CHAPTER

  1. [A Purloined Cipher]
  2. [A Forced Entrance]
  3. [Shut out by a Prison Wall]
  4. [The Terror Let Loose]
  5. [A Carnival of Blood]
  6. [A Doubtful Safety]
  7. [The Inner Conflict]
  8. [An Offer of Friendship]
  9. [The Old Ideal and the New]
  10. [The Fate of a King]
  11. [The Irrevocable Vote]
  12. [Separation]
  13. [Disturbing Insinuations]
  14. [A Dangerous Acquaintance]
  15. [Sans Souci]
  16. [An Unwelcome Visitor]
  17. [Distressing News]
  18. [A Trial and a Wedding]
  19. [The Barrier]
  20. [A Royalist Plot]
  21. [A New Environment]
  22. [At Home and Afield]
  23. [Return of Two Fugitives]
  24. [Burning of the Château]
  25. [Escape of Two Madcaps]
  26. [A Dying Woman]
  27. [Betrayal]
  28. [Inmates of the Prison]
  29. [Through Darkness to Light]

A MARRIAGE UNDER THE TERROR

CHAPTER I

A PURLOINED CIPHER

It was high noon on a mid-August morning of the year 1792, but Jeanne, the waiting-maid, had only just set the coffee down on the small table within the ruelle of Mme de Montargis' magnificent bed. Great ladies did not trouble themselves to rise too early in those days, and a beauty who has been a beauty for twenty years was not more anxious then than now to face the unflattering freshness of the morning air. Laure de Montargis stirred in the shadow of her brocaded curtains, put out a white hand for the cup, sipped from it, murmured that the coffee was cold, and pushed it from her with a fretful exclamation that made Jeanne frown as she drew the tan-coloured curtains and let in the mid-day glare. Madame had been up late, Madame had lost at faro, and her servants would have to put up with Heaven alone knew how many megrims in consequence.

"Madame suffers?" inquired Jeanne obsequiously, but with pursed lips.

The lady closed her eyes. Laying her head back against the delicately embroidered pillows, she indicated by a gesture that her sufferings might be taken for granted.

"Madame has the migraine?" suggested the soft, rather false-sounding voice. "Madame will not receive?"

"Heavens! girl, how you pester me," said the Marquise sharply.