Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

A FRIEND AND AN ENEMY. 69 After the first caresses, Belle-Rose made Claudine sit down upon a sofa. He experienced astrong desire to ad- dress her a question, the only one dear to his heart, a question summed up by aname. An incredible emotion prevented him from doing so. He took a roundabout way to arrive at his object. ‘‘Have you not been here before?’’ he said to Claudine. ‘‘T was here some days ago. But since then it has been impossible for me to return.”’ ; ‘“Why did you not leave your address?’’ Claudine appeared embarrassed for a moment. ‘‘T could not,’’ she presently said. ‘And why?”’ ‘‘Because you would have come to see me.”’ Belle-Rose understood. He lowered his eyes, and Clau- dine took his hand. ‘‘You did not come to Paris alone, then?’’ said he. Claudine shook her head. ‘‘Suzanne is in Paris!’’ said Belle-Rose. ‘‘I am here, and. were it not for you I should have been ignorant of her presence. ’’ ‘Oh, do not blame her! When she left Malzonvilliers to follow her husband, who was called to Paris on important business, she begged me to accompany her. I was unable to refuse her. She is so unhappy!”’ ‘‘Unhappy!’’ exclaimed Belle-Rose. ‘God and I alone know what she suffers. Monsieur d’Albergotti does not know. When he is present, she smiles; when he is gone, she weeps.’’ Belle-Rose concealed his head between his hands. ‘*On reaching Paris some days ago she fell sick—oh, she is out of danger,’’ said Claudine, on seeing her brother’s emotion; ‘‘it is she who sent me here to you——”’ **‘Oh! I shall go to see her, to thank her——’’ ‘‘No, do not come. Your presence would kill her.’’ “She has not forgotten me, then?’’ exclaimed Belle- Rose, with that profound accent given by the egotism of love. “Forgotten? If you were, Jacques, would she still be so sad and disconsolate? Your name is not upon her lips, but it is in her heart.’’ Both were silent. A bitter joy filled the soul of Belle- Rose; Claudine almost repented having spoken, What happiness could come from this revived love? Drawing her handkerchief from her pocket, she dried her humid (6) IGbooks 5} (eC) =)