“I am going to send you to Paris, Campbell,” he said on the evening of their arrival there.  “All is lost if the enemy, now united, throw themselves upon the Swedes, and I have resolved to take upon myself the responsibility of marching round through Holland and joining Wrangel.  There is, of course, risk in such an expedition, and the cardinal may object very strongly to my undertaking such a movement, especially as it will leave the frontier of France virtually unguarded, but I have no fear that evil consequences will arise.  The enemy will not hear of my march until ten days after I have started, and even then they will probably suppose that we have gone to Flanders.  By the time they find out what my intentions are, it will be too late for them to take advantage of my absence.

“Even then they would have to storm Philippsburg or some other strong place before they could cross the Rhine, and before they could do that Wrangel and I would be at their heels.  Moreover, as they would know that, instead of pursuing them, we might, after effecting a junction, make straight for Vienna, and that no army could be got together to oppose us, I consider that the movement is a perfectly safe one.  Now, I am going to send you to Mazarin with my despatch telling him of my intention.  I am choosing you for the purpose, because you will be able to explain and enforce the reasons that I have given him.  He has a high opinion of you, and will listen to you when perhaps he would not pay any regard to Rosen or any other of these Weimar officers I might send.  Remember that there is no occasion for extreme hurry,” and he smiled.  “Of course it is necessary that you should travel with a certain amount of speed, but do not founder your horse.  Every day is of value to me, and if I am once well on my way north Mazarin could hardly recall me.

“Say that you take five days to get to Paris, by that time I should be north of Cologne, and a courier from Mazarin can hardly overtake me until I am in Holland, I should then feel justified in disregarding the order, seeing that I should by pushing on effect a junction with the Swedes quite as quickly as I could return here.  Of course it would be too late for you to overtake me, and I shall give you a written order to remain in Paris until I am again so near the Rhine that you can join your regiment.  I consider that it will be an advantage to have you near the cardinal, as, knowing my intentions and methods as you do, you would be able to so explain matters to him that he will understand the reasons for my various movements.”

“Very well marshal, I am ready to start as soon as you hand me the despatch.”

“I will do that tomorrow morning, and you will then be able to tell Mazarin that we were just setting out when you left us.”