Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books Transcriber's Note: 1. Page scan source: http://books.google.com/books?id=BO4wAAAAYAAJ THE HEART OF DENISE AND OTHER TALES [Illustration: "DE CLERMONT GAVE MADAME AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE DEFENCE OF AMBAZAC MADE BY HER HUSBAND AGAINST THE PRINCE OF CONDÉ" Page 39] The Heart of Denise and Other Tales BY S. LEVETT-YEATS _Author of "The Chevalier d'Auriac_," "_The Honour of Savelli," etc_. NEW YORK LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. LONDON AND BOMBAY 1899 Copyright, 1898, by S. LEVETT YEATS. * * * _All rights reserved_. ROBERT DRUMMOND, PRINTER, NEW YORK. CONTENTS. THE HEART OF DENISE. I. M. de Lorgnac's Price. II. The Oratory. III. The Spur of Les Eschelles. IV. At Ambazac. V. M. Le Marquis Leads His Highest Trump. VI. At the Sign of the Golden Frog. VII. Unmasked. VIII. Blaise de Lorgnac. IX. La Coquille's Message. X. Monsieur le Chevalier is Paid in Full. THE CAPTAIN MORATTI'S LAST AFFAIR. I. "Arcades Ambo." II. At "The Devil on Two Sticks." III. Felicità. IV. Conclusion--The Torre Dolorosa. THE TREASURE OF SHAGUL. THE FOOT OF GAUTAMA. THE DEVIL'S MANUSCRIPT. I. The Black Packet. II. The Red Trident. III. "The Mark of the Beast." UNDER THE ACHILLES. THE MADNESS OF SHERE BAHADUR. REGINE'S APE. A SHADOW OF THE PAST. THE HEART OF DENISE CHAPTER I. M. DE LORGNAC'S PRICE. One afternoon I sat alone in the little anteroom before the Queen Mother's cabinet. In front of me was an open door. The curtains of violet velvet, spangled with golden lilies, were half drawn, and beyond extended a long, narrow, and gloomy corridor, leading into the main salon of the Hôtel de Soissons, from which the sound of music and occasional laughter came to me. My sister maids of honour were there, doubtless making merry as was their wont with the cavaliers of the court, and I longed to be with them, instead of watching away the hours in the little prison, I can call it no less, that led to the Queen's closet.