Belle-Rose — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

__—s ‘fH. FIRST TEARS. 93 Claudine; but, mademoiselle, it seems to -me—and God. pardon me this blasphemy—that I would give my soul’s safety for you.’’ ‘‘T shall then be your wife one day, my friend,’’ said Suzanne, extending her hand to Jacques, who felt his heart melt at these words. ‘‘Both of us are very young, almost two children,’’ she added, with a smile, ‘‘but God will come to our aid.”’ ‘I have a strong heart,’’ exclaimed Jacques. ‘‘Oh, mademoiselle, I shall win you.’’ ‘‘T- count on it, and 1 promise you to never belong to any one but you.’ _ Jacques wished to kiss Suzanne’s hand, but Suzanne opened her arms, and the two children embraced each other. Both were at the same time grave and ingenuous. They believed in their love. ‘*Go and merit me,’’ said Suzanne, her cheeks humid and blushing; .‘‘I shall wait for you.’ | They exchanged a last oath and separated. Jacques went back to the cottage, serious but no longer sad. He at once imparted to Guillaume Grinedal what had taken place during the day. ‘‘We love each other,’’ he added, ‘‘and we shall marry.”’ The father looked at the swallows which were flying far off in the blue sky. ‘*Lovers’ oaths!’’ said he, shaking his bald head. ‘But whether they last or not matters little, my son, you must so away.’’ ‘Such was my intention,’’ replied Jacques. . Father and son pressed. each other’s hands. ‘he daughter belongs to the father,’’ said Guillaume — Grinedal. ‘‘Monsieur de Malzonvilliers has been kind to us; he must not accuse you of having wished to sow dis- order in his house. You will leave to-morrow without seeking to see Suzanne again.’’ Jacques hesitated. ‘*It must be so,’’ repeated the elder. ‘“*T shall leave, ” ey _ Said the son; ‘‘I shall leave without seeing her again.’ Toward evening, at the accustomed hour, they sat down around the table. The dinner was barely touched. They satin silence. Jacques did not eat, and the refrain of the songs which he was accustomed to hum died upon his lips. Claudine did not wish to speak, for fear of bursting into sobs. She turned aside at times to dry her eyes. Jacques and Guillaume tried to appear calm, but the morsels which Gomilcbooks:co