Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

228 THE CONVENT IN THE RUE DU CHERCHE-MIDI. that it was time to leave. The marquise arose and de- scended to the court of the hotel, where she saw a carriage bearing the arms of the minister. The gentleman who had conducted her that morning to Monsieur de Louvois’ was waiting for her. It was Monsieur de Charny. At sight of that pale and cold visage, Madame d’ Albergotiti shivered ; she turned aside her eyes and leaped, without taking his hand, into the carriage, in which Monsieur de Charny sat down soon after. The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage rolled away. ‘Where are you taking me, monsieur?’’ Suzanne asked Monsieur de Charny. ‘To the Convent of the Benedictine Nuns in the Rue du Cherche-Midi.’”’ CHAPTER XXXII. THE CONVENT IN THE RUE DU CHERCHE-MIDI. The Convent of the Benedictine Nuns in the Rue du Cherche-Midi was then one of the convents of Paris most renowned for the austerity of its discipline. It was a great square building, surrounded by vast and beautiful gardens, which formed for this religious exile a verdant rampart filled with cool retreats and shady paths. But in the midst of this fresh and smiling park the convent, with its white walls and gray roofs from which no noise escaped, had a mournful aspect which chilled the heart. It was likea great tomb in the midst of flowers. At the name of Mon- sieur de Louvois, the door opened; Madame d’Albergotti and her guide descended from the carriage; Suzanne was taken toa little room, whose sole furniture was a wooden bench, an image of Christ, and a prie-Dieu, and Monsieur de Charny was introduced into the parlor, where the superior was waiting for him. ‘¢Wait here some moments, madame,’’ said Monsieur de Charny to Suzanne, on quitting her; ‘‘I am going to recom- mend you to the special kindness of the superior.’’ Madame d’Albergotti bowed without replying. The voice of this man congealed the blood in her veins. The letter of which Monsieur de Charny was the bearer was con- ceived in clear and precise terms. As soon as she had be- come acquainted with its contents, the superior respect- fully saluted the minister’s envoy. ‘¢Assure Monsieur de Louvois,’’ said she, ‘‘that his in- (E(@) micboo S (E(o)