Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

258 THE GARDENER’S NEPHEW. walks nearest the entrance door. At the end of a quarter of an hour she met Claudine, who was walking by the side ofanun. They exchanged a glance and passed on. The next day Claudine went to the gardens unaccom- panied by any one. As soon as she saw Suzanne, she plunged into the most somber part of the gardens where the shade of the elms was thickest. Light steps were heard behind her, and Suzanne ran up to her with ex- tended arms. The two friends embraced each other with tears in their eyes. CHAPTER XxXxXIX. THE GARDENER’S NEPHEW. After the first effusions of a mutual affection which ad- sence had increased, Suzanne took Claudine’s hands in hers. ‘Come, Claudine, hide nothing from me; Belle-Rose——’ ‘*Would I be joyous if he was not here?’’ exclaimed the young girl. ‘*Here!’’ repeated Suzanne, who became pale with hap- piness. ‘‘We are all here; my brother, Cornelius, Déroute, and our poor Grippard also; it is a conspiracy.”’ ‘Tell me about it quickly.’’ **T will, but not here.’’ Claudine took Suzanne’s arm and went to the center of the park, where there was an arbor from which they could escape in case of surprise. ‘‘Now the enemy can come,’’ said Claudine, sitting down. Suzanne had the details repeated twenty times; but Claudine finally interrupted her. ‘*You cause me to lose precious time,’’ said she; ‘‘it is first necessary to deliver you.’’ “That is quite difficult! I have somany enemies who hate me!’’ : ‘‘But you have so many friends who love you!’’ **T have four of them.”’ ‘*Do you know many people who can say as much?’’ **Pardon me, Claudine; liberty with you would be hap- iness, and I have suffered so much that I no longer lieve in it.”’ “*i ieave to Jacques the care of making you believe in it, ’ (E(0) micboo S (