Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

188 A DIPLOMATIC MISSION. ‘‘And Peppe?’’ asked Monsieur Bergame, whose eyes had opened at the silvery noise of the valise. ‘‘Oh,’’ said the officer, with an unconcerned air, ‘‘he is amusing himself by holding my horse by the bridle.’’ The window of Monsieur Bergame’s apartment opened upon an out-of-the-way part of the garden; he had not been able to see anything and had no suspicion. ‘“‘Let us come to an understanding,’’ said he, pushing his fauteuil toward the table. ‘‘You have come to count me out a hundred thousand livres, and I ask nothing better than to receive them, but still I must know the source from which this sum comes.”’ Belle-Rose understood that it was necessary to play his cards well—to risk all on the first play. ‘It is an exchange,’’ he boldly replied. ‘‘Ah!”’ said the old man, fixing upon him his small and piercing eyes. **Money against papers. ”’ **Ah! ah!’ ‘“‘The money is here, and the papers are there,’’ said Belle-Rose, designating the place where the closet was situated. ‘‘Very well; Itake the louis and give you the papers— is that it?”’ ‘* Precisely. ’”’ ‘But, my good sir, still you will tell me from whom they come?”’ ‘*Eh, parbleu! you know it well.’’ ts Certainly, but I would not be displeased to have the assurance of it.’ ‘‘Eh! monsieur, I am sent by the minister.”’ ‘*Monsieur de Louvois?”’ ‘*Himeself. ’’ ‘‘Then you have a letter of introduction, some slips of paper with his signature. ’’ ‘‘A commission, is it not?’’ said Belle-Rose, without blinking. **Exactly.”’ Belle-Rose had just taken his part; while Monsieur Ber- game was speaking, the lieutenant’s hand had slipped under his cloak. ‘‘My commission,”’ said he, ‘‘here it is.’’ And he raised his pistol till it was on a level with Mon- sieur Bergame’s countenance. “If you say a word, if you make the least gesture, you are a dead man,’’ he added, ( Gi 0) an) rn S boo <SC e i | ; D 4 5 ; e: . Fee or oe ~