“We have that honour, your majesty,” de Penthiere, who was the senior of the party, said.  “We arrived from Paris at two o’clock this morning, but did not venture to disturb your majesty at that hour.”

“You did rightly,” the queen said graciously.  “We already knew that a great victory had been gained, and could afford to wait for the particulars.  Do you each bear a despatch?”

“We do, your majesty,” de Penthiere said, producing that which he bore.  “This, your majesty, is the general report of the Duc d’Enghien of the events of the battle.  Colonel Campbell is intrusted with the more detailed description of General Gassion.  Monsieur de Caussac’s despatch contains the duke’s views as to the carrying on of the campaign; these he submits to the judgment of your majesty and the council.”

Cardinal Mazarin stepped forward and took the three documents.

“These we will peruse and consider at our leisure,” the queen said, “and I shall, I hope, see you at my levee this evening.  In the meantime I thank you for your service in having brought the despatches so speedily here, and am well aware that the fact that you have been chosen as the messengers of the commander-in-chief is in itself a proof that your share in the battle was in the highest degree honourable.”

She graciously held out her hand, which de Penthiere and his companions, dropping upon one knee, raised to their lips, one after the other.

“You are aware of the contents of the despatches, cardinal,” the queen said when they were alone.

“Of their general scope, madam.  The Prince of Conde did me the honour to call upon me at eight this morning.  He had gathered a general account of the battle from the lips of that young Scottish colonel, who was the only one of the party who was capable of relating it, the others being almost speechless with fatigue, for the road from Rocroi hither is long and rough.”

“You may well say the young Scottish colonel, cardinal.  He is but a youth, and it is strange indeed that he should already have attained that rank.”

“He has served for four years under the Viscount Turenne,” Mazarin said, “and must therefore have had good opportunities of distinguishing himself.  Still, it is seldom indeed that any save one of royal blood or of the very highest families obtains such a rank so quickly.  Turenne, however, was himself a colonel after less than four years service.”

“Yes, cardinal, but he had the advantage of belonging to the family of an almost independent sovereign.”

“Conde said that he had himself asked the young man how it was that he had won it, and he replied that it was solely due to the kindness of the Duc d’Enghien, who had been pleased to consider a small service he had rendered as worthy of recognition.  It is like enough, your majesty, that we shall see his name mentioned in one of these documents.  It is certain that he would not have been chosen to carry the despatches —­ a duty which is regarded as a reward of the most distinguished service —­ unless he had done something of marked importance.”