Belle-Rose — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

: e — ca} 4+ we. - An ot Me” a Fh ae OS wa - - ~ a . = - aes re “ Ps ‘ ~, - ~~ - eo ee = a A <— = ° - P< a va % ‘“ —_e F ™ i. . , a <a e < “ — “4, “- > n Te eee = . , = y > BA THE DROPS IN ‘OU. ee - commit a folly. you would afflict Monsieur d’ Assonville and myself. You have an honest soul, have a strong =~ peart;’’ Belle-Rose pressed Monsieur de Naucrais’ hand and rushed out of the room. CHAPTER VII. THE DROPS IN THE CUP. A quarter of an hour after having quitted Monsieur de _ Naucrais, Belle-Rose, riding a fost-horse, was flying at full speed over the route to St. Omer. At each relay he gave gold to the postilions. Belle-Rose fled like a bullet. When he perceived the steeple of St. Omer he had not said four words, but he had ridden down four horses. At the last relay he turned aside from the road and took his way through the fields in the direction of Malzonvilliers. The sounds of a bell came to him. Though it was not a holi- day, no one was at work. This solitude and these confused tollings oppressed the sergeant’s heart. He hastened on and reached the chateau ina breathless state. If silence — pervaded the country, all was tumult and confusion at Malzonvilliers. All sorts of lackeys went and came, and the peasants were drinking and singing. Belle-Rose glided into the midst of this crowd which paid no attention to him; but, just as he was going to bound upon the terrace, the doors of the chateau opened wide, and a procession of richly costumed people appeared upon the threshold. The crowd uncovered themselves, the bells rang joyously, and Belle-Rose saw beyond the perch of a neighboring chapel, resplendent with a thousand lighted tapers. Before he had — recovered from his emotion, the procession had passed . under the porch vailed by the floating vapors of the in- cense. Belle-Rose followed it and concealed himself ina — corner of the chapel. For some time he remained bowed like a young tree lashed by the wind; all the strength left to him he made use of in prayer’ to God. When he again raised his head, his first look fell upon the altar. A man with silvery hair, and a woman wearing a transparent vail, were kneeling upon velvet carpets. Nosooner than hesaw this woman, Belle-Rose’s eyes were fixed immovably upon — her. Drops of sweat beaded upon the soldier’s forehead; his temples seemed bound ju an iron vise, his ears tingled — -comicbooks.