Belle-Rose — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

17 Pa 7 A STEP TOWARD THE TOMB, 109 ‘“You come when you are no longer expected,’’ he ex- claimed; ‘‘but you must have thought that it was never too late to get yourself hung.”’ ‘*T shall be judged, Monsieur le Vicomte, but that is not the only motive which brings me.”’ ‘‘Parbleu! it is the only one which will retain you! If you no longer recollect the odor of powder, you will be made to Smell it close enough to no longer forget it.’’ ‘*Permit me to believe that the thing is not yet done.’’ ‘‘Eh! morbleu! you have taken care to arrange things so as to avoid all uncertainty. You give my lieutenant a -~ - sword thrust, and afterward desert. But it does not re- _ quire half that to get a man shot. Could you not stay where vou were?’’ “T have staid there too long.”’ ‘Then you should have staid there always. The idea of being an honest man takes you a little late.’’ ‘Captain !”’ * “Are vou going to get vexed now?”’ ‘Il surrender—is it not enough?”’ ‘It is too much, morbleu! Since you had enough of the soldier’s trade, you should have remained a deserter. What the devil do you wish me to say to Monsieur d’As- — sonville, my brother, when he learns that I have had you shot?”’ At Monsieur d’Assonville’s name, Belle-Rose stifled a sigh. ‘“Ah! you sigh!’’ resumed Monsieur de Naucrais, who: was walking the room, masking under the appearance of anger the interest he felt in Belle-Rose. ‘‘Monsieur de Vil- lebrais, they say, is a bad man; buthe is your officer. Still if you had gone to get yourself massacred elsewhere, I should have washed my hands of it.”’ ‘‘Monsieur le Vicomte,’’ said Belle-Rose, ‘‘it will be as God sees fit; but permit me to dismiss this subject. I have other duties to fulfil.’’ “Other duties! Are you mad? You have none other than to go to prison.’ “Iwill go presently; but tell me, I pray you, if you have not a package of Monsieur d’ Assonville to hand me.’ ‘‘Parbleu! I had forgotten it. Here itis. If my brother charges you with some commission, he chooses well his time. He isin Paris now, I imagine; have you seen: him? how is he?’’ : At this question, Belle-Rose grew pale. : ‘*Do you hear me?”’’ said Monsieur de Naucrais. ‘'Oh, if (E(0) = GCOMIGEDOOKS