The Two Dianas Volume 3 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V. A PROTESTANT CONVENTICLE. The house Number 11 Place Maubert, where La Renaudie had appointed a rendezvous with Gabriel, belonged to an advocate named Trouillard. It was already vaguely pointed at among the people as a place of resort for heretics; and the fact that psalms were sometimes heard sung there in the evening gave some credibility to these dangerous rumors. But after all they were only rumors, and it had never occurred to the police to investigate them. Gabriel had no difficulty in finding the brown door, and following his instructions, he knocked three times at regular intervals. The door opened as if of itself, but a hand seized Gabriel's in the darkness within, and a voice said, -- "Do not enter, for you cannot see clearly." "I have my light with me," replied Gabriel, following the formula prescribed by the letter. "Enter, then," said the voice, "and follow the hand that guides you." Gabriel obeyed, and took a few steps in that way ; then the hand released its hold, and the voice said, -- "Go on by yourself now." Gabriel felt with his foot the first step of a staircase; he ascended, counting seventeen steps, then stopped. "What do you seek?" said a different voice. "What is right," was his reply. A door opened at once in front of him, and he entered a room very dimly lighted. A man was there alone; he approached Gabriel and said in a low tone, -- "Geneve." "Gloire," returned the young count at once. The man then struck a bell, and La Renaudie himself entered by a concealed door. He came directly to Gabriel and pressed his hand affectionately. "Do you know what took place in parliament today?" he asked. "I have not left my house until now," replied Gabriel. "You will learn all about it here, then," said La Renaudie....