Which was nobly brought home by one of the prisoners to our captains when, being asked how many there had been of them, he replied, "Count the dead." Conde was worthy to fight such enemies, and Bossuet to recount their defeat.

"The prince was a born captain," said Cardinal de Retz.

And all France said so with him, on hearing of the victory of Rocroi.
The delight was all the keener in the queen's circle, because the house of Conde openly supported Cardinal Mazarin, bitterly attacked as he was by the Importants, who accused him of reviving the tyranny of Richelieu.
[Illustration: The Great Conde----348] A ditty on the subject was current in the streets of Paris:-- "He is not dead, he is but changed of age, The cardinal, at whom men gird with rage, But all his household make thereat great cheer; It pleaseth not full many a chevalier They fain had brought him to the lowest stage.
Beneath his wing came all his lineage, By the same art whereof he made usage And, by my faith, 'tis still their day, I fear.
He is not dead.
"Hush! we are mum, because we dread the cage For he's at court--this eminent personage There to remain of years to come a score.
Ask those Importants, would you fain know more And they will say in dolorous language, 'He is not dead.'" And indeed, on pretext offered by a feminine quarrel between the young Duchess of Longueville, daughter of the Prince of Conde, and the Duchess of Montbazon, the Duke of Beaufort and some of his friends resolved to assassinate the cardinal.

The attempt was a failure, but the Duke of Beaufort, who was arrested on the 2d of September, was taken to the castle of Vincennes.

Madame de Chevreuse, recently returned to court, where she would fain have exacted from the queen the reward for her services and her past sufferings, was sent into exile, as well as the Duke of Vendome.