Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

288 THE ABBESS OF THE CONVENT OF ST. CLAIRE. l7Aumone. These horses belonged toa band of jockeys who were taking them to Paris; Bouletord having heard them neigh and prance in the stable, had stopped and de- manded them in the name of the king. The jockeys had resisted at first, but at sight of the uniform and muskets they had submitted; the horses which Bouletord and his men had been riding were left in the stable, and they rode away on the others, quickly coming up with Monsieur de Charny. ‘“‘Are they taken?’’ asked Monsieur de Charny, a mo- ment immovable in the middle of the road. ‘‘Eh! parbleu! Belle-Rose and his gang?”’ ‘‘My faith, they are still flying.”’ ‘They are flying, and you do not pursue them?”’ ‘‘T have my account, my dear Monsieur de Charny,”’ re- plied Monsieur de Pomereux. ‘‘My sword is in pieces, my hat is ruined, and in looking more closely, I believe I have two inches of steel in my coat.”’ ‘“‘Sangdieu! forward!’’ howled Bouletord, who had stopped three minutes to hear this conversation. ‘*Forward! you fellows!’’ cried Monsieur de Charny, ad- dressing himself to the lackeys. Monsieur de Pomereux threw himself in front of them. ‘‘Eivery one of you stay where you are!’’ he exclaimed. And turning to Monsieur de Charny, he added: ‘‘My rival has my word; go, we will be your witnesses. ”’ Monsieur de Charny threw upon the count a disdainful look and rode away. Monsieur de Pomereux followed with the lackeys. Be- tween Bouletord and Belle-Rose there was almost a quarter of a league; both troops moved forward rapidly. On rounding a small hill, Déroute got down off his horse. ‘“Take my horse,’’ said he to Belle-Rose; ‘‘he is in better trim than yours, having carried only me.’’ Grippard imitated Déroute in favor of Cornelius. The exchange was made in two seconds, and the young people set spurs to their horses, who plunged forward with a desperate energy. It was a last effort, the impulse lasted five minutes; at the end of this time the horses began to lose ground. Bouletord gained steadily upon them. Be- tween Bouletord and his archers there was a hundred steps distance. Déroute and Grippard, who were riding together, formed a sort of rear-guard for the fugitives. As they emerged from a little wood, Déroute saw in the plain ~ the white walls of an abbey whose steeple was outlined €omicbooks.com