had imposed taxes at his will to satisfy his extravagance and
avarice, had raised the octroi duty, made the sale of firewood
a monopoly, and in various ways had incurred the indignation and
hatred of the Parisians.

Mazarin's own greed had been in no slight degree the cause of his
unpopularity; he who had come to France a penniless priest was
now the owner of great estates. It was even said that much of the
money that should have been devoted to the needs of the army had
been privately sent into Italy by him, and throughout the country
it was felt to be scandalous that while the deepest distress was
universal on account of the weight of taxation, these two Italians
should be piling up wealth for themselves. But, avaricious as he
was, the cardinal was lavish in his expenditure among his friends
and adherents; honours, titles, dignities, and estates were freely
bestowed upon them, and he did not hesitate to pay any sum that
would gain him the support of those whose aid he deemed to be
essential. Madame de Chevreuse was again at court, and was, as
she had always been, the centre of the intrigues that were going
on. One evening she made a sign for Hector to take a place by her
side. She had taken a fancy to the young Scottish colonel on the
evening when he had been first introduced to her, and was always
gracious to him now.

"Monsieur le baron," she said in a low tone, "do you think that
the air of Paris agrees with you as well as that of the army?"

He felt from the manner in which she spoke, that she meant more
than she said.