. On the third day
Hector presented himself at the appointed hour at the hotel of the Duc
de Bouillon. He was dressed in the second best of his costumes, and
wore for the first time his father's sword. In the hall were numbers of
soldiers and lackeys. One of the latter came up to him.

"I am here to see the Viscount Turenne by appointment," he said.

The lackey led the way to a large chamber, where several officers and
gentlemen were waiting. Here Hector gave his name to a chamberlain, who
took it into another apartment. He waited for half an hour, and observed
that while the officers, one by one, were taken into the room where the
lackey had carried his name, the nobles and gentlemen, who were
much more numerous, were shown into another, which was evidently the
principal reception room. He guessed at once that it was here that the
Duc de Bouillon was receiving visitors, while his brother was engaged in
giving interviews to officers, who perhaps desired appointments in his
army, or in arranging details of stores, arms, and ammunition required
for its use. At last his turn came; and on his name being called, he
followed the usher into a small apartment, where Turenne was sitting at
a table covered with letters. The general looked at him critically.

"You make a very good figure," he said, "and better, I can tell you,
than I did at your age, for I was but weakly, while you are well grown
and strong. Among your other exercises you have not neglected the use of
your sword. I could tell that as soon as my eyes fell upon you."

"No, general, I have practised for two or three hours a day since I was
ten years old, and I think that almost every soldier in the regiment
has been my instructor in turn, and the maitre-d'armes of the regiment
himself gave me lessons twice a week."

"I have managed your business for you," the viscount said. "I saw the
cardinal yesterday and asked for a commission for you. He simply asked
for what regiment, and I said that at present I intended to keep you
about my own person, as I thought you would make a good officer and
would some day do me credit. He was busy at the time, so he simply
signed an appointment as a lieutenant and gave it to me to fill in your
name. I asked if I should bring you to his levee tomorrow, but he said,
'There is no occasion, viscount, we have both plenty on our hands;
neither you nor I can waste time on young lieutenants. You can present
him to me when you return from t