VIII. MADAME DE MAINTENON 268 IX. THE REVOCATION OF THE EDICT OF NANTES 302 X. THE SECRET MARRIAGE 330 XI. INTRIGUES AND WARS 359 XII. LAST DAYS OF LOUIS XIV. 384 ENGRAVINGS. Page LOUIS XIV. _Frontispiece._ THE CASTLE OF BLOIS 18 PALACE OF ST. GERMAIN-EN-LAYE 23 THE PALAIS ROYAL 31 PALACE OF THE LUXEMBOURG 52 THE TUILERIES 74 THE CASTLE OF VINCENNES 79 PALACE OF CHANTILLY 98 VIEW OF FONTAINEBLEAU 103 ISLE OF PHEASANTS 129 THE LOUVRE AND THE TUILERIES 139 PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU 145 CHATEAU MAZARIN 157 CHATEAU DE VAUX 176 CONVENT OF VAL DE GRACE 198 THE PALACE OF ST. CLOUD 201 INTERIOR OF ST. DENIS 208 ST. DENIS 236 PORTE ST. DENIS 254 MADAME DE MAINTENON 273 PALACE OF VERSAILLES 297 PARTERRE OF VERSAILLES 324 RACINE AND BOILEAU 339 THE TRIANON 351 MARLY 354 LOUIS XIV. DIRECTING THE SIEGE 362 FRONT VIEW OF ST. GERMAIN 376 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DEATH OF LOUIS XIV. 409 LOUIS XIV. CHAPTER I. BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD. 1615-1650