[Illustration]
Geneva in the early days of the 17th century; a ruffling young
theologue new to the city; a beautiful and innocent girl, suspected
of witchcraft; a crafty scholar and metaphysician seeking to give
over the city into the hands of the Savoyards; a stern and powerful
syndic whom the scholar beguiles to betray his office by promises of an
elixir which shall save him from his fatal illness; a brutal soldier of
fortune; these are the elements of which Weyman has composed the most
brilliant and thrilling of his romances. Claude Mercier, the student,
seeing the plot in which the girl he loves is involved, yet helpless to
divulge it, finds at last his opportunity when the treacherous men of
Savoy are admitted within Geneva’s walls, and in a night of whirlwind
fighting saves the city by his courage and address. For fire and
spirit there are few chapters in modern literature such as those which
picture the splendid defence of Geneva, by the staid, churchly, heroic
burghers, fighting in their own blood under the divided leadership of
the fat Syndic, Baudichon, and the bandy-legged sailor, Jehan Brosse,
winning the battle against the armed and armored forces of the invaders.
Illustrated by Solomon J. Solomon.
$1.50