Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

242 THE LAST HOUR. “It is a lamp without oil,’’ said he. During the whole day Gabrielle had many times turned her sparkling eyes toward Suzanne, her lips had opened as if she had had something to confide to her, then her eyes and her mouth closed again, and she was heard praying quite low with hands clasped over her heart, in the austere attitude of the marble figures seen upon tombs. When night came Suzanne was left alone in the cell where Gabrielle was dying. The silence was lugubrious; the oppressed breathing of Gabrielle had given way toa light respiration, which no longer made itself heard. Her eyelids were closed, her lips no longer moved; she seemed to sleep. Suzanne piously kissed her on the forehead like a mother who blesses her child; she was going to with- draw when Gabrielle, unclasping her hands, placed them around Suzanne’s neck. ‘‘Remain near me,’’ she said, in a whisper. Suzanne sat down upon the edge of the bed. ‘‘Listen to me, Suzanne,’’ continued Gabrielle, ‘‘I have a service to ask of you. Do you promise to render it to me?’’ ‘*T promise you.”’ Gabrielle meditated for a moment, then searched under the lining of her pillow; she drew forth a small box which contained a letter anda tress of hair. She unfolded the letter and pressed it to her lips; her eyes filled with tears. ‘*Look,’’ said she, ‘‘my tears have almost effaced the handwriting. For three years I have been living on this letter. ’’ ‘*Poor child, she is dying from it!’’ sighed Suzanne. ‘It is all that I have of his,’’ continued Gabrielle, in a sad voice, ‘‘I have not seen him for three years, and he does not know that I am going to die.’’ ‘‘Oh! Gabrielle! whoever he is, if he had known this love, he would have saved you.’’ ‘‘He! but if he had sought mein marriage, he would have been killed! Ihave preferred to die!’’ exclaimed Gabrielle, pressing close to Suzanne. Suzanne shivered. ‘This is how this love came about,’’ continued Gabrielle, drying her eyes. ‘‘We were in the country, on our Mesle estate, near Mantes, my father, my sister, and myself. It was the happy time. The Chevalier d’ Arraines—that is his name—came to pay us a visit. He was twenty-two or three years of age; he was amiable, proud, and intelligent, The sight of him troubled me singularly, and the whole comicbooks (eo) eh Rie) wera wee