THE BRANDING NEEDLE THE FULL SERIES OF The Mysteries of the People : : OR : : History of a Proletarian Family Across the Ages By EUGENE SUE _Consisting of the Following Works:_ THE GOLD SICKLE; or, _Hena the Virgin of the Isle of Sen_. THE BRASS BELL; or, _The Chariot of Death_. THE IRON COLLAR; or, _Faustine and Syomara_. THE SILVER CROSS; or, _The Carpenter of Nazareth_. THE CASQUE'S LARK; or, _Victoria, the Mother of the Camps_. THE PONIARD'S HILT; or, _Karadeucq and Ronan_. THE BRANDING NEEDLE; or, _The Monastery of Charolles_. THE ABBATIAL CROSIER; or, _Bonaik and Septimine_. THE CARLOVINGIAN COINS; or, _The Daughters of Charlemagne_. THE IRON ARROW-HEAD; or, _The Buckler Maiden_. THE INFANT'S SKULL; or, _The End of the World_. THE PILGRIM'S SHELL; or, _Fergan the Quarryman_. THE IRON PINCERS; or, _Mylio and Karvel_. THE IRON TREVET; or, _Jocelyn the Champion_. THE EXECUTIONER'S KNIFE; or, _Joan of Arc_. THE POCKET BIBLE; or, _Christian the Printer_. THE BLACKSMITH'S HAMMER; or, _The Peasant Code_. THE SWORD OF HONOR; or, _The Foundation of the French Republic_. THE GALLEY SLAVE'S RING; or, _The Family Lebrenn_. Published Uniform With This Volume By THE NEW YORK LABOR NEWS CO. 28 CITY HALL PLACE NEW YORK CITY THE BRANDING NEEDLE :: :: OR :: :: THE MONASTERY OF CHAROLLES A Tale of the First Communal Charter By EUGENE SUE TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL FRENCH BY DANIEL DE LEON NEW YORK LABOR NEWS COMPANY, 1908 Copyright, 1908, by the NEW YORK LABOR NEWS CO. INDEX PART I. THE VALLEY OF CHAROLLES. CHAP. I. THE SIGNAL 5 II. THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION 15 III. ON THE WATCH AT THE RIVER 24 IV. FREDEGONDE AND BRUNHILD 27 V. THE ASSAULT 33 PART II. THE CASTLE OF BRUNHILD. CHAP. I. THE TOWER-ROOM 47 II. QUEEN AND CONFIDANTE 56 III. THE ROYAL FAMILY 66 IV. QUEEN AND MAYOR OF THE PALACE 69 V. LOYSIK AND BRUNHILD 79 PART III. THE CAMP OF CLOTAIRE II. CHAP. I. WEEDING KINGLETS 93 II. AT BAY 101 III. THE DEATH OF BRUNHILD 109 EPILOGUE 120 TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE