Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 184: what you’re looking at

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

176 ALFRED DE ROSANN. like me as a couple of fowls or a pair of partridges.’ —The old man saw he could not get rid of me unless he acceded to my request; and he knew if I were arrested in his shop, it would go hard with him, for having afforded protection to a forcat évadé; so he generously handed over his passport, and wished me a pleasant journey. I thanked him, and sallied forth not exactly in search of adventures, but to avoid them as much as possible.” ‘Never was there a less Quixotic plan, nor one coupled at the same time with more difficulty,’ inter- rupted Belle-Rose. “Stay —and let us hear the result,’? said De Rosann. “TI succeeded in passing through the gates of the town,’’ continued Champignon, “by the aid of the old clothesman’s passport, notwithstanding the strict examination to which it was subjected. Under the denomination of s7zgnes particulitres* was mentioned its late owner’s habit of squinting ; and I experienced the greatest difficulty in looking at my nose with my left eye during the five minutes that the Gen- darmes wasted in comparing my person with the descriptive items of the false passport. No sooner had I obtained permission to continue my journey, than the roar of the cannon from the citadel deafened my ears, and produced as great an effect upon me as did the fall of a tray, on which was an excellent dtnner of my own cooking, one fine day, at the Cadran Rouge. To my astonishment the guns gave warning of the escape of three convicts ; and I recollect saying to myself, as I turned into a thick wood at a little distance from the glacis, ‘ How I wish that the other two—myself being safe—were the worthy Messieurs De Rosann and Belle-Rose !"—You appear incredu- lous ; but it is as true as that I can serve up a dejeuner a la fourchette better than any man in Christendom.” “We believe you,”’ said Belle-Rose, “ having made the same remark relative to yourself: so proceed.”” - .~ * Particular marks about the person; such as scars, the traces oe the small-pox, lameness, &c., &c. Gomichbooks.Go