Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 302: what you’re looking at

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

286 THE ABBESS OF THE CONVENT OF ST. CLAIRE. were white with foam, and they were giving way under their double burden. Suzanne and Claudine dared not speak, but at times they threw, above the shoulders of the cavaliers, a long glance over the white road which was lost in the transparent night. Déroute and the faithful Grippard galloped side by side, mute and resolute. The little troop turned around Pontoise; the foam of the pant- ing horses was becoming red about the nostrils. When they were near d’Ennery, Déroute heard pass with the breeze a neigh so vigorous that he turned his head. A — speck was visible upon the road, growing larger and arger. CHAPTER XLIII. THE ABBESS OF THE CONVENT OF ST. CLAIRE. This black speck was Monsieur de Pomereux riding at full speed. Scarcely had he heard the neigh of the mare ridden by Belle-Rose, when he dug both spurs into his horse; the stallion, excited by the emanations which were exhaled from the humid flanks of. the mare, left like an arrow. In three minutes the count had passed Monsieur de Charny. Nothing was heard of Bouletord and his men. At some hundred steps from d’Ennery, Déroute, measuring’ with his eye the distance which still separated Belle-Rose from Monsieur de Pomereux, whom he had recognized, understood that it was time to take the decisive part. He rushed toward the captain, and pointed out to him with his finger the cavalier who was approaching with the rapidity of a thunderbolt. ‘here are four men behind him,’’ said he. Belle-Rose leaned toward Cornelius. ‘‘T confide Suzanne to you,’’ he murmured to him. “T was going to confide Claudine to you,’’ replied the Irishman. ‘“Grab your pistols!’’ exclaimed Déroute, ‘‘here they are!”’ The sergeant fired at once, but the shot, not aimed well, ouly plowed its way through the count’s hat. The count passed before him like a bullet and fell upon Belle-Rose. But scarcely had the two blades crossed, when Monsieur de Pomereux recognized the stranger who had come to his aid at Dover. > (ey th (€(0)