THE EAGLE OF THE EMPIRE

CONTENTS


PROLOGUE
VIVE L'EMPEREUR


BOOK I: THE EMPEROR AT BAY

Chapter

I. BEARERS OF EVIL TIDINGS
II. THE EMPEROR DREAMS
III. THE ARMY MARCHES AWAY
IV. MARTEAU AND BAL-ARRÊT RIDE
V. WHEN THE COSSACKS PASSED
VI. MARTEAU BARGAINS FOR THE WOMAN
VII. A RESCUE AND A SIEGE
VIII. A TRIAL OR ALLEGIANCE
IX. THE EMPEROR EATS AND RIDES
X. HOW MARTEAU WON THE CROSS
XI. AN EMPEROR AND A GENTLEMAN
XII. AN ALLIANCE DECLINED
XIII. THE THUNDERBOLT STROKE
XIV. THE HAMMER OF THE WAR GOD


BOOK II: THE EAGLE'S FLIGHT

XV. THE BRIDGE AT ARCIS
XVI. THE GATE IN THE WALL
XVII. A VETERAN OF THE ARMY OF ITALY
XVIII. ALMOST A GENTLEMAN
XIX. THE GREAT HONOR ROLL
XX. WHEN THE VIOLETS BLOOM AGAIN
XXI. LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
XXII. IN THE COUNTESS LAURE'S BED-CHAMBER
XXIII. THE MARQUIS GRANTS AN INTERVIEW
XXIV. ON THE WHOLE DEATH MAY BE BETTER THAN LIFE
XXV. NOT EVEN LOVE CAN FIND A WAY
XXVI. THEY MEET A LION IN THE WAY
XXVII. COMRADE! GENERAL! EMPEROR!


BOOK III: THE LAST TRY

XXVIII. AT THE STAMP OF THE EMPEROR'S FOOT
XXIX. WATERLOO--THE FINAL REVIEW
XXX. WATERLOO--THE CHARGE OF D'ERLON
XXXI. WATERLOO--THE LAST OF THE GUARD
XXXII. AT LAST THE EAGLE AND THE WOMAN




PROLOGUE

VIVE L'EMPEREUR

The weatherworn Château d'Aumenier stands in the midst of a noble park
of trees forming part of an extensive domain not far to the northwest
of the little town of Sézanne, in the once famous county of Champagne,
in France. The principal room of the castle is a great hall in the
oldest part of the venerable pile which dates back for eight hundred
years, or to the tenth century and the times of the famous Count Eudes
himself, for whom it was held by one of his greatest vassals.

The vast apartment is filled with rare and interesting mementos of its
distinguished owners, including spoils of war and trophies of the
chase, acquired in one way or another in the long course of their
history, and bespeaking the courage, the power, the ruthlessness, and,
sometimes, the unscrupulousness of the hard-hearted, heavy-handed line.
Every country in Europe and every age, apparently, has been levied upon
to adorn this great hall, with its long mullioned windows, its enormous
fireplace, its huge carved stone mantel, its dark oak paneled walls and
beamed ceiling. But, the most interesting, the most precious of all
the wonderful things therein has a place of honor to itself at the end
farthest from the main entrance.