Belle-Rose — page 275: what you’re looking at

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

264 THE GARDENER’S NEPHEW. Teena ‘fAh, bah!’ “Oh! my God, yes! but a Patu of a different branch, a Patu from Soissons, cousin of your uncle Jerome Patu.” ‘“‘You are still of the family, let you be from Beaugency -or from Soissons. ”’ | “Certainly, the name is everything, the country noth- ing; I say, then, that I am a Patu—Antoine Patu, ‘called — Patu Blondinet. ” “That is a funny nickname.’ ‘Yes, very funny. Il get it Mass the cdter of my hair.’ “In that respect [I also would be a Blondinet,’’ said ree brose, laughing. | “That would make two Blondinets in the family,’’ re- plied Déroute, who kept on filling the glass of Anions Patu. ‘‘Now, when my Cousin Jerome had learned of your arrival, he said something like this to me: ‘Antoine, my friend, go see your nephew, and when you have treated . him well, send him back immediately to the country.’ ”’ “What!” exclaimed Ambrose, letting fall his fork. ‘‘Unless it pleases him to become a monk,’’ he has added. | ‘But he has had me to come for being a gardener, and not for being a monk!’’ said Ambrose, who picked up again a piece of rabbit with the end of his fork. ‘““That was because just then Jerome did not know all. The king has issued an edict.”’ ‘‘What have I to do with the edict?’’ “Drink this glass of white wine and you will under- stand better. ”’ Ambrose took the glass and pricked up his ears. “This is how it is,’’ continued Déroute: ‘‘The edict of the king prescribes that all individuals employed in the | interior of convents must take the frock; where there are nuns he wishes that there should be monks. ”’ “Tt is abominable.’’ “Certainly, but it is the king’s will.”’ ~ What will Catherine say, who is waiting for me in see country. ’ 4 “That is just what Jerome said to me this morning: that poor Catherine, what will become of her? After all this canbe ar ranged, vou will become a monk, my dear Ambrose, and Catherine will marry somebody else.’ & ‘No! no!’’ exclaimed Ambrose, “‘I have promised Cath- erine to marry her, and I will marry her.”’ “‘T believe you! a pretty girl!’’ **You have seen her?”’ a) ne . vat > Vw ee ' =comicbooks.com —