“Gentlemen,” he said, “you will have to choose whether you remain with me or join one of the cavalry regiments.  If you remain with me, you must bear in mind in future that you are my aides-de-camp, and that your sole duty here is to carry my orders, and not to fight like troopers in a battle.  It is through hotheadedness of this sort that battles are lost.  A general, without officers to carry his orders, can do nothing towards controlling the movements of his troops in battle, of following up a victory or covering a defeat.”

The two young officers hung their heads and murmured their excuses.

“Enough, gentlemen,” Turenne said.  “I am perfectly aware that it was your ardour that carried you away, but ardour is a bad leader.  Over and over again the ardour of cavalry to pursue the troops they have defeated has brought about the loss of a battle.  Courage is a virtue, and most soldiers possess it, but steadiness and coolness are rarer and more useful, and on the part of officers on a general’s staff are absolutely indispensable.  I doubt not that you will remember this in future, and that I shall not have reason to complain of you again.”

The next morning it was Hector’s turn to be in attendance on the general.

“You behaved as I expected you would do,” Turenne said, when he entered his room on hearing the bell sound.  “You fought close to me as long as there was fighting to be done, and I observed that you used your sword well.  The moment I drew rein you did the same, and took up your post behind me, showing that although this was your first battle you retained your coolness.  I will therefore tell you in confidence that Count d’Harcourt has enjoined me to throw provisions, if possible, into the citadel at Turin.  It will take me some time to make arrangements, and my only fear is that the garrison, on hearing that we have retired across the Po —­ of which you may be sure the Spaniards will take care to inform them —­ may believe that we shall do no more this winter; and as we know that their provisions must be well nigh exhausted, they will abandon the citadel and march thither.

“It is now well nigh eighteen months since they were first cut off.  It is certain that their investment is a very close one, and that the most vigilant watch is used to prevent news of any kind from reaching them from the outside.  We have made several efforts to communicate with them, but without success.  Some of the messengers we sent never returned, and were, doubtless, detected and killed.  Others came back and reported their failure, saying that every avenue to the citadel was so closely watched that it was impossible to get through.”

“Have you any objection, general, to my mentioning this matter to my boy?  I am absolutely convinced that he is thoroughly faithful and trustworthy.”

“You may do so if you like, Campbell, though it is hardly likely that he will be able to suggest any method of communication with the garrison that has not already been tried.”