ney. M. de Longueville recalled her from Berri as he
had from the capital, and he insisted on the return of his son in terms
so forcible that she was compelled to comply, so far as the boy was
concerned. Thenceforward, being alone and exposing only herself, without
breaking with M. de Longueville, and by using all her wit to colour her
disobedience, she eluded his orders, remained in Berri, forming in the
depth of her heart the most ardent desire for war, but calm in
appearance; sometimes accompanying the Princess de Conde to Montrond, at
others making somewhat lengthened visits to the Carmelite convent at
Bourges. And thus she awaited the issue of the negotiations, counselled
and carried on by La Rochefoucauld, which should decide her destiny.

[8] The name she figures under in the _Grand Cyrus_.

La Rochefoucauld must indeed have very earnestly longed to bring to a
close the life of fatigue and danger which he had for three years led,
to have been able to cherish any illusion as to the success of the steps
he was about again to take. Where was the hope of regaining the Fronde
which had just been outrageously deceived, after it had given itself to
the Prince de Conde in his misfortune, and had extricated him from it?
If La Rochefoucauld thought that the alliance of the Fronde was
necessary, he ought to have set about it sooner and at the proper time,
persuaded Conde and his sister to keep their word, and sealed the
alliance agreed upon between the Prince de Conti and Mademoiselle de
Chevreuse. He had not done so; and now that he had allowed a treacherous
war to spring up between Conde and the Fronde, by what charm did he
think he could suspend it? With the Queen also all negotiation was
exhausted and superfluous. An understanding should have been come to
with her when she was so disposed, when Conde was all-powerful, when he
could either have more readily abased or exalted the Crown: _Tum decuit
cum sceptra dabas_. But at the end of August, Conde, embroiled with the
Court and with the Fronde, had nothing left save his sword. That was
sufficient, doubtless, to make everybody tremble, but was it enough to
inspire confidence in anyone? La Rochefoucauld obtained, therefore, on
all sides to his advances only very vague responses. The time for
negotiation was passed irrevocably, and whilst La Rochefoucauld
exhausted himself in useless efforts, the Queen and the Fronde concluded
a treaty together, with the common design o