Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 50850-h.htm or 50850-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50850/50850-h/50850-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50850/50850-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/oldcourtlifefran02elliiala Project Gutenberg also has Volume I of this work. See http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50218 Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). [++] indicates a caption added by the transcriber. Example: [Illustration: [++] Title Page.] * * * * * * _By Frances Elliot_ Old Court Life in France _2 vols. 8°._ Old Court Life in Spain _2 vols. 8°._ * * * * * * OLD COURT LIFE IN FRANCE [Illustration: Interview between Henry III. and the Duke of Guise. From the painting by P. C. Comte. (With permission of Levy et Fils, Paris.)] [Illustration: [++] Title Page.] OLD COURT LIFE IN FRANCE by FRANCES ELLIOT Author of "Diary of an Idle Woman in Italy" "Picture of Old Rome," etc. [Illustration: [++] Colophon.] Illustrated VOLUME II. G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press Copyright, 1893, by G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS Entered at Stationers' Hall, London BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS Made in the United States of America The Knickerbocker Press, New York Made in the United States of America The Knickerbocker Press, New York CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I—TEMPTED 1 II—THE KEEPER OF THE ROYAL CONSCIENCE 13 III—A NOBLE RESOLVE 20 IV—THE SACRIFICE 27 V—MONSIEUR LE GRAND 32 VI—DEATH ON THE SCAFFOLD 45 VII—THE END OF THE CARDINAL 54 VIII—THE QUEEN-REGENT 59 IX—THE DUC DE BEAUFORT 70 X—MIDNIGHT VISITORS 84 XI—THE TWO DUCHESSES 91 XII—"PUT NOT THY TRUST IN PRINCES" 102 XIII—CHARLES STUART 112 XIV—THE LADIES' WAR 122 XV—MAZARIN PLAYED OUT 128 XVI—LOUISE DE LA VALLIÈRE 139 XVII—THE CONVENT OF CHAILLOT 156