Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

166 A TRAP. head; it is a murder which you would not wish to have upon your conscience. March; we follow.’’ Conrad reflected that a longer insistence might awaken suspicion; after all, it was only two men against ten, and so he made ready to leave. As they were starting out Déroute called to a corporal who was passing by that way. ‘‘Eh, Grippard!’’ he said to him, ‘‘come sit down here and guard the house. If Monsieur de Naucrais or any one else comes to ask for us, assure them that we will return promptly. Wego—— Where are we going?’’ he said, turning in the direction of Conrad. ‘To Morlanwelz,’’ said Conrad, who could not avoid answering this question. ‘*You have heard?’’ continued Déroute, addressing him- self to Grippard. ‘*Perfectly.’’ ‘‘Sit down, then, and watch well.”’ At three hundred steps from the camp the Lorraine mounted his horse, which he had left at a farm-house, and they pushed on rapidly in the direction of Morlanwelz. Belle-Rose had not made a league when Madame de Chateaufort, riding horseback, appeared before the lieu- tenant’s tent. She was clothed in a dress of green velvet which set off wonderfully her elegant and supple form; a gray felt hat, ornamented with a red plume, shaded her face, and with the end of her whip she provoked a superb white mare which pranced under her and scattered the foam from its inflamed nostrils. Two lackeys on horse- back followed her; each of them had a musket hung to the saddle-bow. ‘‘Hey, friend!’’ said she to Grippard, ‘‘will you say to Lieutenant Belle-Rose that a lady is here who desires to speak to him?’’ ‘‘T would certainly do so, madame, if the lieutenant had not gone away.’’ ‘Gone away, did you say?”’ ‘‘Half an hour ago.’’ ‘‘Gone away without saying anything?’’ ‘‘A man came early this morning, handed him a note, and they have gone away together. Sergeant Déroute has charged me to answer that they were going in the direc- tion of Morlanwelz.’’ “To Morlanwelz? but there are Spaniards in that direc- tion!’ ‘‘Spaniards and Imperials,’’ said Grippard. (€(0) micboo S