D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

First Sword, then Sceptre. 167 with any paper “spoilt” by ink marks, have left not a line to parade his or his inspirator’s work. Flis was a long-drawn face, with straight nose which farther lengthened it; his eyes were fine, but too close together; his brows met ina bar across; his chin was pointed. One would have said that an impudent nurse had left him to sleep too long on one side and had put a folio on the other to keep him quiet. His skin was leatherlike, and had the oil oozing at the pores, which suggested that he bathed in one of those unctuous ex- tracts which, at the time, were supposed to give long life. A man with a set purpose, this Benito. When he was a soldier, he was poor in purse; though rich in projects, which his superiors did not adopt. If he was still poor, perhaps, he had taken the vow of poverty. It was on his tongue that he carried his silver; he preached eloquently. Impenetrable, indomitable; indefatigable—these were his points. He pretended that tie had footed it all the way to and from Rome; then, he must have been assisted by angel wings—considering his fleetness ; but he had not a jot of the pride illuminating the usual pilgrim to the Sacred City. His glance was quick but comprehensive in surveying the paltry reception-room. He recognized the duchess without even a nod; he eyed her attendant with repul- sion, of which she had not a clew to the cause—it might be another vow of hate to the sex; for the courtiers he scarcely began a bow, although they had bent lowly to him. “S. His head did not bend to the duke, but he opened his hands and twiddled the fingers in a kind of salaam. Maybe it was a mythical sign only mutual, but the duchess turned red, and her maid of honor bit her lip at the slight and let the screen fall behind her to blot out the sight. “T have been showered with unwelcome intelligence,” said Braganza. “Are you bringing cheer, per contra, reverend father ?” “T have returned from his Holiness and your other CORNICE OOOLKS