Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

174 A SOUL IN PAIN. ‘‘You have succored me in time of misfortune,’ said the duke, ‘‘and I have remembered it. Belle-Rose will be as a son to me. I will not spare him dangers, and if God grants us life, he will go further than he has ever dreamed.’’ The falconer carried the gentleman’s hand to his lips. On retiring, the duke gave Belle-Rose’s hand a cordial pressure. ‘Be firm,’’ he said to him, ‘‘a father is still left you.’”’ The almoner of the battalion arrived during the night and recited the prayer of the dying. Everybody knelt down, and Guillaume, with hands joined, committed his soul to Him who loves and pardons. The following day, about noon, a soldier presented himself at Belle-Rose’s tent. It was a page with a sly and determined smile. In spite of her man’s clothes, only a glance was necessary for Belle-Rose to recognize Camille, Madame de Chateaufort’s waiting-woman. ‘‘My mistress informs you,’’ said she, ‘‘that she expects you this evening, if you have an hour to spare her.’’ ‘‘T am at her orders,’’ replied Belle-Rose. ‘“‘Tf that is the case, be ready this evening at sunset.”’ ‘‘T will be ready. Where must I go?’’ ‘‘Between Marchienne and Laudely, almost two leagues from here. But do not trouble yourself, itis I who will serve you as guide.”’ “Till this evening, then.’’ Camille turned upon her heels and moved away. Mon- sieur de Villebrais, still more athirst for vengeance since his last encounter with the Duke of Castel-Rodrigo, had scattered his men and some others whom the allurement of gain had attached to his fortune, around the French lines, recommending to them the strictest surveillance. He himself, under the costume of a market gardener, had ventured even as faras the advance posts; and he went and came continually along the paths like a wolf seeking its prey. About five o’clock, as he was standing ona slight elevation, he perceived Madame de Chateaufort on horseback, followed by a single lackey, and directing her course toward the barriers. Monsieur de Villebrais waited till she was some hundred steps from the camp, and leap- ing upon a horse which was always in reach of his hand, he made a sign to one of the men to follow him and launched himself in pursuit of the duchess, taking care, however, to keep the river between them to avoid obser- vation. Madame de Chateaufort followed the route to Marchienne-au-Pont. Ata quarter of a league from this (€(0) micboo S (