Turenne at once collected his troops from the towns and villages
where they were placed, and marched to Mayence.

"I am going to send you to Paris, Campbell," he said on the evening
of their arrival there. "All is lost if the enemy, now united,
throw themselves upon the Swedes, and I have resolved to take upon
myself the responsibility of marching round through Holland and
joining Wrangel. There is, of course, risk in such an expedition,
and the cardinal may object very strongly to my undertaking such
a movement, especially as it will leave the frontier of France
virtually unguarded, but I have no fear that evil consequences will
arise. The enemy will not hear of my march until ten days after
I have started, and even then they will probably suppose that we
have gone to Flanders. By the time they find out what my intentions
are, it will be too late for them to take advantage of my absence.

"Even then they would have to storm Philippsburg or some other
strong place before they could cross the Rhine, and before they
could do that Wrangel and I would be at their heels. Moreover, as
they would know that, instead of pursuing them, we might, after
effecting a junction, make straight for Vienna, and that no army
could be got together to oppose us, I consider that the movement
is a perfectly safe one. Now, I am going to send you to Mazarin
with my despatch telling him of my intention. I am choosing you
for the purpose, because you will be able to explain and enforce
the reasons that I have given him. He has a high opinion of you,
and will listen to you when perhaps he would not pay any regard to
Rosen or any other of these Weimar officers I might send. Remember
that there is no occasion for extreme hurry," and he smiled. "Of
course it is necessary that you should travel with a certain amount