“No, monseigneur, save that our despatches give full details of the battle.”

“What is our loss?”

“It is very heavy,” de Penthiere said.  “Fully a hundred men of good blood have fallen.  The loss principally fell upon the cavalry commanded by the duke, who three times charged the Spanish infantry, and only succeeded at the fourth attempt in breaking their square.”

“And the Spanish infantry?”

“Every man was either killed or taken.”

“Glorious!” the prince said.  “Well, I will not detain you now, for I see that you can scarce stand, and it would be cruel to keep you up, much as we desire to hear the particulars.”

“I think, monseigneur, that this gentleman, Colonel Campbell, is more in a condition to talk to you than de Caussac or myself.”

“I shall be happy to answer any questions,” Hector said, bowing to the prince.  “I have been campaigning for the last four years under Monsieur de Turenne, and am accustomed to long journeys and sleepless nights.”

“Thank you, colonel.  We will not keep you up long.”

Some lackeys were ordered to assist the two young nobles to couches, and then Conde and his companions left the courtyard and entered a small saloon where they had supped two hours before.  Some fresh bottles of wine and cold viands were at once placed upon the table.  Hector drank off a goblet of wine.

“Now, Monsieur le Prince, I will tell you all I know about the fight.”  And he gave Conde and his companions a brief sketch of the various movements and changes of the battle.

“It was a hard fought field indeed,” Conde said, “and the result is a glorious one for France.  Now we will keep you no longer from your couch.”

“May I ask, sir, at what time we ought to present ourselves with the despatches at the palace?”

“It will not be necessary for you to present yourselves before ten o’clock, for it was late last night before her majesty retired.  Paris was wild at the news of the victory, and the reception at the palace was crowded.  Still, I should say that at ten it would be well that you and your companions should attend there, though you may have to wait for an hour or more for an audience.”

At ten o’clock Hector and his companions presented themselves at the palace.  Seven hours’ sleep, a warm bath, and the services of the barber, who curled the hair of the two young nobles and sprinkled them all with perfume, did much to restore them, though they were all somewhat stiff, and every bone seemed to ache.  They were kept waiting for half an hour, at the end of which time the door of the antechamber was opened and their names were called.  The queen, who was still a beautiful woman, was standing talking to a gentleman, in whose attire there were but few symbols that would betray to a stranger that he was an ecclesiastic of high rank.

“You are the bearers of despatches from the army, messieurs?”