Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 24, Vol. I, June 14, 1884

Set against the crystal‑blue waters of the Mediterranean, the twin isles of St Marguerite and St Honorât rise like polished gems at the edge of Cannes. The narrator weaves together a medieval legend of a knight, his devoted sister, and a promise tied to the blooming of an almond tree, giving the islands a quiet, romantic aura. A daily steamer carries visitors to a modest fortress perched on sheer cliffs, where the sea‑kissed stone walls echo centuries of pilgrimage and mystery.

Inside the fort, an elderly guide leads a small group through narrow passages to the dim dungeon once said to hold the infamous “Man with the Iron Mask.” The cramped cell, with its iron doors and a single grating, sparks the imagination, hinting at royal intrigue and secret pleas scrawled on silver plates. The vivid description of the surrounding landscape—sunlit Cannes, the distant Alpine peaks, and the purple‑hued Esterel hills—makes listeners feel as if they are standing on the same stone pier, breathing the salty air.