“We shall be gainers so far,” the cardinal said cordially, “and I am sure that from your knowledge of the country and of Turenne’s methods your advice upon military matters will be of great service to us.  I must now go and report to the queen this sudden change in the situation, and if she disapproves of it I shall tell her that if she will but listen to you, you will convert her to the view that this escapade of the marshal’s is all for the best, and seems likely indeed to retrieve the position that has been caused by the treachery of Bavaria.”

During his stay in Paris Hector soon found that intrigue was more rampant than ever.  The Duke of Beaufort and others who had been implicated in the plot on Mazarin’s life had been pardoned and had returned to Paris, and as the lesson that had been given them had taught them prudence, they were now openly on good terms with the court.  They were secretly, however, intriguing with the parliament of Paris, which was now bitterly opposed to Mazarin, had refused to register some of his decrees, and had even forced him to dismiss his superintendent of finance, an Italian named Emeri.  The latter had imposed taxes at his will to satisfy his extravagance and avarice, had raised the octroi duty, made the sale of firewood a monopoly, and in various ways had incurred the indignation and hatred of the Parisians.

Mazarin’s own greed had been in no slight degree the cause of his unpopularity; he who had come to France a penniless priest was now the owner of great estates.  It was even said that much of the money that should have been devoted to the needs of the army had been privately sent into Italy by him, and throughout the country it was felt to be scandalous that while the deepest distress was universal on account of the weight of taxation, these two Italians should be piling up wealth for themselves.  But, avaricious as he was, the cardinal was lavish in his expenditure among his friends and adherents; honours, titles, dignities, and estates were freely bestowed upon them, and he did not hesitate to pay any sum that would gain him the support of those whose aid he deemed to be essential.  Madame de Chevreuse was again at court, and was, as she had always been, the centre of the intrigues that were going on.  One evening she made a sign for Hector to take a place by her side.  She had taken a fancy to the young Scottish colonel on the evening when he had been first introduced to her, and was always gracious to him now.

“Monsieur le baron,” she said in a low tone, “do you think that the air of Paris agrees with you as well as that of the army?”

He felt from the manner in which she spoke, that she meant more than she said.

“So far, madam, it has not disagreed with me,” he said; “and even did it do so I should not be able to leave it, as I have orders to remain here.”