to exchange an equal
number of such officers and men, in our hands, for those held by
the British Government."

"I thank Your Majesty, most respectfully and heartily, in the name
of all the foreign officers in your service. Even should,
unfortunately, the English Government refuse to pardon or exchange
their prisoners, it will be seen that Your Majesty has done all in
your power to save them, and there will be a general feeling of
reprobation, throughout Europe, at the conduct of the English
Ministry."

"We beg these officers to wait in the anteroom, while we dictate
our despatch and proclamation to our secretary. We would fain
question them as to how they effected their escape from their
prison, and how they have made so speedy a journey here."

Lord Galmoy bowed, and retired with the others.

"We have done well," he said, "better indeed than I had hoped.
Now, having succeeded in saving our countrymen's lives, which I
doubt not would have been otherwise sacrificed, I shall return at
once to Paris, for there is an inspection of my regiment this
afternoon."

"We have been fortunate, indeed," O'Neil said, when Lord Galmoy
had left. "I have no doubt the king had heard that the English
Government had resolved to execute the prisoners, but I question
whether he would have stirred in the matter, had it not been for
Galmoy's representation."

"I am sure, by his manner, that he had received the news before,"
Desmond said, "and, as you say, had not intended to interfere. It
was the suggestion that he might threaten retaliation, and that
the effect of his not moving in the matter would be very bad among
his Irish troops, that decided him to interfere. He may have felt
that any mere protest made by him would have had little effect,
and it is not his nature to expose himself to a rebuff; but,
directly he saw that he had an effective weapon in his hands, he
took the matter up as warmly as we could wish."

In point of fact, the king's threat had the desired effect, and
two months later the imprisoned officers and men were exchanged
for an equal number of Huguenots.

In a quarter of an hour, the three officers were again summoned to
the king's presence. With him was a tall dark officer, of
distinguished mien, whom O'Neil and O'Sullivan both recognized as
the Duke of Berwick, one of the most famous generals of the time.
He had been in command of the French forces in Spain, from which
he had been recalled suddenly, two days