Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 357: what you’re looking at

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

A PLEASANT JOURNEY. 339 ‘You have come at the right time,’’ Monsieur de Pomereux said. to them; ‘‘the order has come this morn- ing for us to set out. The king and princes will rejoin us at Compiégne. You will be taken for volunteers, and you will have nothing more to fear.’’ About two o’clock in the afternoon the procession set out. Belle-Rose and Cornelius rode beside Monsieur de Pomereux. Déroute and Grippard came behind. The route which they were following was filled with troops, carts, baggage, carriages, and cavaliers. They encountered squadrons ranged in long files, battalions stretched out like ribbons, and trains of heavy artillery. At sight of the cannons, Déroute became red with pleasure. He rode his horse up toone of the pieces, a beautiful cannon of fleur-de-lis bronze, and caressed with his hand its shining breech. “If I were King of France,’”’ said he, ‘‘I should always have a dozen of them near me, all loaded, and from time to time I would make them play in order to have music. ”’ The peasants came to the road in order to see the regi- ments and companies of gentlemen who were going to the war, beautiful, smiling, and decorated as if they were going toa ball. When they traversed villages, the whole population ranged themselves where the soldiers passed along. In the cities there was something more than this. The inhabitants took possession of them, and the next day there was to be seen on the cockade of the hats and the guard of the sword bouquets of flowers and knots of ribbon which recalled to the gentlemen their ephemeral loves of anight. Inall this beautiful country of France, so well organized for war, this military attire awoke enthusiasm. The king and his household were at Compiégne. The light- ning was about to burst through the cloud. When Mon- sieur de Pomereux and Belle-Rose reached the frontiers, Flanders was studded with bayonets. The army was being concentrated at Charleroi. When near Arras, Belle-Rose sought information of the officer in charge of the baggage as to the quarters of Monsieur de Luxembourg. ‘The duke’s lodging was on the side of Marchienne-le-Pont. Bel‘e-Rose warned Cornelius and Déroute, and left during the night, after having said good-by to Monsieur de Pomereux. *““Good luck!’’ the count said to him, ‘‘if some misfor- tune should happen to you, think of me.”’ **Bah!’’ said ute, ‘‘we have the regiment of La (E(0) micooo 3