Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

Alfred de Rosann. a7 worked far a purpose into whose mysteries they could not penetrate ; they laboured to accomplish ends carefully concealed from their view. Thus was it impossible to betray the site of the mighty fountain whence issued a thousand streams; thus were the invisible promoters of vast designs enabled to enlist the infamous as well as the virtuous in their service, and secure the eventual success of their enterprises by the cunning of those whose experience was not obtained in the paths of honour, but in the schools of vice. But if De Rosann were disgusted with the licentious discourse and loose anecdotes of his companions on their march from Paris to Brest, how much more had he reason to shudder at the behaviour, the principles, and the language of those whom he found at the bagne. One related with the utmost coolness a tale of horror and assassination, in which he himself had been engaged, and for which he was condemned ; another swore that the first use he should make of his freedom, would be to cut the throat of the person who delivered him into the hands of justice ; a third de- clared that, if he had murdered his own father, it was because he had had no inducement to be a dutiful son ; a fourth boasted of having robbed his unsuspicious master during a period of twelve years, which at last brought on the ruin of the respectable mer- chant whom he served, and to whom he was indebted for his bread ; a fifth deplored his folly in not having blown out an aged grand- father’s brains, when he made the old man sign away his last far- thing by placing a pistol to his ear, and terrifying him with the most dreadful menaces ; and a sixth cursed the venerable priest who had interrupted him during a sacrilegious attempt to rob a vil- lage church. Such—for we dare quote no more—is a small sample of the con- versation, the ideas, and the thoughts of those wretches with whom De Rosann was forced to associate. And, to add to his internal ief, he dared not manifest his disgust : he was obliged to conceal it all in his lacerated breast. He was compelled to join in the bois- terous laugh—to listen to the ribald song—to appiaud the licentious joke—to smile at anecdotes of blood, of lust, of incest, and of terror —and to maintain, as well as he was able, a joyous*countenance amongst murderers and thieves. But all that he heard and saw, he witnessed with loathing, and regarded it as an example teaching him to retain the natural purity of his sentiments, and to avoid the slightest step that might lead to the abyss wherein the wretches around him had fallen. Had he been gradually drawn on from one degree of vice and dissipation to another, and initiated in the schoolof turpitude and debaucherystep bystep, the weakness of huma- nity might have been triumphed over, and his soul might have even- tually succumbed to temptation. But he was precipitated suddenly and headlong from a high estate to a predicament of horror ; and the alarming contrast instantly made a deep impression upon his mind—an impression so indelibly stamped, that nothing less pow- erful than the waters of oblivion could have washed it away. Belle-Rose mingled fearlessly with the members of the bagne, and instantly became a great favourite, on account of his naturally lively disposition, his garrulity, and the perpetual good humour COnicbooolks (GO)