ick this time; our informers
enticed us among the vineyards, the volunteers did not unite with us as
had been agreed upon and we are entirely routed. Cavalier knows how to
dispose of his men like an old soldier.

"Lord Marshal," exclaimed a veteran colonel entering the room, "the foe
is without! and the fearful Catinat has, through retribution, as he
calls it, reduced three catholic villages to ashes, and with his own
hands set fire to the churches."

Some prisoners were brought in, among whom there was a child of twelve
years of age. "What means this lad?" exclaimed the Marshal.

"He is a brother of Cavalier," replied the old colonel, "we had already
made this dangerous leader prisoner, we had taken possession of a
bridge and he could not rejoin his people, when this brat, this boy
here, rallied the rebels, harangued them, brandished his sword in his
outstretched hand, fell upon us, retook the bridge, made his brother
free, but became himself our prisoner."

"Satan's brood!" growled the Marshal, "away with them all to prison,
and we, gentlemen, to our posts!" all hastened out, the guests had
already retired without taking leave: the boy looked boldly and
smilingly round the saloon, and carelessly followed his guard; no one
remained behind but Colonel Julien and the Intendant, who took their
hats and sticks to go to their respective houses. "This cannot
continue," said the Lord of Basville, "the king sacrifices his army
fruitlessly and the rebellion becomes more obstinate and stronger."

"Things will change," said the Colonel, "I have the surest intelligence
from Paris;--but you testify too openly your contempt of him; he also
knows what you report concerning him at court."

"Can I do otherwise," said the Intendant, "if I am a faithful servant
to the king? you have witnessed all, and must acknowledge in your
heart, that but for this Marshal, this rebellion would never have
become a war; he nourishes it, he is rejoicing at the idea of becoming
important through it, he squanders all his time with women and is brave
as a soldier only through pityful vanity, and he piques himself in
gaining the affections of silly women."

"If we now obtain a better general," said Julien, "it is to be hoped,
that this system of overreached severity and cruelty would be given up
and trial made of gentle means."

"No good subject of the king can counsel that," said the Intendant
taking a hasty leave of the Colonel.

The streets wer