CHAPTER I. CRIMSON FAVOURS.
II. HANNIBAL DE SAULX, COMTE DE TAVANNES.
III. THE HOUSE NEXT THE GOLDEN MAID.
IV. THE EVE OF THE FEAST.
V. A ROUGH WOOING.
VI. "WHO TOUCHES TAVANNES?"
VII. IN THE AMPHITHEATRE.
VIII. TWO HENS AND AN EGG.
IX. UNSTABLE.
X. MADAME ST. LO.
XI. A BARGAIN.
XII. IN THE HALL OF THE LOUVRE.
XIII. DIPLOMACY.
XIV. TOO SHORT A SPOON.
XV. THE BROTHER OF ST. MAGLOIRE.
XVI. AT CLOSE QUARTERS.
XVII. THE DUEL.
XVIII. ANDROMEDA, PERSEUS BEING ABSENT.
XIX. IN THE ORLeANNAIS.
XX. ON THE CASTLE HILL.
XXI. SHE WOULD, AND WOULD NOT.
XXII. PLAYING WITH FIRE.
XXIII. A MIND, AND NOT A MIND.
XXIV. AT THE KING"S INN.
XXV. THE COMPANY OF THE BLEEDING HEART.
XXVI. TEMPER.
XXVII. THE BLACK TOWN.
XXVIII. IN THE LITTLE CHAPTER HOUSE.
XXIX. THE ESCAPE.
x.x.x. SACRILEGE!
x.x.xI. THE FLIGHT FROM ANGERS.
x.x.xII. THE ORDEAL BY STEEL.
x.x.xIII. THE AMBUSH.
x.x.xIV. "WHICH WILL YOU, MADAME?"
x.x.xV. AGAINST THE WALL.
x.x.xVI. HIS KINGDOM.
COUNT HANNIBAL.
CHAPTER I.
CRIMSON FAVOURS.
M. de Tavannes smiled. Mademoiselle averted her eyes, and shivered; as if the air, even of that close summer night, entering by the door at her elbow, chilled her. And then came a welcome interruption.
"Tavannes!"
"Sire!"
Count Hannibal rose slowly. The King had called, and he had no choice but to obey and go. Yet he hung a last moment over his companion, his hateful breath stirring her hair. "Our pleasure is cut short too soon, Mademoiselle," he said, in the tone and with the look she loathed.
"But for a few hours only. We shall meet to-morrow. Or, it may be--earlier."
She did not answer, and "Tavannes!" the King repeated with violence.
"Tavannes! Mordieu!" his Majesty continued, looking round furiously.
"Will no one fetch him? Sacre nom, am I King, or a dog of a----"
"I come, sire!" Count Hannibal cried in haste. For Charles, King of France, Ninth of the name, was none of the most patient; and scarce another in the Court would have ventured to keep him waiting so long.