The Duke's Motto: A Melodrama Read online

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  THE DUKE'S MOTTO

  A MELODRAMA

  BY JUSTIN HUNTLY McCARTHY

  AUTHOR OF "SERAPHICA" "IF I WERE KING" "THE PROUD PRINCE" ETC. ETC.

  NEW YORK AND LONDON HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS MCMVIII

  NOVELS BY JUSTIN HUNTLY McCARTHY

  THE GORGEOUS BORGIA. Post 8vo $1.50 SERAPHICA. Post 8vo 1.50 THE DUKE'S MOTTO. Post 8vo 1.50 IF I WERE KING. Illustrated. Post 8vo 1.50 MARJORIE. Illustrated. Post 8vo 1.50 THE DRYAD. Post 8vo 1.50 THE LADY OF LOYALTY HOUSE. Post 8vo 1.50 THE PROUD PRINCE. Post 8vo 1.50 THE FLOWER OF FRANCE. Post 8vo 1.50 THE ILLUSTRIOUS O'HAGAN. Post 8vo 1.50 NEEDLES AND PINS. Illustrated. Post 8vo 1.50

  HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, N. Y.

  Published August, 1908.

  DEDICACE

  A VICTORIEN SARDOU

  MAITRE,

  Voila un melodrame que j'ai fait, le dernier de plusieurs melodramesanglais qui ont Lagardere pour heros. Des mots remplacent l'action, desmots remplacent le decor, les costumes, et les accessoires; mais enfin cepastiche n'est qu'une piece et non un roman. Je l'ai fait pour LewisWaller, acteur romantique s'il en fut, et grandement doue des qualitesqui appartiennent par tradition a Lagardere. J'ai su, il y a longtemps,grace a M. Jules Claretie, que vous etiez le vrai createur de ce paladin,Lagardere, pair de d'Artagnan, pair de Cyrano, pair presque de Roland etd'Olivier. Et si je ne l'avais pas su, j'aurais pu l'apprendredernierement en lisant ce livre aussi plein de charme que d'erudition,"Les Anciens Theatres de Paris" de M. Georges Cain. Mais je crois quecette verite est connue de peu de monde dans les pays ou se parle lalangue anglaise, que quand on loue "Le Bossu" de Feval on doit aussilouer "Le Bossu" de Sardou.

  XIV-I.-MCMVIII.

  CONTENTS

  I. THE SEVEN DEVILS 1 II. THE THRUST OF NEVERS 13 III. A BUYER OF BLADES 32 IV. THE LITTLE PARISIAN 48 V. THE PARRY TO THE THRUST OF NEVERS 62 VI. THE MOAT OF CAYLUS 73 VII. BROTHERS-IN-ARMS 82 VIII. THE FIGHT IN THE MOAT 91 IX. THE SCYTHE OF TIME 100 X. A VILLAGE FAIR 108 XI. AESOP REDUX 114 XII. FLORA 124 XIII. CONFIDENCES 132 XIV. "I AM HERE!" 139 XV. THE KING'S WORD 152 XVI. SHADOWS 159 XVII. IN THE GARDEN 172 XVIII. THE FACTION OF GONZAGUE 185 XIX. THE HALL OF THE THREE LOUIS 198 XX. A CONFIDENTIAL AGENT 209 XXI. THE PRINCESS DE GONZAGUE 219 XXII. THE FAMILY COUNCIL 225 XXIII. THE KING'S BALL 237 XXIV. THE ROSE-COLORED DOMINO 247 XXV. THE GLOVE OF COCARDASSE 257 XXVI. THE REWARD OF AESOP 266 XXVII. AESOP IN LOVE 278 XXVIII. THE SIGNATURE OF AESOP 290 XXIX. THE DEAD SPEAKS 298