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Won by the Sword

G >> G.A. Henty >> Won by the Sword




This was welcome news to Hector, who at once prepared to cross
into Italy; but when they reached Chambery he heard that Turenne
had been ordered to join the army that was collected near the
Spanish frontier, in order to conquer Roussillon, which lay between
Languedoc and Catalonia. The latter province had been for three
years in a state of insurrection against Spain, and had besought
aid from France. This, however, could not easily be afforded them
so long as the fortress of Perpignan guarded the way, and with
other strongholds prevented all communication between the south of
France and Catalonia. As it was uncertain whether Turenne would
follow the coast route or cross the passes, Hector and his companion
rode forward at once, and arrived at Turin before he left.

"I am glad to see you back again," the general said as Hector
entered his room, "and trust that you are now strong again. Your
letter, giving me your reasons for leaving Sedan, was forwarded to
me by a messenger, with others from my brother and his wife. He
speaks in high terms of you, and regretted your leaving them; but
the reason you gave for so doing in your letter to me more than
justified the course you took, and showed that you were thoughtful
in other than military matters. You served me better by leaving
Sedan than you could have done in any other way. In these unhappy
disputes with my brother, the cardinal has never permitted my
relationship to Bouillon to shake his confidence in me. But after
being engaged for many years in combating plots against him, he
cannot but be suspicious of all, and that an officer of my staff
should be staying at Sedan when the dispute was going to end in
open warfare might well have excited a doubt of me while, had you
traveled direct here at that moment, it might, as you said, have
been considered that you were the bearer of important communications
between my brother and myself.

"Now, I hope that you are completely restored to health; you
are looking well, and have grown a good deal, the consequence,
no doubt, of your being so long in bed. You have heard that I am
ordered to Roussillon, of which I am glad, for the war languishes
here. The king, I hear, will take up his headquarters at Narbonne,
and Richelieu is coming down to look after matters as he did at
Rochelle. So I expect that things will move quickly there. They
say the king is not in good health, and that the cardinal himself
is failing. Should he die it will be a grievous loss for France,
for there is no one who could in any way fill his place. It has
been evident for some time that the king has been in weak health.
The dauphin is but a child. A regency with the queen as its nominal
head, and Richelieu as its staff and ruler, would be possible;
but without Richelieu the prospect would be a very dark one, and
I cannot think of it without apprehension. However, I must continue
to do as I have been doing ever since Bouillon fell out with the
court; I must think only that I am a soldier, prepared to strike
where ordered, whether against a foreign foe or a rebellious subject.

"Happily my family troubles are over. I hear that there is
a probability that, now Bouillon has been restored to favour, he
will obtain the command of the army in Italy, which will just suit
his active spirit."

Three days later Turenne with his staff crossed the Alps, and
journeying across the south of France reached Perpignan. The
Marquis of Mielleraye was in supreme command, and Turenne was to act
as his lieutenant; the latter at once took charge of the operations
of the siege of Perpignan, which had already been beleaguered for
some months by the French. The fortress was a very strong one, but
as the efforts of the Spanish to reinforce the garrison by a landing
effected on the coast failed altogether, and as the operations of
Mielleraye in the field were successful, and there was no chance of
any relief being afforded to the besieged town by a Spanish army
advancing through Catalonia, it was certain that the fortress
must in time surrender by hunger. As it could not be captured by
assault unless with a very heavy loss indeed, Turenne contented
himself with keeping up so vigilant a watch round it that its
communications were altogether cut off, and the garrison knew
nothing whatever of what was passing around them.

The Duc de Bouillon had received the command of the army in Italy,
and Turenne hoped that henceforth his mind would be free from the
family trouble that had for the past four years caused him great
pain and anxiety. Unfortunately, however, Cinq-Mars, the king's
master of horse and personal favourite, had become embroiled with
the cardinal. Rash, impetuous, and haughty, the young favourite
at once began to intrigue. The Duke of Orleans, the king's only
brother, one of the most treacherous and unstable of men, joined
him heart and soul, and Bouillon was induced to ally himself with
them, not from any political feeling, but because Cinq-Mars had
been mainly instrumental in obtaining terms for him before, and
appealed to his sense of gratitude to aid him now. He insisted,
however, that this time there should be no negotiating with Spain
and Austria, but that the movement should be entirely a French one.

Unknown to him, however, the others entered into an alliance with
Spain, who engaged to find money and an army. The conspirators
had gained the ear of the king, Cinq-Mars representing to him that
their hostility was directed solely against the cardinal, and
the latter was in great disfavour until he obtained a copy of the
treaty with Spain. The disclosure opened the king's eyes. The Duke
of Orleans, Cinq-Mars, Monsieur de Thou, his intimate friend,
and de Bouillon were at once arrested. Orleans immediately turned
traitor to his fellow conspirators, revealed every incident of
the plot, and was sentenced to exile. Cinq-Mars and de Thou were
tried and executed. De Bouillon saved his life by relinquishing
his principality to France, any hesitation there may have been
in sparing him on those terms being removed by the receipt of a
message from the duchess, that if her husband were put to death
she would at once deliver Sedan into the hands of the Spaniards.
De Bouillon was therefore pardoned, and in exchange for the surrender
of his principality, his estates in France were to be enlarged,
and a considerable pension granted to him.

All this was a terrible trial to Turenne, who was deeply attached
to his brother, and who mourned not only the danger he had incurred,
but that he should have broken his engagements, and while commanding
a royal army should have plotted against the royal authority.

At the end of November the cardinal's illness, from which he had
long suffered, took an unfavourable turn, and the king, who had
returned to Paris, went to see him. Richelieu advised him to place
his confidence in the two secretaries of state, Chavigny and de
Noyers, recommended Cardinal Mazarin strongly as first minister of
the crown, and handed the king a document he had prepared barring
the Duke of Orleans from any share in the regency in case of the
king's death, the preamble calling to mind that the king had five
times pardoned his brother, who had yet recently engaged in a fresh
plot against him. On the 2nd of December, 1642, Richelieu died,
and the king, on the following day, carried out his last advice,
and appointed Mazarin to a place in his council.

The year had passed quietly with Hector Campbell. His duties had
been but slight during the siege, and as during his stay at Sedan
and in Switzerland he had continued to work hard at Italian, at the
former place under a teacher, who instructed him in more courtly
dialect than that which he acquired from Paolo, so during the six
months before Perpignan he had, after taking the advice of Turenne,
set himself to acquire a knowledge of German. Working at this
for eight hours a day under the tuition of a German gentleman, who
had been compelled to leave the country when his native town was
captured by the Imperialists, he was soon able to converse as
fluently in it as in Italian.

"It is in Germany that the next great campaign is likely to take
place," Turenne said to him, "and your knowledge of German will be
of infinite utility to you. Fortunately for myself, Sedan standing
on the border between the two countries, I acquired German as well
as French without labour, and while in Holland spoke it rather
than French; the knowledge of languages is of great importance to
one who would rise high in the army or at the court, and I am very
glad that you have acquired German, as it may be of great use to
you if we are called upon to invade that country again, that is,
if the new council of the king are as kindly disposed towards me
as Richelieu always showed himself to be; but I fear that ere long
there may be changes. The king's health is very poor. He may not
live long, and then we have a regency before us, and the regencies
of France have always been times of grievous trouble.

"Even had Richelieu lived he might not have been able to avert
such disasters. He and the queen have never been friends, and he
would not have had the support from her that he has had from the
king, who, although he no doubt fretted at times under Richelieu's
dictation, yet recognized his splendid genius, and knew that he
worked heart and soul for the good of France. However, his death
is a sore misfortune. A regency needs a strong head, but where is
it to come from? The Duke of Orleans is a schemer without principle,
weak, easily led, ambitious, and unscrupulous. The Prince of Conde
is equally ambitious, even more grasping, and much more talented.
There is no one else, save men like Chavigny, the father of our
friend here, de Noyers, and some others of good family, honest and
capable business men, but who would speedily become mere ciphers;
and Cardinal Mazarin, who has just been appointed to the council."

"Do you know him, sir?" Hector asked.

"I have seen him more than once. He is said to be very clever, and
it is no secret that he is nominated to the council on Richelieu's
recommendation, which speaks volumes in his favour, for Richelieu
was a judge of men, and must have believed, when recommending him,
that Mazarin would render good service to France. But however
clever he is he cannot replace the great cardinal. On him was stamped
by nature the making of a ruler of men. He was tall, handsome,
and an accomplished cavalier. Seeing him dressed as a noble among
noblemen, one would have picked him out as born to be the greatest
of them. No doubt this noble appearance, aided by his haughty
manner and by his ruthlessness in punishing those who conspired
against him, had not a little to do with his mastery over men.

"Mazarin is a man of very different appearance. He is dark in
complexion, handsome in a way, supple, and, I should say, crafty;
an Italian rather than a Frenchman. Such a man will meet with
difficulties far greater than those which assailed Richelieu. The
latter, personally fearless, went straight to his end, crushing
his enemies if they stood in his way, possessed of an indomitable
will and unflinching determination. Mazarin, if I mistake not,
will try to gain his end by other means -- by intrigues, by setting
those who oppose him against each other, by yielding rather than
by striking. He is said to stand high in the queen's favour, and
this will be a great aid to him; for those who might rebel against
the authority of a cardinal will hesitate to do so when he has
at his back the protection and authority of a queen. However, we
must hope for the best. It is probable that Richelieu acquainted
him with all his plans and projects, and urged him to carry them
into effect. I sincerely trust that he will do so; and in that case,
if he comes to the head of affairs, I should assuredly serve him
as willingly and faithfully as I served Richelieu, knowing that it
will be for the good of France."

It was, indeed, but a short time after the loss of his great adviser
that the king followed him to the tomb. He had for long suffered
from bad health, and now that the statesman who had borne the
whole burden of public affairs had left him, he felt the weight
overpowering. He had always been devoted to religious exercises,
and saw his end approaching without regret, and died calmly and
peacefully on May 14, 1643. By his will he left the queen regent.
He had never been on good terms with her, and now endeavoured
to prevent her from having any real power. The Duke of Orleans
was appointed lieutenant general, but as the king had rightly no
confidence in him, he nominated a council which, he intended, should
override both. It was composed of the Prince of Conde, Cardinal
Mazarin, the chancellor, Seguerin, the secretary of state, Chavigny,
and superintendent Bouthillier. The king's will prohibited any
change whatever being made in the council, but this proviso was
not observed. The queen speedily made terms with the ministers; and
when the little king was conducted in great state to the parliament
of Paris, the Duke of Orleans addressed the queen, saying that he
desired to take no other part in affairs than that which it might
please her to give him. The Prince of Conde said the same; and
that evening, to their astonishment, the queen having become by
their resignation the sole head of the administration, announced
that she should retain Cardinal Mazarin as her minister, and shortly
afterwards nominated Turenne to the command of the army in Italy.
Prince Thomas had now broken altogether with the Spaniards,
finding that their protection was not available, for the King of
Spain had been obliged to recall a considerable proportion of his
troops from Italy to suppress an insurrection in Catalonia. Hector
did not accompany Turenne to Italy, for early in April Turenne had
said to him:

"There seems no chance of employment here at present, Campbell, while
there is likely to be some heavy fighting on the Rhine frontier.

"The death of Richelieu has given fresh courage to the enemies of
France, and I hear that de Malo, the governor of the Low Countries,
has gathered a large army, and is about to invade France. Our army
there is commanded by the young Duc d'Enghien, the Prince of Conde's
son. He is but twenty-two, and of course owes his appointment
to his father's influence. The king has, however, sent with him
Marshal de l'Hopital, who will be his lieutenant and director.
I know Enghien well, and esteem his talents highly. He is brave,
impetuous, and fiery; but at the same time, if I mistake not,
cautious and prudent. I will give you a letter to him. I shall
tell him that you have greatly distinguished yourself while on
my staff, and being anxious above all things to acquire military
knowledge and to serve with honour, I have sent you to him, begging
him to give you the same post on his staff as you have had on mine,
asking it as a personal favour to myself. This, I have no doubt,
he will grant. He has affected my company a good deal when I have
been in Paris, and has evinced the greatest desire to learn as
much as he can of military matters from me."

"I am grateful indeed for your kindness, sir, of which I will most
gladly avail myself, and shall indeed be pleased at the opportunity
of seeing a great battle."

"I wish to show my approbation of the manner in which you have,
since you left me in Italy, endeavoured to do all in your power to
acquire useful knowledge, instead of wasting your time in idleness
or gambling, to which so many young officers in the army give
themselves up."

The next day Hector and Paolo joined the army of Enghien as it was
on the march to Eperney. The former was now within a few months
of seventeen, of middle height, strongly built, his hard exercise
and training having broadened him greatly. He had a pleasant and
good tempered face, his hair, which was brown with a tinge of
gold, clustered closely round his head, for he had not adopted the
French mode of wearing it in long ringlets, a fashion unsuited
for the work of a campaign, and which de Lisle and Chavigny had in
vain urged him to adopt. He was handsomely dressed, for he knew
that Conde would be surrounded by many of the young nobles of
France. He wore his broad hat with feather; his helmet and armour
being carried, together with his valises, on a sumpter mule led
by Paolo.

Putting up at an hotel, he made his way to the house occupied by
Enghien and the marshal. It was crowded by young officers, many of
whom were waiting in an anteroom. On one of the duke's chamberlains
approaching him Hector gave his name, and requested him to deliver
Viscount Turenne's letter to the prince. In a few minutes his name
was called, to the surprise of those who had been waiting for some
time for an interview. Enghien was seated at a table, from which
he rose as Hector entered.

"I am glad to see you, Captain Campbell, both for your own sake
and for that of Turenne, whom I greatly love and admire. As I was
with Mielleraye during the campaign in the south, while you were
with Turenne, we did not meet there, for though he once rode over
and stayed for a few days you did not accompany him. But he has
told me of your adventure at Turin, and has spoken of your diligent
studies and your desire to learn all that is known of the art
of war. I shall be glad indeed to have you riding with me, for I,
too, am a diligent student in the art, though until last year I
had no opportunity whatever of gaining practical knowledge. I envy
Turenne his good fortune in having been sent to begin to learn his
duty when he was but fourteen. He tells me that you were but a year
older when you rode to Italy with him. It humiliates me to think
that while I am sent to command an army simply because my father
is a prince of the blood, Turenne gained every step by merit, and
is a general in spite of the fact that his brother was an enemy
of the cardinal and defied alike his power and that of the king.
However, I hope to show that I am not altogether unworthy of my
position; and at least, like Turenne, I can lead my troops into
battle, and fight in their front, even if I cannot always come out
victorious. Where have you put up your horses? With the best will
in the world, I cannot put either room or stable at your disposal
today, for I believe that every cupboard in the house is occupied;
but at our halting place tomorrow we shall be under canvas, and a
tent shall be assigned to you."

"I thank you, sir. I have fortunately been able to find quarters
at an inn."

"At any rate, I hope that you will sup with me. I will then introduce
you to some of my friends."

Enghien was at the age of twenty-two of a striking rather than
a handsome figure. His forehead was wide, his eyes sunken and
piercing, his nose very prominent and hooked giving to his face
something of the expression of an eagle's. He resembled Turenne
in the eagerness with which in childhood he had devoted himself
to his studies, and especially to military exercises; but except
that both possessed a remarkable genius for war, and both were
extremely courageous, there was but slight resemblance between their
characters. While Turenne was prudent, patient, and thoughtful,
weighing duly every step taken, bestowing the greatest pains upon
the comfort and well being of his troops, and careful as to every
detail that could bring about success in his operations, Conde
was passionate and impetuous, acting upon impulse rather than
reflection. Personally ambitious, impatient of opposition, bitter
in his enmities, his action and policy were influenced chiefly
by his own ambitions and his own susceptibilities, rather than by
the thought of what effect his action might have on the destinies
of France. He was a born general, and yet but a poor leader of
men, one of the greatest military geniuses that the world has ever
seen, and yet so full of faults, foibles, and weaknesses that,
except from a military point of view, the term "the Great Conde"
that posterity has given him is but little merited. He had much
brain and little heart. Forced by his father into a marriage with
a niece of Richelieu's, he treated her badly and cruelly, although
she was devoted to him, and was in all respects an estimable woman
and a true wife, and that in a court where virtue was rare indeed.

At supper that evening Enghien introduced Hector first to the
Marshal de l'Hopital and then to the young nobles of his company.

"Monsieur Campbell," he said, "is the youngest of our party, and
yet he is, as the Viscount of Turenne writes to me, one in whom
he has the greatest confidence, and who has so carefully studied
the art of war, and so much profited by his opportunities, that
he would not hesitate to commit to him any command requiring at
once courage, discretion, and military knowledge. No one, gentlemen,
could wish for a higher eulogium from a greater authority. Turenne
has lent him to me for the campaign, and indeed I feel grateful to
him for so doing. When I say, gentlemen, that it was he who saved
the citadel of Turin to our arms, by undertaking and carrying
out the perilous work of passing through the city and the Spanish
lines to carry word to the half starved garrison that succour would
arrive in a fortnight's time, and so prevented their surrendering,
you will admit that Turenne has not spoken too highly of his
courage and ability. I have heard the full details of the affair
from Turenne's own lips, when he paid a short visit to Paris
after that campaign closed; and I should feel proud indeed had I
accomplished such an enterprise. Captain Campbell is a member of
an old Scottish family, and his father died fighting for France
at the siege of La Rochelle, a captain in the Scottish regiment.
And now, gentlemen, to supper."

It was a joyous meal, and of a character quite new to Hector.
Grave himself, Turenne's entertainments were marked by a certain
earnestness and seriousness. He set, indeed, all his guests at
ease by his courtesy and the interest he took in each; and yet
all felt that in his presence loud laughter would be out of place
and loose jesting impossible. Enghien, on the other hand, being
a wild and reckless young noble, one who chose not his words, but
was wont to give vent in terms of unbridled hatred to his contempt
for those whom he deemed his enemies, imposed no such restraint
upon his guests, and all talked, laughed, and jested as they chose,
checked only by the presence of the gallant old marshal, who was
nominally Enghien's guide and adviser. Next to Hector was seated
General Gassion, one of the finest soldiers of the time. He, like
Hector, had no family influence, but had gained his position solely
by his own merits. He was enterprising and energetic, and eager
to still further distinguish himself, and Hector was not long
in perceiving that Enghien had his cordial support in combating
the prudent and cautious counsels of the marshal. He spoke very
cordially to the young captain. He saw in him one who, like himself,
was likely to make his way by merit and force of character, and
he asked him many questions as to his past history and the various
services in which he had been engaged.

"I hope some day to win my marshal's baton, and methinks that if
you have as good fortune as I have had, and escape being cut off
by bullet or sabre, you, too, may look forward to gaining such
a distinction. You see all these young men around us have joined
rather in the spirit of knight errants than that of soldiers. Each
hopes to distinguish himself, not for the sake of advancing his
military career, but simply that he may stand well in the eyes
of some court beauty. The campaign once over, they will return to
Paris, and think no more of military service until another campaign
led by a prince of the blood like Enghien takes place, when they
will again take up arms and fight in his company.

"Such campaigns as those under Turenne in Italy would be distasteful
in the extreme to them. They would doubtless bear the hardships
as unflinchingly as we professional soldiers, but as soon as they
could with honour retire you may be sure they would do so. It is
well for us that they should. Were it otherwise our chances of
advancement would be rare indeed, while as it is there are plenty
of openings for men of determination and perseverance who will
carry out precisely any order given to them, and who are always,
whether in the field or in winter quarters, under the eyes of
a commander like Turenne, who remains with his army instead of
rushing off like d'Harcourt to spend his winter in the gaieties
of the court, and to receive their smiles and praises as a reward
for his successes."

"I suppose, general, there is no doubt that we shall give battle
to the Spaniards?"

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