Zuleger, says the elector, has made a
careful examination. Lansac and his companion have industriously
circulated throughout Germany the report that the Edict of Toleration is
kept entire, that Conde and the Protestants have no other object in view
but a horrible rebellion against Charles to deprive him of his crown, and
that the prince has had money struck as if he were king himself.[468] But
Zuleger has, on the contrary, reported that when, in the presence of the
royal council, he asked for proofs of Conde's intention to make himself
king, Catharine de' Medici replied that it was a "mockery," and that,
though Conde had struck money, both in the late and in the present
troubles, it was with the king's inscription and arms, and not as though
he were himself king. So far from that, Zuleger declares that, during the
eleven days of his stay in the prince's camp, he heard prayers offered
morning and night for the preservation of the state and for the king's
safety. As to the maintenance of the edict, the constable before his death
openly affirmed that Charles would not permit a free exercise of religion,
and never intended the Edict of Orleans to be other than _provisional_.
Indeed, the queen-mother remarked to Zuleger that it is a privilege of the
French monarchs never to make a perpetual edict; to which Charles, who was
present, promptly responded, "Pourquoi non?"[469]

It was to form a junction with the force brought by John Casimir that the
prince now raised the siege of Paris, two or three days subsequently to
the battle of Saint Denis,[470] and after that D'Andelot, disappointed in
having had no share in the engagement, had scoured the field, driving back
into Paris an advanced guard of the enemy, and burning, by way of bravado,
some windmills in the very suburbs.[471]

[Sidenote: The Huguenots go to meet the Germans.]

[Sidenote: Treacherous diplomacy.]

The purpose of the Huguenot leaders could not be mistaken, and Catharine
was determined to frustrate it. The chief object at which all her
intrigues now aimed was to delay the Protestant army in its march toward
Lorraine, until the Duke of Anjou, at the head of a force which was daily
gaining new accessions of strength from the provinces, should be able to
overtake Conde and bring on a general and decisive action. From Saint
Denis the Huguenots had first followed the course of the upper Seine to
Montereau. Crossing the stream at this point, Coligny, as usual comman