s now the middle of
October, and when, after ten days' march, the regiment reached Epernay,
they heard that Turenne had withdrawn his troops from the Rhine,
where the Imperialists had already gone into winter quarters, and had
stationed them in the various towns of Lorraine. His headquarters were
at Nancy. Turenne greeted him warmly upon his arrival.

"Matters have been going on slowly since I saw you in Paris. I have been
too weak to fight the Bavarians, who fortunately were too undecided to
attack me. Could they but have made up their minds to throw in their
fortune with Austria, they might have overrun all Lorraine, for aught I
could have done to withstand them. The troopers were without horses, the
infantry almost without clothes, and as the court was unable to send me
any remittances I have been forced to borrow money upon my own estates
for the public service, and have mounted five thousand horse and
enrolled three thousand foot and am still sustaining them. However,
I hear from Mazarin that he will in a week send off a large convoy of
treasure, which will be welcome indeed, for I am nearly at the end of
my resources. Some of my troops are quartered in the town, but the most
part are among the mountains, where they trouble the inhabitants less
and have small temptations towards rioting and excesses. Which would you
rather?"

"I would much rather go into the country, marshal; my regiment is
in good condition now, but to stay in quarters in a town is bad for
discipline."

"So be it. You might make your headquarters at the village of Saline;
there are no other troops within thirty miles of it. On arriving there
you will make inquiries as to the supplies to be obtained within a
circle of fifteen miles round. Fortunately I have a good supply of
tents, and any men for whom you cannot find quarters in the villages
can be placed under canvas. You can draw as much wine as you require for
three months' rations from the stores here, and two months' rations of
flour. I will direct the intendants to take up carts for the transport
of the supplies you take from here. You will doubtless be able to buy
meat up there, and I hope that you will be able to obtain sufficient
flour and wine to last you till the end of the winter, for transport
will be very difficult when the snow is on the ground. Firewood your
soldiers will, of course, cut for themselves in the forests."

The winter passed quietly. Hector managed to obtain quarter