“When the library was transferred from the old Richelieu site to the new huge complex, I was still working at the Bibliothèque, although not as its president,” Uncle Julien explained. “I was mainly there in the capacity of a consultant, and I helped to decide which collections and manuscripts would remain in the old library. We are looking for an Italian Bible, printed between 1607 and 1651. I am certain I would have recommended leaving a book such as this at the Richelieu site, especially if it was in manuscript form.” Julien gave them a smug smile. “Besides, Angelique has already inquired about the Diodati Bible at the Mitterand Bibliothèque.”
“When did you do that?” Calvin asked her.
“Julien asked me to look into the matter as soon as he returned home, but I didn’t know what it was all about,” she replied.
“I thought it practical to narrow our search as much as possible,” Julien explained. “Angelique has saved us a great deal of fruitless searching.”
“Well done, Ange!” Calvin commended. “I’d much prefer exploring this place anyways. The Mitterand Library is so modern.” Calvin was not a fan of most things considered modern. His sister always teased him and said he should have been born during Victoria’s reign.
Finn looked anxious to be inside. “I think we’d better hurry,” he recommended.
Julien led the party to a side entrance. “I called ahead and informed security I’d be arriving shortly with a small group. There are advantages to being a former president of the BnF,” Uncle Julien told them, using the abbreviation for the library. “They think I’m bringing a few acquaintances here for a private tour.”
He pushed the buzzer next to a small service door and it opened automatically. Everyone filed in and met the guard who was waiting for them. “Welcome back, Monsieur,” he said to his former boss. “It’s so good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you too, Victor,” Uncle Julien smiled warmly, and shook the guard’s hand. “And thank you for allowing me this little tour.”
“Not at all, Monsieur. I’ve turned some of the lights on for you, and please just let me know if you require anything else.”
Julien thanked him again and led them out into a hallway, which opened up into the main reading room. “I’ve always liked Victor,” Julien said, “and not just because he’s named after my favorite writer.”
“Victor Hugo?” Kieran asked.
“The very same, although my niece isn’t bad either,” he amended, and tugged Natalie’s ear playfully.
“Thank you, Uncle,” she smiled. “Now where should we start?” She looked up at the soaring oval dome and around the cavernous interior of the reading room. “This is considerably larger than the Radcliffe Camera,” she observed.
“Thankfully, we don’t have to search from top to bottom,” he said. “This way.” They followed him across the expanse of the reading room to the Reference Desk. “The easiest way to find a book in the library is to ask the librarian,” he smiled. He logged in to the library’s database, and typed in a search for the Diodati Bible. Everyone fidgeted nervously as the computer scanned its files. “Ah, here we are,” Julien finally said. “There are three copies of the translation we are looking for, but only two of them fall between the printing dates of 1607 and 1651. They are in one of the upper galleries. Follow me.”
Once again, Natalie and Calvin found themselves in an ancient library with their uncle. This time, however, they were here to “borrow” a book. Julien led them up a couple flights of stairs and guided the group unerringly to the row they needed. He scanned the shelves until he found what he was looking for, and pulled out a very old and decidedly shabby looking Bible.
“That’s odd … only one of the Bibles is here,” Julien said. “The database said there were two.” He sighed. “Well, hopefully this is the one, the possible hiding place of the mysterious poem John Milton asked Lucy Diodati to stow for him.” He laid it down gently on a table. “Now then,” he said, a little uncertainly, “this is both very delicate and very precious. I know everyone in this room, with the exception of Finley perhaps, has dealt with old manuscripts, so I won’t lecture you on proper handling.”
Calvin interrupted. “Uncle, I think you should do the honors. You’re the authenticator in the group, after all.”
“Very well. This could take a while, though.” He began turning the pages, starting from Genesis. “I hoped that a piece of vellum or parchment with John Milton’s handwriting on it would just fall out of the book. I don’t think we shall be so lucky, however.”
Everyone huddled around Julien as he turned page after page.
“I rather thought the poem might be stashed in Genesis,” Natalie said.
After a few more minutes of fruitless page-turning, the group began to get a little restless. “Please feel free to wander about,” Julien said. “Be assured I will alert you should I find anything interesting. I feel my collar wrinkling, with all the breathing down my neck,” he teased.
“Sorry, Uncle,” Calvin apologized. “Is it okay if I go look at that database again? Maybe I can find out why there’s only the one copy here.”
“Yes, yes …” Uncle Julien murmured distractedly.
“I’ll come too!” Angelique volunteered readily, and the pair traipsed back down the stairs.
Kieran went in search of the section of the library dedicated to Indian history. “Who knows, maybe I’ll find information on the Romani,” he shrugged.
That left Natalie and Finn, who looked at each other a little awkwardly. “What should we do while we wait?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Natalie replied. “Is there anything in particular you were needing to research?”
Finn smiled down at her suggestively. “That’s a loaded question, if ever I heard one.”
Natalie felt her cheeks grow hot. “I didn’t mean it like that!” She took his arm and pulled him along. “Come on, let’s get out of Uncle Julien’s way. I’d like to look up a certain naturalist, Maria Sybilla Merian. You can help me find her.”
Seemingly like hours later, Julien finally emerged at the bottom of the stairs, looking defeated. After wandering around the library, everyone had gathered at one of the tables in the lower gallery and waited for him to finish his examination of the Bible.
“Nothing,” he said sadly. “I searched every inch of that Bible.”
Calvin put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “All is not lost, Uncle. Ange and I found out where the other copy went.”
Angelique was practically jumping out of her skin. “Oui, oui! We have found the other Bible, and it is not here! It is in l’Arsenal!”
Julien shook his head in confusion. “What do you mean? Why would it be there?”
“Because they’re going to start renovations on this place,” Calvin explained, “apparently they’ve moved some of their collections to various libraries around the city.”
“Oh, dear. I do remember reading something about that in the paper,” Uncle Julien sighed. “Well, I guess we’ll head to l’Arsenal in the morning.”
Natalie held up a large picture book of botanical prints. “This visit wasn’t a complete waste of time. I think I know how Maria Sybilla Merian figures into all of this mess. We’d better take this book with us.”
Sacrifice
It was decided that Natalie should smuggle the book she found back to Julien’s house, in order for them to examine