A Gentleman from Gascony: A Romance of the Huguenots — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

MADAME LA DUCHESSE DE BASSOMPIERRE. 139 see. Now leave me, my child, for my heart is heavy, and I would be alone. But first draw the curtains and shut out the light from the streets.” Gabrielle obeyed, and as the heavy curtains screened the great window, closing out the moonlight, the room became in deep shadow, only a small part of it being dimly lighted by the silver lamp which burned before the altar. “Good-night, madame,” said Gabrielle, respectfully. She moved toward the door, and then paused and, as if influenced by a sudden impulse, retraced her steps. “You are not offended with me, dear aunt?” she asked, timidly. : “Offended! Dear child!” The duchess extended her arms, and Gabrielle in a burst of girlish tenderness threw herself into her em brace. “Good-night and sweet repose, ma tante.” “Repose!” murmured the duchess bitterly, as the graceful figure vanished from her sight. ‘“ Repose!” And, indeed, of late, the poor woman had known but little of it. Catholic though she was and devoted to her faith, the recent scenes that had disgraced her native city and brought down upon king and country the reprobation of all Christendom, had horrified and re- volted her. Although she knew that the idea of the massacre neither originated with nor was encouraged by the clerical element in Paris or elsewhere; that it was to be attributed to that spirit of bitter hatred and resentment which characterizes all races to a greater or less degree, and that the Huguenots themselves had already in several instances been guilty of the massacre of Catholics, still her soul was sick and ashamed within her. | Gomicbooks (E(©) im =)