Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 116: what you’re looking at

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104 THE AGONY. ‘‘Well and good!’’ said he, ‘‘if death comes, it will find me prepared.’’ He made an effort to rise and sat down. His face sud- denly grew colored, his eyes were inflamed, he smiled. In that supreme moment, when life was struggling with death, the features of Monsieur d’Assonville were lit up by a wonderful beauty. Belle-Rose thought hesaw him as on that day when, near theabbaye de St. Georges, he quitted the Hungarian cavaliers. ‘‘Therefore,’’ said the captain, ‘‘do what I asked you? I leave content. And nevertheless I have not seen her! You understand me, you who love! To leave without the hand of a woman constantly adored having pressed yours—’tis a great grief! Such is the fate reserved to me. Oh! I have indeed suffered! You do not know all, you have not read in that heart where lived a dear and bitter recollection; it has dried up the springs of hope. When one has loved as I have loved, and solitude follows, it is necessary to die—I am dying! You weep. Havel then anything to regret? She had killed my soul before killing my body.”’ The glow of fever shone in Monsieur d’ Assonville’s eyes, and. about his mouth rested a fleeting smile. He stopped himself for a moment; his eyes strayed over the room and then again fixed themselves upon Belle-Rose. | ‘It is you who picked me up,’’ he suddenly said to him, ‘‘you who carried me here. Who has brought you here?”’ Belle-Rose blushed. , ‘‘I was pursued,’’ replied the sergeant, ‘‘an exile was offered me in this chateau, and I accepted it.”’ ‘‘A kind action! Take care, under this exile there is per- haps a tomb.’’ Belle-Rose looked at Monsieur d’Assonville, whose words appeared inexplicable to him; the complexion of the dying man had become livid; his voice was disturbed, the agitation of his face extraordinary. ‘‘Some one has saved you! One dayI also was saved when fleeing. It was many years ago, and I was twenty years of age. A young girl came to me, gave me her hand, led me on.. The cries of my enemies were lost in the dis- tance, and the angel who saved me released my hand and blushed. How beautiful she was, my God! She concealed me some days—I loved her all my life! She also loved me; my transports delighted her, her love dazzled me. How many times haveI not returned to that retreat where she appeared to me for the first time! I was intoxicated! the sight of her was heaven to my heart. If she had said * res4 Done nee VO NER SAN Eomicbooks.com