e should be given elsewhere, M. de Marsac--since it is
the king's will that you should marry me.'

'Ah, mademoiselle!' I cried, kneeling before her--for she had come round
the table and stood beside me--'But you?'

'It is my will too, sir,' she answered, smiling through her tears.

* * *

On the following day Mademoiselle de la Vire became my wife; the king's
retreat from Paris, which was rendered necessary by the desertion of
many who were ill-affected to the Huguenots, compelling the instant
performance of the marriage, if we would have it read by M. d'Amours.
This haste notwithstanding, I was enabled by the kindness of M. d'Agen
to make such an appearance, in respect both of servants and equipment,
as became rather my future prospects than my past distresses. It is
true that His Majesty, out of a desire to do nothing which might offend
Turenne, did not honour us with his presence; but Madame Catherine
attended on his behalf, and herself gave me my bride. M. de Sully and M.
Crillon, with the Marquis de Rambouillet and his nephew, and my distant
connection, the Duke de Rohan, who first acknowledged me on that day,
were among those who earned my gratitude by attending me upon the
occasion.

The marriage of M. Francois d'Agen with the widow of my old rival and
opponent did not take place until something more than a year later, a
delay which was less displeasing to me than to the bridegroom, inasmuch
as it left madame at liberty to bear my wife company during my absence
on the campaign of Arques and Ivry. In the latter battle, which added
vastly to the renown of M. de Rosny, who captured the enemy's standard
with his own hand, I had the misfortune to be wounded in the second
of the two charges led by the king; and being attacked by two foot
soldiers, as I lay entangled I must inevitably have perished but for the
aid afforded me by Simon Fleix, who flew to the rescue with the courage
of a veteran. His action was observed by the king, who begged him
from me, and attaching him to his own person in the capacity of clerk,
started him so fairly on the road to fortune that he has since risen
beyond hope or expectation.

The means by which Henry won for a time the support of Turenne (and
incidentally procured his consent to my marriage) are now too notorious
to require explanation. Nevertheless, it was not until the Vicomte's
union a year later with Mademoiselle de la Marck, who brought him the
Duchy of Bouillon, that I th