efore any fresh movements took place. Turenne would willingly
have advanced with his army, but his movements were arrested by a
peremptory order from Paris, sent on receipt of the news of the defeat,
that he was not to take the offensive until joined by Enghien, who had
with him a force of eight thousand men. He therefore marched to join the
reinforcements, and the two armies met at Spires on the 2nd of July.
As before, Enghien was in supreme command, with de Gramont as his
lieutenant general. Long conferences took place between these generals:
Turenne, General Geis, who commanded the Hessians, and Konigsmark,
who commanded the Swedes. The Bavarians were known to be very strongly
posted, and to have been reinforced by four thousand Imperialists under
the command of General Geis.

There was much difference of opinion between them as to the best course
to be pursued, but Enghien, who was always in favour of great battles,
finally determined so to place the army that the enemy would be forced
to come out and fight. He therefore marched to Venecher, captured
Wimpfen, and threw a bridge across the river, whereupon General Merci
fell back twenty leagues into Franconia. As soon as they had passed
the river an occurrence took place that threatened to overthrow all the
plans of the campaign. Some hasty words spoken by Enghien so angered the
Generals Geis and Konigsmark that they determined to retire at once with
the Swedes and Hessians. Turenne was requested by Enghien to endeavour
to arrange matters, and by his kind and gentle manner succeeded
in conciliating Geis, who consented to remain with the Hessians.
Konigsmark, however, as hot tempered as Enghien himself, refused to do
so, and with his whole force retired to Bremen, in Lower Saxony.

The French and Hessians marched towards the Tauber, captured Rothenburg
and other towns, and thereby obtained a large quantity of provisions
and stores; and hearing that the Bavarians were advancing to Nordlingen,
marched in all haste to give them battle there.

CHAPTER XVI: AN ESCAPE

After being confined for a week in the prison at Kirchheim Hector
was sent with a number of other prisoners to Ingolstadt. Here he
was confined in the castle, a separate room being allotted to him in
recognition of his rank, and Paolo was, at his request, allowed to
remain with him.

"I cannot but think, master, that we should have done better if you had
given your parole not to try to escape. In t