My
man-servant, Nicole, frantic with joy, came in to tell me that they
had only halted at the inn long enough to obtain fresh horses, on
their way to the Queen-Regent with the news of the great victory of
Rocroy. More standards taken, more cannon gained, more of the enemy
killed and captive than could be counted, and all owing to the
surpassing valour of the Duke of Enghien!
'And my husband!' I cried, and asked everybody, as if, poor little
fool that I was, any one was likely to know how it fared with one
single captain of the dragoons of Conde on such a day as that.
The good landlady and Tryphena both tried to reassure me that if
there were ill news it would have been sent to me at once; but though
they persuaded me at last to go to bed, I could not sleep, tossing
about and listening till morning light, when I dropped into a sound
sleep, which lasted for hours. I had longed for the first morning
mass to go and pray there, but after all I only heard the bells
through my slumber, feeling as if I could not rouse myself, and then
--as it seemed to me, in another moment--I heard something that made
me turn round on my pillow and open my eyes, and there he stood--my
husband himself. His regiment had surpassed itself; he had received
the thanks of his colonel; he had but snatched a few hours' sleep,
and had ridden off to assure his Gildippe of his safety by her own
eyes, and to rejoice over our splendid victory.
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