Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

A PLEASANT JOURNEY. 337 Belle-Rose and Cornelius ran each to one of the doors of the carriage. At the end of a quarter of an hour, Monsieur de Charny lowered one of the windows, that one which was next to Belle-Rose. ‘‘Hey! Grain-d’Orge!’’ said he. Grain-d’Orge took care not to answer, but Belle-Rose boldly pushed his horse up to the door. ‘‘Behold him, monsieur,’’ said he, uncovering his face. Monsieur de Charny recognized him in the vacillating light of the torches; he uttered a cry and wished to plunge through the door, but he encountered the muzzle of a pis- tol in close proximity to his forehead. “Stir and you are a dead man,’’ Belle-Rose said to him. Monsieur de Charny threw himself on the other side, but he found himself facing Cornelius, who saluted him in the same manner as Belle-Rose. Monsieur de Charny understood that he was taken as in a mouse-trap; he had no other arm than his sword, and lead had this time the advantage over steel. A furious imprecation burst from his lips. ‘‘Come,’’ said Belle-Rose, ‘‘do not get vexed, and above all, do not seek to escape. You are alone in a kind of box, we are two on horseback and well armed; your lackeys are imprisoned at the abbey; Déroute and Grippard are in front, your postilions suspect nothing; they have whips, and we have pistols. Let us talk.’’ Monsieur de Charny remained silent. ‘The misadventure renders you taciturn, my dear Mon- sieur de Charny,’’ continued Belle-Rose. ‘‘This silence gives me a lofty idea of your philosophy. It is necessary to take time asitcomes. You have played well, and you have lost; itis not your fault. The plan was pretty. I have found the details in the pocket of that amiable scamp whom you were calling just now. Is it not Grain-d’Orge that you call him? Escalade, rape—nothing was lacking. Only twenty-four hours was needed to put the plan in exe- cution. In faith, I have not wished that such a beautiful invention should be lost through my departure; I have turned the whole over to Madame de Chiateaufort, who will appreciate its exquisite delicacy.’’ At these last words Monsieur de Charny bowed, and his face was illuminated by a bitter smile. ‘The relay !’’ exclaimed Cornelius all at once. | Monsieur de Charny leaned out of the door; some hun- dred steps away a light was seen shining in the night, (E(0) miGcooo S) (E(0) a}