Chapter II: Introduction: 5

I. ORIGINS AND EARLY HISTORY 13

II. STRUGGLE WITH THE SOVEREIGN 35

III. VINCENNES AND THE BASTILE 57

IV. THE RISE OF RICHELIEU 90

V. THE PEOPLE AND THE BASTILE 121

VI. THE MAN WITH THE IRON MASK 148

VII. THE POWER OF THE BASTILE 187

VIII. THE TERROR OF POISON 210

IX. THE HORRORS OF THE GALLEYS 232

X. THE DAWN OF REVOLUTION 263

XI. LAST DAYS OF THE BASTILE 287

List of Illustrations

INCIDENT DURING THE COMMUNAL REVOLTS
OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY _Frontispiece_

ISLE ST. MARGUERITE _Page_ 54

THE CASTLE OF ST. ANDRÉ " 82

THE BASTILE " 190

CHATEAU D'IF, MARSEILLES " 250

EARLY FRENCH PRISONS