ter the removal of the
cardinal, all opposition to the court became rebellion against the
king, to whom the Fronde professed entire allegiance.

[Illustration: THE TUILERIES.]

Parliament immediately issued a decree, thanking the king for
banishing the cardinal, and imploring him to return to his good city
of Paris. After some negotiation the king acceded to their wishes, and
on the 17th of October arrived at St. Germain. Here a numerous civic
guard and deputation hastened to greet him, and to conduct him to the
metropolis. On the 20th he proceeded to Ruel, where he passed the
night.

The king decided to enter the city at the head of his army. In order
to render the scene more imposing, it was to take place at night, by
the light of thousands of torches. The spectacle was such as Paris had
rarely witnessed. The fickle people, ever ready to vibrate between the
cry of hosanna and crucify, pealed forth their most enthusiastic
rejoicings. The triumphant boy-king took possession of the Tuileries.
Cardinal de Retz, who had now gained his long-coveted ecclesiastical
distinction, hastened to congratulate the king and his mother upon
their return to the city, from which they had so long been banished.
The Duke of Orleans, chagrined and humiliated, retired to Blois.

The king soon held what was called a bed of justice, in which,
instead of granting a general amnesty, he denounced the princes Conde
and Conti, and other of the prominent leaders of the Fronde, as
traitors to their king, to be punished by death. These doomed ones
were nobles of high rank, vast wealth, with thousands of retainers.
Many throughout the kingdom were in sympathy with them. They would not
die without a struggle. Hence the war, which had hitherto raged
between Mazarin and the Fronde, was renewed between the king and the
Fronde. All over the provinces the hostile forces were rallying
themselves for the conflict.

It was necessary that the Parliament should register this decree of
the king. It did so, but Cardinal de Retz refused to give his vote. He
very respectfully declared to the king that he, having been on
friendly terms and in co-operation with the Prince de Conde, it would
be neither courteous nor just for him to vote his condemnation.

This enraged both the king and his mother. They said it proved that he
was in sympathy with their enemies. The court did not venture at once
to strike down one so formidable. A mission was assigned the cardinal