urbed by sinister dreams; but, as has been remarked, he had at
heart an invincible fund of loyalty. Ambition was rather hovering round
him than within himself. But whatsoever it was he desired, and in every
hypothesis--for his secret has remained between Heaven and himself--he
did wrong in abandoning the Loire and leaving Turenne in force there.
That was the true error he committed, and not in wanting audacity, as
Napoleon supposed. It was not a military but a political error--immense
and irreparable. He might have crushed Turenne, and ought to have
attempted it, but he let him slip from his grasp. The opportunity once
lost did not return. Turenne until then was only second in rank; by a
glorious resistance he acquired from that moment, and it was forced upon
him to maintain, the importance of a rival of Conde. Mazarin grew from
day to day more emboldened; royalty, which had been on the very brink of
ruin, again rose erect, and the Court drew towards Paris; whilst,
prompted by his evil genius, quitting the field of battle wherein lay
his veritable strength, Conde went away to waste his precious time in a
labyrinth of intrigues for which he was not fitted, and in which he lost
himself and the Fronde.

[3] Upon the _Petits Maitres_, see Mad. de Sable, chap. i. p. 44.

CHAPTER II.

POLITICAL AND GALLANT INTRIGUES--THE DUCHESS DE CHATILLON'S SWAY OVER
CONDE--SHAMEFUL CONSPIRACY AGAINST MADAME DE LONGUEVILLE.

CONDE arrived in Paris on the 11th of April, and found everything in the
utmost confusion. It would be impossible to follow all the petty
intrigues, or even make allusion to all the events which affected the
relative situations of the parties in the capital; but it may be
observed that the tendency of both parties was to hold themselves in the
neighbourhood of Paris. The chiefs of the Fronde hurried into the city,
to receive the congratulations due to their exploits from the fair
politicians who had won them to their cause. The Queen also established
her head-quarters near the capital, to be ready for any turn of popular
sentiment in her favour, and to hear the reports of her spies on the
proceedings of her enemies. She knew what dances were to be given, and
who were to attend the assemblies of the duchesses of the Fronde. On one
occasion when Turenne knew that half the officers of Conde's army were
engaged to a brilliant fete at the Duchess de Montbazon's, he made an
attack on the enemy's camp, and