Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

fe Oh eh . >) a ' a rs = ae Sn = *€ om , eee r 4 oA THE LIGHTING OF A PASSION. 83 ‘‘Very well! they are hunting some malefactor, no doubt?”’ ‘‘Ah, yes! the country might be pillaged, and they would pay no attention toit. They are searching for a poor soldier.’’ ‘*A soldier?’’ ‘*Some deserter, so a brigadier hastold me. It is a ques- tion of a young man almost of your build, blonde like you, lithe and vigorous as you seem to be.’’ The landlady ceased speaking to gaze at Belle-Rose. A flash of suspicion lit up hereyes. Belle-Rose started, threw some money on the table, and made toward the door. The butt-end of a musket struck the pebbles. The landlady rushed to the fugitive. “Chut!’’ she rapidly whispered to him, ‘‘I have under- stood nothing, guessed nothing, but do not advance. A foot in the road, and you are a dead man. Enter that cab- inet; [ am going to occupy them with my best wine. If they do not see you, they will leave in an hour, and you will be saved. If they ses you, dame/ there is the win- dow.”’ Belle-Rose threw himself into the neighboring hall just as the door of the cabaret opened. ‘The sky is an oven and the road is a gridiron!’’ said the soldier, on entering. ‘So that you have an outrageous thirst,’’ replied the landlady. ‘“‘Take, then, and drink,’’ she added, placing a pitcher of wine upon the table. Those who came by way of the plain entered at the same moment. The majority of them threw their hats and mus- kets upon the benches and sat down around the table. The landlady passed and repassed through the cabinet, which had an outlet into the kitchen. | ‘‘They are drinking,’’ she said, quite low, to Belle-Rose. ** All of them??’’ ‘* All except one.’’ Belle Rose opened the window. At the landlady’s third trip, a soldier followed her. **Leave me alone and finish your dinner,’’ said she. **No, your arms are too beautiful.”’ ‘If they are beautiful, they are strong; so take care of your cheeks. ’’ **Eh! eh!’’ said the soldier, on perceiving Belle-Rose, ‘‘weare not alone! The company frightens love. Eh, friend, turn round slightly, so -we can see you.”’ Belle-Rose trembled at the sound of this voice, which on we ¥ t a eX FOMmiGbdoo Ss Gom ? A rs