England; but my mother's letters were becoming full of anxiety,
affairs were looking so ill for the king.

After a gallant victory over the Swedes my Viscount returned to me
without a wound, and with distinguished praise from the Marshal.
That was an important winter, for it saw the deaths of the great
Cardinal and of King Louis XIII., moreover of the old Marchioness.
My husband's loving heart sorrowed for her and for his uncle; but
that same week brought thee to my arms, my dear son, my beloved
Gaspard! Oh! what a fight Tryphena and I had to prevent his being
stifled in swaddling clothes! And how all the women predicted that
his little limbs would be broken and never be straight.

That winter was only clouded by the knowledge that spring would take
my husband away again. How good he was to me! How much pleasure and
amusement he gave up for my sake! He had outgrown his bashfulness
and embarrassment in this campaign, and could take his place in
company, but re remained at home with me. Had neither the grace nor
the vivacity that would have enabled me to collect a society around
me, and I seldom saw his brother officers except my brother M. de
Solivet, and his great friend M. de Chamillard, who was quite
fatherly to me.

The Duke of Enghien took the command of the army of Picardy, and
asked for our regiment. I entreated not to be sent back to Paris,
and prevailed to be allowed to take up my abode at Mezieres, where I
was not so far from the camp but that my dear M. de Bellaise could
sometimes ride over and see me. He told me of the murmur of the
elder men of the army that the fiery young inexperienced prince was
disregarding all the checks that the old Marshal de l'Hopital put in