Every evening Paris wore a festive air; there was dancing at the Hotel de Ville, and the gentlemen who had been skirmishing during the day around the walls came for recreation in the society of the princesses.

"This commingling of blue scarfs, of ladies, of cuirasses, of violins in the hall, and of trumpets in the square, offered a spectacle which is oftener seen in romances than elsewhere." [_Memoires du Cardinal de Retz,_ t.

i.] Affairs of gallantry were mixed up with the most serious resolves; Madame de Longueville was of the Fronde because she was in love with M.de Marsillac (afterwards Duke of La Rochefoucauld), and he was on bad terms with Cardinal Mazarin.
Meanwhile war was rumbling round Paris; the post of Charenton, fortified by the Frondeurs, had been carried by the Prince of Conde at the head of the king's troops; the Parliament was beginning to perceive its mistake, and desired to have peace again, but the great lords engaged in the contest aspired to turn it to account; they had already caused the gates of Paris to be closed against a herald sent by the queen to recall her subjects to their duty; they were awaiting the army of Germany, commanded by M.de Tnrenne, whom his brother, the Duke of Bouillon, had drawn into his culpable enterprise; nay, more, they had begun to negotiate with Spain, and they brought up to the Parliament a pretended envoy from Archduke Leopold, but the court refused to receive him.

"What! sir," said President de Mesmes, turning to the Prince of Conti, "is it possible that a prince of the blood of France should propose to give a seat upon the fleurs-de-lis to a deputy from the most cruel enemy of the fleurs-de-lis ?" The Parliament sent a deputation to the queen, and conferences were opened at Ruel on the 4th of March;.

the great lords of the Fronde took no part in it; "they contented themselves with having at St.Germain low-voiced (a basses notes)--secret agents," says Madame de Motteville, "commissioned to negotiate in their favor." Paris was beginning to lack bread; it was festival-time, and want began to make itself felt; a "complaint of the Carnival" was current amongst the people:-- "In my extreme affliction, yet I can this consolation get, That, at his hands, my enemy, Old Lent, will fare the same as I: That, at the times when people eat, We both shall equal worship meet.
Thus, joining with the whole of France In war against him _a outrance,_ Grim Lent and festive Carnival, Will fight against the cardinal." It was against the cardinal, in fact, that all attacks were directed, but the queen remained immovable in her fidelity.