Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 77 comrade; Belle-Rose was himself delighted that chance had thus thrown them together, as he intended to make use of De Rosann’s experience at the bagne to farther his own plans of escape; and Champignon preferred being locked up with one, who, having tasted his dishes at. the Cadran Rouge, could compli- ment him upon their excellence. “ But,”? thought our hero within himself, “ how different are these from former times! Instead of domestics to pamper my appetite with a variety of luxuries, a sulky gaoler flings me a morsel of bread, as if I were a dog; damp walls replace the gorgeous curtains that were drawn around me at night: coarse straw supports my aching head, beneath which downy pillows once were laid; rogues, murderers, thieves, are my Companions—my associates. Oh! Eloise— Eloise! didst thou: now see thy still faithful Alfred!’ A violent flood of tears interrupted those bitter re- flections; and Belle-Rose, instead of laughing at that which the other convicts would have called puerile grief, endeavoured with rude consolation to compose the feelings of the unhappy young man. ‘Come, my dear De Rosann, don’t be chicken- hearted,’’ cried he; “if you will but follow my ad- vice, when we are together at Brest, you shall soon have the clef des champs*™ at your disposal. Only half an. hour ago, as we were standing in the yard to be unchained, while those cursed Gendarmes levelled their carabines at us, I noticed amongst a group of individuals in prison for want of passports, a person whom I knew at the galleys of Toulon, and who escaped with me.”’ “ Did he recognise your’? inquired Champignon. “ Recognise me! Pardleu,did he,’ returned Belle- Rose emphatically; “ he owes me an eternal debt of gratitude.’’ * Literally, ‘*the key of the country ;” metaphorically used for ‘* personal freedom.” 7% GOMIGdoOOo ~ S GO