iew. There was, in truth, no want of boldness on
Conde's part throughout that campaign: far from it, his whole line of
conduct was a succession of audacious actions and combinations. What
could be bolder than that forced journey of nearly ten days for more
than one hundred and fifty miles with half-a-dozen followers to go and
take the command of an army? What bolder than the resolution taken out
of hand to throw himself between Turenne and Hocquincourt, to cut in two
the royal army and to disperse one half of it before attacking the
other? Did Conde lose a moment in marching against Turenne and pursuing
him sword in hand? Was it his fault that he had to cope with a great
captain, who knew how to select an excellent position, and to maintain
himself in it with immovable firmness? In the attack of that position,
did Napoleon mean to reproach Conde with want of boldness? Turenne, it
is true, covered himself with glory, for he successfully resisted Conde;
but Conde, in not having been victorious, was not in the slightest
degree beaten. The strategy, therefore, on that occasion was
irreproachable. As will be seen, it was in his policy only that he
failed. Conde quitted the army at a very ill-timed moment, in our
opinion, but that step was taken through considerations which had
nothing to do with the science of war.

To revert for a moment to this much-criticised action of Bleneau.
Towards night, Hocquincourt appeared upon the field, having rallied a
considerable part of his cavalry. Conde then retired, finding that his
attempt was frustrated, and took the way to Montargis; while Turenne
rejoined the Court, and was received by the Queen with all the
gratitude which such great services merited. Her first words went to
thank him for _having placed the crown a second time upon her son's
head_.

The terror and confusion which had reigned in Gien during the whole of
the preceding night and that day may very well be conceived when it is
remembered that the safety of the King himself, as well as the Queen,
was at stake, and that the life of the favourite Minister might at any
moment be placed at the mercy of his bitterest enemy, justified in
putting him to death immediately by the highest legal authority in the
realm. Neither were the ill-disciplined and irregular forces of Conde at
all desirable neighbours to the troop of ladies who had followed the
Court; and, as soon as it was known that Conde had fallen upon
Hocquincourt, the