r taught me that when a man
goes to see his friends it is neither prudent to leave his own money
behind him nor civil to take theirs.'

'Well,' answered Turenne, 'I can tell you you will find neither much
money nor deep play among us; but that it cannot be said that we allowed
you to go off without playing, suppose we each of us stake a horse.'

De Grammont agreed, and, lucky as ever, won from the officers some
fifteen or sixteen horses, by way of a joke; but seeing several faces
pale, he said, 'Gentlemen, I should be sorry to see you go away from
your general's quarters on foot; it will do very well if you all send me
to-morrow your horses, except one, which I give for the cards.'

The _valet-de-chambre_ thought he was jesting. 'I am serious,' cried
the Chevalier. '_Parole d'honneur_ I give a horse for the cards; and
what's more, take which you please, only don't take mine.'

'Faith,' said Turenne, pleased with the novelty of the affair, 'I don't
believe a horse was ever before given for the cards.'

Young people, and indeed old people, can perhaps hardly remember the
time when, even in England, money used to be put under the candlesticks
'for the cards,' as it was said, but in fact for the servants, who
waited. Winner or loser, the tax was to be paid, and this custom of
vails was also prevalent in France.

Trino at last surrendered, and the two friends rushed from their
campaigning life to enjoy the gaieties of Turin, at that time the centre
of pleasure; and resolved to perfect their characters as military
heroes--by falling in love, if respectably, well; if disreputably, well
too, perhaps all the more agreeable, and venturesome, as they thought.

The court of Turin was then presided over by the Duchess of Savoy,
_Madame Royale_, as she was called in France, the daughter of Henry IV.
of France, the sister of Henrietta Maria of England. She was a woman of
talent and spirit, worthy of her descent, and had certain other
qualities which constituted a point of resemblance between her and her
father; she was, like him, more fascinating than respectable.

The customs of Turin were rather Italian than French. At that time
every lady had her professed lover, who wore the liveries of his
mistress, bore her arms, and sometimes assumed her very name. The
office of the lover was, never to quit his lady in public, and never
to approach her in private: to be on all occasions her esquire. In the
tournament her chosen knight-c