sed. The great conflict now rose, which continued through months
and years, between them, as to which should obtain the control of the
king. Impelled by the action of the Parliament, the king had applied
to the pope for a cardinal's hat to be conferred upon M. de Retz. This
dignity attained would immeasurably increase the power of the
coadjutor.

In the mean time, Cardinal Mazarin, who had fled to Spain, had
re-entered France with an army of six thousand men. Paris was thrown
into a state of great agitation. Parliament was immediately assembled.
The king sent them a message requesting the Parliament not to regard
the movements of the cardinal with any anxiety, "since the intentions
of his eminence were well known by the court." This, of course,
increased rather than diminished the fears of the nobles.
Notwithstanding the message of the king, a decree was immediately
passed declaring the cardinal and his adherents disturbers of the
public peace. The cardinal was outlawed. A sum equal to thirty
thousand dollars, the proceeds of the sale of some property of the
cardinal, was offered to any one who should deliver him either dead or
alive. Unintimidated, Mazarin continued his march toward Paris,
arriving at Poictiers at the end of January, one month after having
re-entered France. The king, the queen regent, and the whole court
advanced there to meet him. They received him with the greatest
demonstrations of joy.

When the news reached the capital that Mazarin had thus triumphantly
returned, Parliament and the populace were thrown into a state of
great excitement. The Duke of Orleans was roused as never before. The
hostile demonstrations in Paris became so alarming, that the royal
family adopted the bold resolve to return immediately to the capital.
The king commenced his march at the head of the troops of the
cardinal. When he reached Blois, he tarried there for a couple of days
to concentrate his forces. Civil war was now inaugurated, though on
rather a petty scale, between the hostile forces in various parts of
the kingdom. The Prince of Conde was the prominent leader of the
Parliamentary troops.

The city of Blois is situated on the right bank of the River Loire,
about forty-five miles below the city of Orleans, which is also on the
northern side of the same stream. At Blois, the court learned to its
consternation that the Mazarin army had been attacked at Orleans by
the Prince de Conde and utterly routed, with the l