The Heart of Princess Osra Read online




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  THE HEART OF PRINCESS OSRA

  By ANTHONY HOPE

  Author of "The Prisoner of Zenda"

  In Preparation

  "PHROSO"

  By the Author of this Volume

  "'KILL HIM FOR ME, THEN; KILL HIM FOR ME.'"--_Page 239._]

  THE HEART OF PRINCESS OSRA

  BY ANTHONY HOPE

  AUTHOR OF "The Prisoner of Zenda" "The Dolly Dialogues" Etc.

  _with numerous full-page illustrations_ BY H. C. EDWARDS

  New York and London Frederick A. Stokes Company PUBLISHERS

  Copyright, 1895, 1896 By A. H. Hawkins

  Copyright, 1896 By Frederick A. Stokes Company

  Copyright, 1895, 1896 By S. S. McClure, Limited

  CONTENTS.

  CHAP. PAGE.

  I. The Happiness of Stephen the Smith 1

  II. The Wager of the Marquis de Merosailles 51

  III. The Madness of Lord Harry Culverhouse 79

  IV. The Courtesy of Christian the Highwayman 100

  V. The Sin of the Bishop of Modenstein 131

  VI. The Device of Giraldo the Painter 175

  VII. The Indifference of the Miller of Hofbau 201

  VIII. The Love of the Prince of Glottenberg 226

  IX. The Victory of the Grand Duke of Mittenheim 258

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  PAGE.

  "'Kill him for me, then; kill him for me'" _Frontispiece_

  "'Take her and be happy'" 11

  "Stephen stood on the threshold with his staff in his hand" 37

  The physician receives Princess Osra 56

  "'Madame, if you will, you can do me a great service'" 101

  "With either hand he drew a silver-mounted pistol" 114

  "She asked the officer why a throng of people hastened to the city" 118

  "'My lord, where is the Princess?'" 160

  "He drove his sword into his body, and the Count gave back before it" 165

  "He walked with his head down and his eyes on the ground" 171

  "He took it and drained it" 204

  "On either side of it sat the priest of the village and the Miller of Hofbau" 215

  "'Forgive me, forgive me!'" 252

  "A young man sprang up, and, with a low bow, drew aside to let her pass" 259

  "'You are the beauty of the world,' he answered smiling" 263