how themselves, in such sorry
plight, in the streets of the city where they are accustomed to
lord it; so we may count on at least two hours before they can take
any steps. After that, they will move heaven and earth to capture
us. They will send out troops of horse after us, and messengers to
every city in the province, calling upon the governors to take
every means to seize us.

"We have collected a good sum of money, and carried out the greater
portion of our mission. We shall only risk its loss, as well as the
loss of our own lives, by going forward. The horses are fresh, and
we will put as many miles between us and Toulouse as they can carry
us, before nightfall."

The return journey was accomplished without misadventure. They made
no more halts than were required to rest their horses and,
travelling principally at night, they reached La Rochelle without
having encountered any body of the enemy.

While they had been absent, the army of Conde and the Admiral had
marched into Lorraine and, eluding the forces that barred his
march, effected a junction with the German men-at-arms who had been
brought to their aid by the Duke Casimir, the second son of the
Elector Palatine. However, the Germans refused to march a step
farther, unless they received the pay that had been agreed upon
before they started.

Conde's treasury was empty, and he had no means, whatever, of
satisfying their demand. In vain Duke Casimir, himself, tried to
persuade his soldiers to defer their claims, and to trust their
French co-religionists to satisfy their demands, later on. They
were unanimous in their refusal to march a step, until they
obtained their money.

The Admiral then addressed himself to his officers and soldiers. He
pointed out to them that, at the present moment, everything
depended upon their obtaining the assistance of the Germans--who
were, indeed, only demanding their rights, according to the
agreement that had been made with them--and he implored them to
come to the assistance of the prince and himself at this crisis. So
great was his influence among his soldiers that his appeal was
promptly and generally acceded to, and officers and men alike
stripped themselves of their chains, jewels, money, and valuables
of all kinds, and so made up the sum required to satisfy the
Germans.

As soon as this important affair had been settled, the united army
turned its face again westward; with the intention of giving
battle, anew, u