This volume was published in 1917. Excerpts: THE FIRES OF ST. JOHN It was the eve of St. John in the year of our Lord Nine Hundred Thirty-Five. High on the cypress-clad hills of the Eternal City the evening sun had flamed valediction, and the last lights of the dying day were fading away on the waves of the Tiber whose changeless tide has rolled down through centuries of victory and defeat, of pride and shame, of glory and disgrace. The purple dusk began to weave its phantom veil over the ancient capital of the Caesars and a round blood-red moon was climbing slowly above the misty crests of the Alban Hills, draining the sky of its crimson sunset hues. The silvery chimes of the Angelus, pealing from churches and convents, from Santa Maria in Trastevere to Santa Maria of the Aventine, began to sing their message of peace into the heart of nature and of man. .............................................................................. THE DREAM LADY OF AVALON Like a disk of glowing gold the sun had set upon hill and dale. The gardens of Avalon lay wrapt in the mists of evening. Like flowers seemed the fair women who thronged the winding paths. From fragrant bosquets, borne on the wings of the right wind came the faint sounds of zitherns and lutes. He, too, was there, mingling joyous, carefree, with the rest, gathering the white roses for the one he loved. Dimly he recalled his delight, as he saw her approach in the waning light through the dim ilex avenue, an apparition wondrous fair in the crimson haze of slowly departing day, entering his garden of dreams. With strangely aching heart he saw them throng about her in homage and admiration. At last he knelt before her, kissing the white hand that lay passive within his own. How wonderful she was! Never had he seen anything like her, not even in this land of flowers and of beautiful women. Her hair was warm as if the sun had entered into it. Her skin had the tints of ivory. The violet eyes with the long drooping lashes seemed to hold the memories of a thousand love thoughts. And the small, crimson mouth, so witch-like, so alluring, seemed to hold out promise of fullfilment of dizzy hopes and desires. " It is our golden hour," she smiled down at him, and the white fingers twined the rose in her hair, wove a girdle of blossoms round her exquisite, girlish form. .............................................................................. BOOK THE FIRST I. The Fires of St. John II. The Weaving of the Spell III. The Dream Lady of Avalon IV. The Way of the Cross V. On the Aventine VI. The Coup VII. Masks and Mummers VIII. The Shrine of Hekate IX. The Game of Love X. A Spirit Pageant XI. The Denunciation XII. The Confession BOOK THE SECOND I. The Grand Chamberlain II. The Call of Eblis III. The Crystal Sphere IV. Persephone V. Magic Glooms VI. The Lure of the Abyss VII. The Face in the Panel VIII. The Shadow of Asrael IX. The Feast of Theodora X. The Chalice of Oblivion BOOK THE THIRD I. Wolfsbane II. Under the Saffron Scarf III. Dark Plottings IV. Face to Face V. The Cressets of Doom VI. A Meeting of Ghosts VII. A Bower of Eden VIII. An Italian Night IX. The Net of the Fowler X. Devil Worship XI. By Lethe s Shores XII. The Death Watch XIII. The Convent in Trastevere XIV. The Phantom of the Lateran BOOK THE FOURTH I. The Return of the Moor II. The Escape from San Angelo III. The Lure IV. A Lying Oracle V. Bitter Waters VI. From Dream to Dream VII. A Roman Medea VIII. In Tenebris IX. The Conspiracy X. The Broken Spell XI. The Black Mass XII. Sunrise
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