Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

76 Alfred de Rosann. ‘‘ Let us eat first; and the sweet chorister shall make us mele u, afterwards,” returned Belle-Rose, as he knocked at the door. “ Entrez—entrez,” cried a harsh voice; and the invitation was im- mediately accepted. Our travellers found themselves in a room of some dimensions, miserably furnished, and almost suffocated with smoke, which emanated from an immense hearth where a large cauldron of soup was simmering over a dull fire. In the chimney corner sate an old woman of a for- bidding aspect. Her bleared eyes emitted a scalding rheum ; her nose was filled with snuff, and her breath smelt of tobacco and garlic. She was bent almost double with extreme age; and when she muttered a few words of welcome to our hero and Belle-Rose, they recognized the harsh voice which had bade them enter the cottage. Ata little dis- tance from this hag, whom we might liken to one of the witches in Macbeth, stood a girl of about fourteen years of age. She was tall and well-formed, although disguised in the rude garb of a peasant; and her features, if not beautiful, were pleasing to a degree. There was a spe- cies of melancholy depicted upon her soft countenance, which appeared somewhat at variance with the coarse and indelicate feelings of the vulgar class, whose passions verge into extremes, whose grief is ex- pressed in dismal howlings, and whose mirth is proclaimed by boiste- rous shouts of laughter. One would scarcely expect to encounter a placid, resigned, and silent grief—a tranquil sorrow—in a person brought up amongst people whose habits border upon barbarism, whose minds are narrow and superstitious, and whose very felicity is made known rather by grins than smiles. But an inward melancholy was betrayed by the blue eye and pensive brow of that cottage girl; and De Rosann sighed involuntarily as he gazed upon her mild countenance. It was evidently her voice that he had heard singing the praises of Bonaparte; for she and the old woman alone occupied the cottage at the moment Belle-Rose and Alfred entered it. “‘ Jeannette, give these strangers the two stools that stand in the corner near the bed, and place somewhat to eat before them.” This command, which was uttered by the old woman in as kind a tone as her harsh voice could assume, was speedily obeyed; and dried fruits, milk, bread, cheese, and cold vegetables, were quickly spread upon the table. Neither De Rosann nor Belle-Rose waited for a cere- monious invitation to partake of the edibles served up to them, but they commenced their attack with all the vigour that a good appetite usu- ally produces. Even the sour wine, to which Jeannette helped them, seemed a luxury at that moment. ‘‘ Your dwelling is somewhat retired, my good woman,”’ said Belle- Rose to the old hag, as he pushed his plate away from him, to indicate the conclusion of his meal. ** Yes; but poverty has nothing to fear,” was the laconic reply. ‘‘ You and this pretty damsel live alone together?” observed Belle- Rose carelessly. “ O no!—her father, who is my son, resides with us. He labours in the fields to obtain the scanty means that support his daughter and his aged mother.” COMRnIClooo SS (GO)