Belle-Rose — page 292: what you’re looking at

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

.BY THE AID OF FIRE, 281 Jerome, who was the first to hear him, lost his head and, cried still louder without moving an inch. Mother Scholas- tique looked out at the window and exclaimed: ‘“‘Great God! the convent is burning.”’ The nuns, who were going to vespers, heard the excla- mation of Mother Scholastique and were seized with a frightful panic. Claudine, whose mind was occupied with Déroute’s words, at once divined his intention on seeing him run over the terrace witha frightened air. She rushed to Suzanne’s cell, took her by the hand, and together they ~ descended the stair-way. Mother Scholastique ran to the convent bell and rang it. The men of the quarter, who had already seen the flames above the walls, ran up at the sound of the tocsin. The doors of the convent were broken open, and the crowd rushed into the court. This was what Déroute wished. As soon as he saw the people enter the gardens of the convent, he ran to where he had perceived Suzanne and Claudine. ‘‘Follow me!’’ he said to them, There were so many nuns among the crowd that no one thought to look at them; they made thirty steps in the direction of the door; Belle-Rose and Cornelius had en- tered with the crowd; they recognized Claudine and Su- zanne and joined them. Bouletord was there; a move- ment of the crowd caused the false gardener’s hat to fall. ‘‘Déroute!’’ cried Bouletord, who understood everything. He wished to rush forward, but a living rampart was interposed between them. Bouletord foamed with fury. Belle-Rose and Cornelius, throwing away their cloaks, raised the one Suzanne, the other Claudine, in their arms; the crowd, believing that it was a question of wounded nuns who were being transported far from the fire, gave way before them. _ Monsieur de Charny had entered with the rest; it was the hour when he was accustomed to make his daily round. At Bouletord’s cry he armed himself with a poniard and finding an egress through the crowd, threw himself upon Déroute, who preceded Belle-Rose. But the - sergeant saw everything without having the air of paying attention to anything; just as Monsieur de Charny raised his hand he seized him by the throat and parried the blow with his other arm, with which he twisted the gentleman’s wrists ‘The pain caused Monsieur de Charny to let go of — his poniard; the sergeant’s fingers were pressed tightly ~ around his throat: his face became purpie, his knees gave way, and he fell heavily, Gomicbooks (ee)