sieur de Grammont."

Raoul bowed, took the letter, went hastily down the mountain, leaped
on his horse and set out at a gallop. A quarter of an hour later he was
with the marshal.

A portion of the troops had already arrived and the remainder was
expected from moment to moment. Marshal de Grammont put himself at the
head of all the available cavalry and infantry and took the road to
Vendin, leaving the Duc de Chatillon to await and bring on the rest. All
the artillery was ready to move, and started off at a moment's notice.

It was seven o'clock in the evening when the marshal arrived at the
appointed place. The prince awaited him there. As he had foreseen,
Lens had fallen into the hands of the enemy immediately after Raoul's
departure. The event was announced by the cessation of the firing.

As the shadows of night deepened the troops summoned by the prince
arrived in successive detachments. Orders were given that no drum should
be beaten, no trumpet sounded.

At nine o'clock the night had fully come. Still a last ray of twilight
lighted the plain. The army marched silently, the prince at the head
of the column. Presently the army came in sight of Lens; two or three
houses were in flames and a dull noise was heard which indicated what
suffering was endured by a town taken by assault.

The prince assigned to every one his post. Marshal de Grammont was
to hold the extreme left, resting on Mericourt. The Duc de Chatillon
commanded the centre. Finally, the prince led the right wing, resting on
Aunay. The order of battle on the morrow was to be that of the positions
taken in the evening. Each one, on awaking, would find himself on the
field of battle.

The movement was executed in silence and with precision. At ten o'clock
every one was in his appointed position; at half-past ten the prince
visited the posts and gave his final orders for the following day.

Three things were especially urged upon the officers, who were to
see that the soldiers observed them scrupulously: the first, that the
different corps should so march that cavalry and infantry should be on
the same line and that each body should protect its gaps; the second, to
go to the charge no faster than a walk; the third, to let the enemy fire
first.

The prince assigned the Count de Guiche to his father and kept
Bragelonne near his own person; but the two young men sought the
privilege of passing the night together and it was accorded them. A tent
was