About eight o'clock, as he was still deep in thought concerning La Renaudie's summons, Aloyse entered his room with a page in the Lorraine livery.
He brought a letter which read thus:—
MONSIEUR AND DEAR FRIEND,—I have been six weeks at Paris, having taken my leave of the army, where there was nothing more for me to do. I am assured that you also nave been at home for some time. Why have I not seen you? Have you forgotten me in these days of short memories and ingratitude? No, I know you too well; it is impossible.
Come to me, pray. I will expect you, if you please, to-morrow morning at ten in my apartments at the Tournelles.
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When the boy had withdrawn,—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.