niards of the old
stamp, as valiant as the Cid, as proud as all the Guzmans put together,
and more gallant than all the Abencerrages of Granada: he suffered us
to make our first approaches to the place without the least molestation.
The Marshal de Grammont, whose maxim it was, that a governor who at
first makes a great blustering, and burns his suburbs in order to make
a noble defence, generally makes a very bad one, looked upon Gregorio de
Brice's politeness as no good omen for us; but the prince, covered
with glory, and elated with the campaigns of Rocroy, Norlinguen,
and Fribourg, to insult both the place and the governor, ordered the
trenches to be mounted at noon-day by his own regiment, at the head of
which marched four-and-twenty fiddlers, as if it had been to a wedding.

"Night approaching, we were all in high spirits: our violins were
playing soft airs, and we were comfortably regaling ourselves: God knows
how we were joking about the poor governor and his fortifications, both
of which we promised ourselves to take in less than twenty-four hours.
This was going on in the trenches, when we heard an ominous cry from the
ramparts, repeated two or three times, of, 'Alerte on the walls!'
This cry was followed by a discharge of cannon and musketry, and
this discharge by a vigorous sally, which, after having filled up the
trenches, pursued us as far as our grand guard.

"The next day Gregorio Brice sent by a trumpet a present of ice and
fruit to the Prince de Conde, humbly beseeching his highness to excuse
his not returning the serenade which he was pleased to favour him with,
as unfortunately he had no violins; but that if the music of last night
was not disagreeable to him, he would endeavour to continue it as long
as he did him the honour to remain before the place. The Spaniard was
as good as his word; and as soon as we heard, 'Alerte on the walls,' we
were sure of a sally, that cleared our trenches, destroyed our works,
and killed the best of our officers and soldiers. The prince was so
piqued at it, that, contrary to the opinion of the general officers, he
obstinately persisted in carrying on a siege which was like to ruin his
army, and which he was at last forced to quit in a hurry.

"As our troops were retiring, Don Gregorio, far from giving himself
those airs which governors generally do on such occasions, made no other
sally, than sending a respectful compliment to the prince. Signor Brice
set out not long