Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

A WOMAN'S HAND. 123 ‘‘Presently will be time enough. If you consent at once, I should be too much your debtor. Besides you only owe me the half of the debt of which you just now spoke.’’ “Only the half?”’ “Eh! undoubtedly! That parchment which saved you from the balls I brought, but did not obtain.’’ ‘What! it is not you——’’ “Eh! my God, no.”’ ‘*But who, then?”’ ‘‘Parbleu! some one who seems to love you madly.”’ Belle-Rose blushed. ‘*You understand,’’ continued Cornelius. ‘"No, really, 1 am seeking——’’ ‘If you seek, ’tis that you have found. fs it necessary to name to you madame——’’ ‘*Marquise d’ Albergotti.”’ ‘*No—the Duchess de Chateaufort.’’ At this name Belle-Rose trembled. ‘‘Had it not been for her, you would now be dead!’’ con- tinued Cornelius. ‘‘What gratitude do you not cwe her? How much she has done to save you!”’ The name of Madame de Chateaufort had agitated Belle- Rose’s mind. He bowed his head and remained silent. ‘It is a curious story,’’ said Cornelius. ‘‘Where men are powerless, women succeed. I know of no better pass-key than a@ woman’s white hand; it opens at the same time consciences and locks, When your letter reached Paris, where I remained without well knowing why,’’ continued the Irishman, blushing a little, ‘‘it plunged me into a great embarassment. What to do and where to go? I be- gan by running to the country to see your sister, Made- moiselle Claudine——’”’ ‘*Ah!’’ said Belle-Rose, who did not fail to remark the gentleman’s emotion on pronouncing this name. ‘Yes; she is a young lady who has more sense than her gay eyes and sly smile would indicate. I expected good ad- _. yice from her and found her in tears; she had, like my- g self, received a note in which you revealed your intention _ + of presenting yourself before the court-martial at Cam- brai. She would have addressed herself to Madame d’Al- bergotti; unfortunately this lady’s husband was at Com- picene, and you would have had ten chances to be shot fore his intervention could beof any service. Not know- ing what to decide upon, I took at hazard the way to Mon- ___ gieur de Louvois’ hotel. I passed under the porte cochére, I _ mounted a stair-way, and entered a hall where several per- CONNIE OOKS (G@