF EVE. 81 pice, the honest Monsieur Mériset was in great trouble. The worthy proprietor had not gone to bed. His lamp, ordinarily extinguishéd about nine o’clock, was still burn- ing two hours after midnight, and standing behind his half-closed blinds, he cast anxious looks into the shadows of the street. ‘‘Ah! Monsieur Belle-Rose, what a burden you lift from me!’’ said he to the sergeant. ‘‘I feared you were dead. ”’ ‘Iam not so yet, but | may be at any time.’ **Do not speak in that lugubrious fashion; at the pres- ent hour it is rather risky to use such language. y ‘Is it, then, to assure yourself that Iam indeed alive that you have waited for me?”’ “Tt is also for handing you this paper which a eentle- man has left after having come twice. He has urgently insisted on its being given only to you, assuring me that it was very important.”’ While Monsieur Mériset was speaking, Belle-Rose opened the epistle and read these words by the light of the pro- prietor’s candle: ‘Monsieur de Villebrais is not dead, though he is not in a condition to rise soon, if he ever does; he has spoken, and the secret of your meeting has been confided to people who undoubtedly have given orders for your arrest. Your only hope is to fly, and the sooner the better. Quit Paris, and count upon me, whatever happens. ‘‘CORNELIUS O'BRIEN.” Belle-Rose was expecting this news. He burned the note — without showing any agitation, and drawing from his pocket a well-plenished purse, he asked Monsieur Meriset if he did not know some honest person whom he could charge with a delicate commission. ~ *“Thayve my nephew, Christopher Mériset, a clever fel- low and as mute as a confessional.”’ “You answer for him,’’ ‘*He is my heir.’’ “Then I confide to him this letter to carry and also another which I am going to write toa captain of light- horse garrisoned at Arras.’ ‘‘He will carry them. “Without delay?" ‘In an hour.’ Belle-Rose wrote to Monsieur d’Assonyille to inform him of what he had seen and what events prevented his carry- ing in person the reply of the unknown lady. Immediately _ after the arrival of Nephew Christopher, he handed him Gomicbooks:co