Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 40570-h.htm or 40570-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40570/40570-h/40570-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40570/40570-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See http://archive.org/details/chroniclesofcoun00hope THE CHRONICLES OF COUNT ANTONIO by ANTHONY HOPE Author of The Prisoner of Zenda, etc. With Photogravure Frontispiece by S. W. Van Schaick New York D. Appleton and Company 1895 Copyright, 1895, By Anthony Hope. Copyright, 1895, By D. Appleton and Company. _TO THE HONOURABLE SIR HENRY HAWKINS._ _MY DEAR SIR HENRY_: _It gives me very great pleasure to be allowed to dedicate this book to you. I hope you will accept it as a token of thanks for much kindness, of your former Marshal's pleasant memory of his service, and of sincere respect for a clear-sighted, firm, and compassionate Judge._ _Your affectionate cousin,_ _A. H. H._ _London, August, 1895._ [Illustration: _Behold! She is free._ (Chapter V.)] CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I.--HOW COUNT ANTONIO TOOK TO THE HILLS 1 II.--COUNT ANTONIO AND THE TRAITOR PRINCE 39 III.--COUNT ANTONIO AND THE PRINCE OF MANTIVOGLIA 71 IV.--COUNT ANTONIO AND THE WIZARD'S DRUG 116 V.--COUNT ANTONIO AND THE SACRED BONES 158 VI.--COUNT ANTONIO AND THE HERMIT OF THE VAULT 202 VII.--COUNT ANTONIO AND THE LADY OF RILANO 245 VIII.--THE MANNER OF COUNT ANTONIO'S RETURN 290 THE CHRONICLES OF COUNT ANTONIO. CHAPTER I. HOW COUNT ANTONIO TOOK TO THE HILLS.