Belle-Rose — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

26 A STEP IN LIFE. | Bee hidden in the hollow furrows or lost in the immense azure —all the beings and all the things of creation had a part in that life which had expanded like a limpid and fresh stream between two banks of soft grass. Behind him was repose and peace; before him was the unknown and its numberless accidents. Jacques leaned against the stick of holly, and let his gaze wander far away. A thousand recollections awoke in a crowd in his heart; for along time he listened to their confused voices which told him of the past filled with sweet joys and honest labors, and took pleasure in their mysterious narratives; his eyes turned toward the beauti- ful foliage which formed for Malzonvilliers a ereen belt. Two tears which came to wet his hands, without his hav- ing felt them flow over his cheeks, distracted him from his dream. How many others had not already fallen to the ground? Jacques shook his head and bounded to the other side of the hill. After having passed the night at Fauquenbergne, he arrived the next day at Fruges. In the inn where he stopped he heard that a troop of freebooters — had penetrated into the country between Aire and St. Omer. They belonged, it was said, toa corps of Hunga- rian and Croatian soldiers which the Spanish government had licensed, and who sought to amass a large booty be- fore leaving Flanders. ~ The inhabitants who were in easy circumstances were retiring in all haste in the direction of St. Pal or Mon- treuil; the others were concealing their most precious possessions. Among those who were decamping in all haste not one had yet seen anything, yet no one stopped, and no one dared turn back his head. Jacques thought that each one fled because he saw the others fly, and like the resolute fellow that he was, he determined to continue ~ his journey, wishing to arrive at Hesdin before night. The day was. hot, and Jacques had been walking since morning; appetite began to make itself felt along with fatigue. Perceiving neither Hungarians nor Croats, Jacques threw himself upon the side of the road neara spring, which bubbled in the shade of a clump of trees, — and drawing from his satchel some provisions with which he had provided himself at Fruges, he dined merrily. At this place the grass was thick and theshade cool. Jacques — looked over the road, and seeing nothing, neither foot- — soldier nor cavalier, he stretched himself out like a shep- — herd of Virgil at the foot of a beech. He thought at first and a great. deal of Mademoiselle de Malzonvilliers and > comicbooks co