Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

68 A FRIEND AND AN ENEMY. tention in order to maintain itin the sentiment of hon- esty, and as the person had not said she would return, he did not give himself the trouble to wait for her next day. For once, Belle-Rose knew not what to think of these two visits; it was not probable that they both came from the Rue Cassette, and as, on the other hand, he did not know any woman in Paris, he could only make vain supposi- tions. After having tortured his mind in a thousand ways, he took the very wise part of leaving to the future the task of explaining this adventure. The day for his third trip to the house in the Rue Cassette had come. The result was such as he had foreseen. The lady took the letter this time without observation. The next day Belle Rose in- stalled himself at home and waited. The hours passed; no one appeared. Evening came. At all hazards, Belle-Rose packed his clothing so as to be ready to leave at daybreak and went out to dine at a restaurant in the Rue du Bac, where he was accustomed to take his meals. As he left it, a crowd of artisans and shopkeepers stopped him at the corner of the Rue de Sévres; through lack of nothing todo he mingled with the crowd who were making a great fuss about a sedan bearer who was quarreling with a bourgeois. All at once a hand seized his arm and a woman’s voice pronounced distinctly these words inhisear: ‘‘The Cas- tilian is waiting.’’ Belle-Rose trembled, but when he turned round, none but workmen were near him. He only felt a paper which the hand of the unknown had slipped into his. He made haste to leave the group and directed his course toward the Rue du Pot-de-Fer St. Sulpice in order to read the note. Just as he pushed open the door, a woman came out. She stopped brusquely. A stream of light fell upon the face of Belle-Rose. ‘*My brother!’’ exclaimed the woman. ‘‘Claudine!’’ replied Belle-Rose, and he received his sis- ter in his arms. CHAPTER IX. A FRIEND AND AN ENEMY. Belle-Rose drew Claudine into his apartment and shut the door in the face of Monsieur Mériset, who was bowing and scraping, torch in hand. “It is the marquise,’’ murmured the honest landlord, re- turning to his lodge, ‘‘and he calls her his sister.’’ Eomichooks.¢co sas 4. ies ah Me hd ets “SSC on a ea