Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

334 THE SPRING OF 1672. part of the building inhabited by the Duchesse de ChAateau- fort. Déroute at once arose and clapped his hands. ‘This evening we will be free,’’ he exclaimed. This was not the first time Monsieur de Charny had presented himself at the abbey; already, and under divers pretexts, he had paid visits to Madame de Chateaufort. These visits had awakened some suspicions in the mind of the sergeant, who, without communicating them to any one, held himself upon his guard. Déroute was not mis- taken when he credited Monsieur de Charny with bad in- tentions. Monsieur de Charny never forgot anything. The hatred of Monsieur de Louvois had become his. He wished a revenge at any price. Among the lackeys who accom- panied him, there were two who were specially charged with observing the inmates of the abbey, and to make preparations for a nocturnal abduction. Monsieur de Charny knew that Belle-Rose inhabited an isolated build- ing, and it was on this that he counted for the success of his enterprise; but still, before running any chances, it was necessary to know the habits of the house. These two lackeys prowled everywhere, examining everything with a sidelong glance and making the gardeners talk. Two others groomed the horses and did not neglect to aid their comrades with their knowledge when the occasion pre- sented itself. At the third visit, Monsieur de Charny knew all that he wished to know; at the fourth the exact topog- raphy of the place was obtained; he only needed one more to determine his plan of attack. He made this last visit on the same day Belle-Rose had resolved to escape. It was then toward the end of the month of April. The day had been fearfully warm; great clouds were massed together on the horizon; a warm and rapid wind bent the tree-tops. Monsieur de Charny’s lackeys had again taken up the course of their investigations. In three words Déroute informed Belle-Rose, Cornelius and Grippard of his plan. All adopted it. ‘‘Now,’’ said Déroute when they were in accord as to the means of execution, ‘‘let us have good eyes and feet.’’ The conspirators plunged into the gardens close behind the agents of Monsieur de Charny. ‘‘Chut!’’ said Déroute when they were in an out-of-the- way place all covered with trees; ‘‘here is one of the ras- cals passing along the hedge; let us slip to the other side and we will not miss him.”’ Belle-Rose and Cornelius followed the other, and Dé- route and Grippard took by the hedge, walking noiselessly (e(o) =) icbooks.co ae Se Ry