the Spaniards, and might have changed the fate of the
battle."

"Certainly they might," the sergeant said. "A volley from a thousand
muskets from the rear would well shake even the best cavalry. It was a
happy thought of yours indeed."

"Any merit there is in it was due to Turenne, who had carefully
instructed me in everything that could be of importance when two hostile
armies faced each other; and as he would never have dreamt of retiring
to rest before having every place where an enemy could conceal himself
carefully searched, it seemed to me a matter of course that it should be
done. However, General Gassion and the prince were both good enough to
consider that the service was a vital one, and as soon as the battle was
over the prince gave me my promotion."

"And it was well earned, lad, well earned. And now about that affair at
Turin."

"It could not have been better done, Hector," the old soldier said in
high delight when the story was told. "I used to think that you spent
more time than was necessary in reading over accounts of battles and
sieges, but I see that the time was well spent. You may be sure that I
will be with you at seven tomorrow morning," he added as Hector rose to
leave, "though I expect I shall have a heavy night of it here, for there
will scarcely be a man in the regiment who won't come round and stay to
hear the news. I warrant that by this evening there will not be a sou
remaining out of the money you have left for them."

Hector arrived at the hotel just in time for the midday meal, and was
pleased to find that Conde himself was not present. He and his two
companions were placed at different points at the great table, so that
as many as possible could hear the story of the battle. After the meal
was over, Hector was glad to leave the salon, and in company with a
gentleman of the household, who had volunteered to be his guide, spent
the afternoon in visiting the principal sights of Paris, of which he had
seen but little when a boy in barracks. The hotels of the nobles, each a
fortress rather than a private building, interested him greatly, as
also the streets in which the principal traders lived; but he was
unfavourably impressed with the appearance of the population in all
other parts, and could well understand what his guide told him, that it
was dangerous in the extreme for a gentleman unattended to pass through
these quarters.

At six o'clock he sat down to the evening meal at Cond