Tears burned behind his eyes as he prayed and meditated tonight. Unless the confusion cleared, he would not be coming here much longer. Monsieur Favre's threat would become a reality, for he continued to proclaim loudly that the city must rid itself of ``that Frenchman.''

The slow tapping of a cane on the stone steps coming up to the tower interrupted his reverie. Faint at first, the tapping grew until it sounded loud against the wind. Eli Corault! John thought. What is he doing here at this hour? He started down the steps to meet the near-blind preacher, who had been one of the early Gospelers in Paris.

``John? Is that you? I came to warn you of a plot!''

John stood above him, his face ashen. What now? Slowly, like a man grown old, he took Eli's hand and led him below to the tower study, guiding him to a chair beside the little hearth where a fire still burned.

``Plot?'' John asked tiredly.

``Monsieur Favre just paid me a visit. I went to your rooms, and Anthony told me you were here. Two Anabaptists, Caroli and Benoit, are to challenge you and William to a debate before the Council. It is to be a trap. You know the law: if you lose the debate after accepting a challenge, you will be banished!''

``What will be the subject?''

``You are to be accused of Arianism to confuse the religious who remain loyal.''

Anger and fear fused in John. Ever since the fourth century a controversy had raged over the person of Christ. Those who refused to believe that He was the eternal Son of God were termed Arianists. Peter Caroli had come to Geneva, saying that he had been a bishop of the Church of Rome and had been persecuted in Paris for his Reformed faith. He asked to be appointed a preacher. But Michael Sept had unmasked him, revealing he had never been a bishop, but was an Anabaptist, afraid to state his faith, because he knew John Calvin had written a book against their belief that the soul slept after death. So John had refused to agree to his appointment as a preacher, and now Caroli sought revenge.