Belle-Rose — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

276 BY THE AID OF FIRR. was a jovial lad who frequented cabarets and gaming- houses, where he had formed all sorts of bad acquaintances, among which was that of Bonletord. It was a side of his life which he did not reveal to his uncle, who regarded him as a little saint. | ‘‘Hey! Christopher!’’ said Bouletord, ‘‘those are fine animals you have there; they ought to bring you in two hundred pistoles. ’’ | “That would bea bad bargain. They cost me four thou- sand livres!’’ replied the nephew, coming to a halt. “Your dear uncle, then, has a desire to stock his stables!’’ said the quartermaster, caressing the neck of . one of the horses. : rus ‘‘Him! he loves his louis too well to risk a single one of them.’’ - ets ‘It is, then, for you!’’ 7 | ‘‘Nothing in the hands, nothing in the pockets,’’ said - Christopher, striking his gusset. ‘‘Ah! yes! there will be this evening ten or twenty pistoles which the gentleman will give me for my trouble.”’ ; ‘“What gentleman?”’ : ‘The gentleman at Papa Mériset’s, a proud saldier who talks like a duke and pays like a king.”’ Bouletord pricked up his ears. | ‘Ah! ah!’ said he, ‘‘and he has need of four horses, your gentleman?’’ ‘‘T have an idea that they will see some country before to-morrow’s sun. I have been recommended to choose the most active and vigorous beasts. ’’ Bouletord had not forgotten that Belle-Rose had been arrested at Monsieur Mériset’s. a. ‘‘Tt is clear,’’ he thought; ‘his temerity is cunning; who the devil would have thought the swallow would have re- turned to the nest?”’ | fi Bouletord, wishing to clear up his first suspicions, pro- | posed to Christopher to drink a bottle or two atthe caba-— ret on the corner. They drank, and Bouletord questioned Christopher. In the midst of his thoughtlessness, Christo- pher was an honest and worthy fellow. Seeing himself questioned, he understood at once that he had already said too much; he was silent, emptied his glass, remounted his _ horse and rode away. But Bouletord divined the unknown from the known. If horses were purchased, it was for ~ flying,.and if they wished to fly, it was because they cherished the hope of carrying off the captive. Boule- — comicbooks.com —