“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.”