and yourself for a very simple act of duty,
fallen to me. If I might ask a boon, it would be that my regiment may be
sent to join the force of Marshal Turenne. So long as there was danger
here I should not have wished to be removed from a position where I
might be of some assistance, however slight, to the queen and yourself,
but now that all danger is at an end I should be glad to return to
active duty. I have endeavoured humbly to make Marshal Turenne my model.
He has but one thought and one desire--namely, to do his duty and to
make the soldiers under his command contented and happy, but I have no
hope of ever emulating his great merits as a commander."

"That request is easily granted," Mazarin said, and drawing a sheet of
paper towards him, he wrote:

The regiment of Poitou will at once proceed to the Rhine, where it will
place itself under the orders of Marshal Turenne.

He added his signature, and handed the paper to Hector.

"That counts for nothing," he said. "You must remember that life is
short and, especially in the case of a minister of France, uncertain.
In your own case you might be disabled in the field and unable to serve
further. The advent of a party hostile to me in power would doubtless be
signalized by acts of vengeance against those who have been friends, and
estates change hands so frequently in France that la Villar might well
be confiscated. No man is above the chances of fortune. I have agents in
England, and have this morning given an order to my intendant to place
in the hands of Monsieur Wilson, a well known citizen of London, a
goldsmith, the sum of fifty thousand crowns to stand in your name, and
to be payable to your order. Here is his address. It is but a small sum
for the saving of my life, but it will place you above the risk of the
contingencies of fortune in this country. I wish for no thanks," he
said, with a wave of his hand as Hector was about to speak. "I have
given more for the most trifling favours. I now bid you adieu, and
doubt not that I shall hear that you and your regiment have greatly
distinguished yourselves in the east, where hostilities will in all
probability shortly be commenced. You had better present yourself at the
levee this evening to make your adieus to the queen."

This Hector did, and early the next morning rode with his two companies
to St. Denis, where the news that the regiment was to march towards the
Rhine was received with great satisfaction. It wa