Belle-Rose — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

86 THE LIGHTING OF A PASSION. / Rose heard only one cry, and fainted. When he came to himself, he was extended upon a sofa in a large and mag- nificently furnished room. His first act was to carry his hand to his forehead; a keen pain answered the contact of his fingers. , ‘Yes, yes, you are wounded! It would have only taken »~ half an inch more for the horse’s hoofs to strike your temple. Adonis has been adroit in his awkwardness.’ Belle-Rose looked to see who was speaking, and recog- nized the lady whom he had just drawn from so great a peril. He wished to raise himself to thank her for the care which she had taken of him. ‘Keep still,’’ said she, ‘‘you are not in condition to — move with the wound in your head and the bleeding which your arm has undergone.’”’ Belle-Rose only then perceived that his left arm was surrounded with bandages. He smiled and again fixed his eyes upon the lady who was seated before him in a large fauteuil. Her riding habit, torn in three or four places, was stained with blood; she, too, carried her arm ina sling, and her streaming hair fell in long, brown tresses around her face, where shone wondrously beauti- ful eyes. In the midst of the confused sensations agitating his soul, it seemed to the young officer that it was not the - first time the sound of that voice had struck his ear; but — he could not recall either in what place or under what cir- cumstances he had heard it. As to the lady’s face, it was altogether unknown to him. She answered Belle-Rose’s smile by another smile; but there was something bitter and disdainful in the movement of her lips which robbed them of their grace. ‘5 ‘‘T understand,’’ said she; ‘‘you have felt nothing, neither the fall, nor the kick, nor the removal to the chateau upon a litter, nor the bleeding, nor the bandag- ing. A pretty woman would not have fainted better. ’’ Belle-Rose blushed slightly. ‘‘But,’’ continued the lady, “‘you fell from the clouds, — then, when you so brusquely seized hold of Adonis?” —— = Belle-Rose had forgotten everything. The lady’s ques- tion made him recollect. He saw again, at the same time, his duel, his departure, his flight, and was silent, measur- . ing in thought the solitude and misfortune into which his life had just been plunged. ‘Oh! I do not ask you for your secret,”’ continued his interlocutrix. ‘‘You have saved mv life—the least that I can do for you is to let you preserve silence. But, upon : =~<comicbooks.con 3].