Belle-Rose — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

THE LIGHTING OF A PASSION. . 88 ‘‘Very well! they are hunting some malefactor, no doubt?"’ ‘‘Ah, yes! the country might be ‘pillaged, and they would pay no attention to it.. They are searching for a poor soldier.’ ~ **A soldier?’’ ‘*Some deserter, so a brigadier has told me. It is a ques- — tion of a young man almost of your build, blonde like you, lithe and vigorous as you seem to be.’’ The landlady ceased speaking to gaze at Belle-Rose. <A flash of suspicion lit up hereyes. Belle-Rose started, threw some money on the table, and made toward the door. The butt-end of a musket struck the pebbles. The landlady rushed to the fugitive. “Chut!’’ she rapidly whispered to him, ‘‘I have under- stood nothing, guessed nothing, but do not advance. A foot in the road, and you area dead man. Enter that cab- inet; 1 am going to occupy them with my best wine. If they do not see you, they will leave in an hour, and you will be saved. If they ses you, dame! there is the win- dow.”’ Belle-Rose threw himself into the Bort oring hall just as the door of the cabaret opened. ‘The sky is an oven and the road is a gridiron!’ said. the soldier, on entering. ‘So that you have an outrageous thirst,’’ replied the landlady. ‘‘Take, then, and drink,’’ she added, placing a . pitcher of wine upon the table. Those who came by way of the plain entered at the same moment. T’he majority of them threw their hats and mus- kets upon the benches and sat down around the table. The landlady passed and repassed through the cabinet, which sige an outlet into the kitchen. - “They are drinking,’’ she said, quite low, to Belle-Rose. ‘All of them ??’’ ‘*All except one.’ Belle Rose ae the window. At ths landlady’s third trip, a soldier followed her. **Leave me alone and finish your dinner,’’ said she. ‘*No, your arms are too beautiful.”’ ‘Tf they are beautiful, they are strong; so take care of your cheeks.’’ ‘Eh! eh!’’ said the soldier, on perceiving Belle-Rose, ‘‘weare not alone! The company frightens love. Eh, friend, turn round slightly, so we can see you.”’ Belle-Rose trembled at the sound of this voice, which comicboo (E(@) ‘S