Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

150 GOOD AND EVIL. household had followed him, the companies of the gardes du corps and the musketeers, and there was not a single gentleman in France who had not held itan honor to combat under his eyes. All the sons of the best houses who had no rank in the army had come as volunteers, and there was everywhere a stream of magnificient cavaliers who ardently prayed for battle. The king’s entrance in the camp was saluted by a thousand acclamations. The soldiers carried their hats at the ends of their guns, and the cry of ‘‘ Vive le roi!’ rolled like thunder from Pan- delon to Massenal. All the regiments were under arms, and a thousand streamers floated over the tents. When the king approached the Chatelet, where the artillery was garrisoned, Belle-Rose felt his beart beat rapidly. He had never seen the king, and the king, at this epoch, was everything. He was God upon the throne of France. Every favor emanated from him, and his great renown formed for him a dazzling aureole. He was master of peace and war; Holland, likea victim, bowed to his anger, shivered at every step he made; Spain was bleeding from the wounds he had given her; Germany was frightened at his ambition. He was in the midst of Europe like a torch or a pharos, splendid in repose, terrible in agitation. Master of himself as well as of others, Louis XIV. had in addition that royal air which commanded at the same time fear and respect. ‘To see him was to feel that this was the sovereign. When Belle-Rose discovered above the white- plumed heads the hat of the king, he could not refrain, in spite of the orders, from rushing forward. Behind Louis XIV. thronged the flower of the nobility of France; in the first ranks were to be seen the most famous captains of the epoch, and the gentlemen most illustrious by their birth or their merit. The king rode slowly; he had that imposing, somewhat haughty aspect, which the portraits of Mignard and Vauder-Meulen have given him; he saluted the flags of the regiments which were arched above him and answered »y asign of the hand the cries of enthusiasm whicb his presence excited. Dazzled by that sparkling cortege, Belle-Rose brandished his sword and cried, in a thundering voice, ‘‘ Vive le roi/’’ At this cry, which came from the heart, at the sight of that loyal and radiant visage, Louis XIV. smiled and saluted the enthusiasti2 soldier. When Belle-Rose raised his head, Louis XIV. had passed on. Three hours after, the king, accompanied by the principal officers of the army, took his way toward a chapel situated at Marchionnes-au-Pont. All ri iboo S { (E(0) =)