A Gentleman from Gascony: A Romance of the Huguenots — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

140 & GENTLEMAN FROM GASCONY. Moreover, she had another reason for grief and anx: iety of a more personal nature. Her son, her only son, was exposed to danger, to more than usual danger now that Riot sat with the king upon his throne and Murder red-handed stalked the streets. As the duchess indulged in these gloomy reflections, a commotion rising in the street below and gradually approaching nearer and nearer was calculated in no degree to allay her fears. She listened with beating heart, and throwing her- self upon her knees upon the velvet cushion in front of the prie-dieu, she raised her eyes imploringly to the crucifix above the little altar, and breathed forth a prayer that God and the saints would protect her son. As slowly she bowed her head over her clasped hands, the window curtains were torn aside and Raoul de Pu- caydére, exhausted and breathless, staggered into the room. The duchess, absorbed in her devotions, heard noth- ing, nor did the chevalier at first perceive her. He had escaped for the moment the wolves who were howl- ing for his blood, and, perhaps, by climbing the balcony baffled them entirely. But whither had his fears led him? ‘The house, from all appearances, must belong to one of rank and wealth. Just then his eyes fell upon the kneeling woman, and he could not repress an expression of surprise. In bewilderment and alarm the duchess started to her feet, overturning as she did so the lamp upon the altar, and leaving the room in darkness save for the pale moonbeams that filtered through the curtains. | “"Who’s there?” she cried-hoarsely. ‘“‘ Without there! Marie! Charlotte!” But before she could reach the door to summon aid, 7 + ‘ y * ome d & eu ~- 4 ak — poli Gomicbooks (<() im ==)