Come, if only that we may condole with each other on the profit that has been made of our success. Your very affectionate friend, François de Lorraine. "I will be there," said Gabriel to the page. When the boy had withdrawn,-- "Well, well," he thought, "the ambitious man too is awake." Thus encouraged by a twofold hope, he set out a quarter of an hour later for the Place Maubert. 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,-- "Genève." "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 to-day?" he asked. "I have not left my house until now," replied Gabriel. "You will learn all about it here, then," said La Renaudie. "You have not yet bound yourself to us, but no matter; we will bind ourselves to you. You shall know our plans, and our strength; there shall be nothing concealed from you henceforth in the affairs of our party, while you may remain free to act alone or with us as you choose. You have told me that you were one of us in spirit, and that is sufficient. I do not even ask your word as a gentleman not to disclose anything that you may see or hear. With you it is a needless precaution." "Thanks for your confidence," said Gabriel, much affected. "I will give you no cause to repent it."