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　to　me。　Twenty　guards；　well　mounted；　are　all　that　I　shall　need　for　my　escort。〃
　　〃That　is　very　few；〃　said　the　marshal。
　　〃It　is　enough；〃　replied　the　prince。　〃Have　you　a　good　horse；　Monsieur　de　Bragelonne？〃
　　〃My　horse　was　killed　this　morning；　my　lord；　and　I　am　mounted　provisionally　on　my　lackey's。〃
　　〃Choose　for　yourself　in　my　stables　the　horse　you　like　best。　No　false　modesty；　take　the　best　horse　you　can　find。　You　will　need　it　this　evening；　perhaps；　you　will　certainly　need　it　to…morrow。〃
　　Raoul　didn't　wait　to　be　told　twice；　he　knew　that　with　superiors；　especially　when　those　superiors　are　princes；　the　highest　politeness　is　to　obey　without　delay　or　argument；　he　went　down　to　the　stables；　picked　out　a　pie…bald　Andalusian　horse；　saddled　and　bridled　it　himself；　for　Athos　had　advised　him　to　trust　no　one　with　those　important　offices　at　a　time　of　danger；　and　went　to　rejoin　the　prince；　who　at　that　moment　mounted　his　horse。
　　〃Now；　monsieur；〃　he　said　to　Raoul；　〃will　you　give　me　the　letter　you　have　brought？〃
　　Raoul　handed　the　letter　to　the　prince。
　　〃Keep　near　me；〃　said　the　latter。
　　The　prince　threw　his　bridle　over　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；　as　he　was　wont　to　do　when　he　wished　to　have　both　hands　free；　unsealed　the　letter　of　Madame　de　Longueville　and　started　at　a　gallop　on　the　road　to　Lens；　attended　by　Raoul　and　his　small　escort；　whilst　messengers　sent　to　recall　the　troops　set　out　with　a　loose　rein　in　other　directions。　The　prince　read　as　he　hastened　on。
　　〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment；　〃they　tell　me　great　things　of　you。　I　have　only　to　say；　after　the　little　that　I　have　seen　and　heard；　that　I　think　even　better　of　you　than　I　have　been　told。'
　　Raoul　bowed。
　　Meanwhile；　as　the　little　troop　drew　nearer　to　Lens；　the　noise　of　the　cannon　sounded　louder。　The　prince　kept　his　gaze　fixed　in　the　direction　of　the　sound　with　the　steadfastness　of　a　bird　of　prey。　One　would　have　said　that　his　gaze　could　pierce　the　branches　of　trees　which　limited　his　horizon。　From　time　to　time　his　nostrils　dilated　as　if　eager　for　the　smell　of　powder；　and　he　panted　like　a　horse。
　　At　length　they　heard　the　cannon　so　near　that　it　was　evident　they　were　within　a　league　of　the　field　of　battle；　and　at　a　turn　of　the　road　they　perceived　the　little　village　of　Aunay。
　　The　peasants　were　in　great　motion。　The　report　of　Spanish　cruelty　had　gone　out　and　every　one　was　frightened。　The　women　had　already　fled；　taking　refuge　in　Vitry；　only　a　few　men　remained。　On　seeing　the　prince　they　hastened　to　meet　him。　One　of　them　recognized　him。
　　〃Ah；　my　lord；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　e　to　drive　away　those　rascal　Spaniards　and　those　Lorraine　robbers？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　prince；　〃if　you　will　serve　me　as　guide。〃
　　〃Willingly；　my　lord。　Where　does　your　highness　wish　to　go？〃
　　〃To　some　elevated　spot　whence　I　can　look　down　on　Lens　and　the　surrounding　country　　〃
　　〃In　that　case；　I'm　your　man。〃
　　〃I　can　trust　you　　you　are　a　true　Frenchman？〃
　　〃I　am　an　old　soldier　of　Rocroy；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Here；〃　said　the　prince；　handing　him　a　purse；　〃here　is　for　Rocroy。　Now；　do　you　want　a　horse；　or　will　you　go　afoot？〃
　　〃Afoot；　my　lord；　I　have　served　always　in　the　infantry。　Besides；　I　expect　to　lead　your　highness　into　places　where　you　will　have　to　walk。〃
　　〃e；　then；〃　said　the　prince；　〃let　us　lose　no　time。〃
　　The　peasant　started　off；　running　before　the　prince's　horse；　then；　a　hundred　steps　from　the　village；　he　took　a　narrow　road　hidden　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley。　For　a　half　league　they　proceeded　thus；　the　cannon…shot　sounding　so　near　that　they　expected　at　each　discharge　to　hear　the　hum　of　the　balls。　At　length　they　entered　a　path　which；　going　out　from　the　road；　skirted　the　mountainside。　The　prince　dismounted；　ordered　one　of　his　aids　and　Raoul　to　follow　his　example；　and　directed　the　others　to　await　his　orders；　keeping　themselves　meanwhile　on　the　alert。　He　then　began　to　ascend　the　path。
　　In　about　ten　minutes　they　reached　the　ruins　of　an　old　chateau；　those　ruins　crowned　the　summit　of　a　hill　which　overlooked　the　surrounding　country。　At　a　distance　of　hardly　a　quarter　of　a　league　they　looked　down　on　Lens；　at　bay；　and　before　Lens　the　enemy's　entire　army。
　　With　a　single　glance　the　prince　took　in　the　extent　of　country　that　lay　before　him；　from　Lens　as　far　as　Vimy。　In　a　moment　the　plan　of　the　battle　which　on　the　following　day　was　to　save　France　the　second　time　from　invasion　was　unrolled　in　his　mind。　He　took　a　pencil；　tore　a　page　from　his　tablets　and　wrote：
　　My　Dear　Marshal；　　In　an　hour　Lens　will　be　in　the　enemy's　possession。　e　and　rejoin　me；　bring　with　you　the　whole　army。　I　shall　be　at　Vendin　to　place　it　in　position。　To…morrow　we　shall　retake　Lens　and　beat　the　enemy。〃
　　Then；　turning　toward　Raoul：　〃Go；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃ride　fast　and　give　this　letter　to　Monsieur　de　Grammont。〃
　　Raoul　bowed；　took　the　letter；　went　hastily　down　the　mountain；　leaped　on　his　horse　and　set　out　at　a　gallop。　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　he　was　with　the　marshal。
　　A　portion　of　the　troops　had　already　arrived　and　the　remainder　was　expected　from　moment　to　moment。　Marshal　de　Grammont　put　himself　at　the　head　of　all　the　available　cavalry　and　infantry　and　took　the　road　to　Vendin；　leaving　the　Duc　de　Chatillon　to　await　and　bring　on　the　rest。　All　the　artillery　was　ready　to　move；　and　started　off　at　a　moment's　notice。
　　It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　when　the　marshal　arrived　at　the　appointed　place。　The　prince　awaited　him　there。　As　he　had　foreseen；　Lens　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy　immediately　after　Raoul's　departure。　The　event　was　announced　by　the　cessation　of　the　firing。
　　As　the　shadows　of　night　deepened　the　troops　summoned　by　the　prince　arrived　in　successive　detachments。　Orders　were　given　that　no　drum　should　be　beaten；　no　trumpet　sounded。
　　At　nine　o'clock　the　night　had　fully　e。　Still　a　last　ray　of　twilight　lighted　the　plain。　The　army　marched　silently；　the　prince　at　the　head　of　the　column。　Presently　the　army　came　in　sight　of　Lens；　two　or　three　houses　were　in　flames　and　a　dull　noise　was　heard　which　indicated　what　suffering　was　endured　by　a　town　taken　by　assault。
　　The　prince　assigned　to　every　one　his　post。　Marshal　de　Grammont　was　to　hold　the　extreme　left；　resting　on　Mericourt。　The　Duc　de　Chatillon　manded　the　centre。　Finally；　the　prince　led　the　right　wing；　resting　on　Aunay。　The　order　of　battle　on　the　morrow　was　to　be　that　of　the　positions　taken　in　the　evening。　Each　one；　on　awaking；　would　find　himself　on　the　field　of　battle。
　　The　movement　was　executed　in　silence　and　with　precision。　At　ten　o'clock　every　one　was　in　his　appointed　position；　at　half…past　ten　the　prince　visited　the　posts　and　gave　his　final　orders　for　the　following　day。
　　Three　things　were　especially　urged　upon　the　officers；　who　were　to　see　that　the　soldiers　observed　them　scrupulously：　the　first；　that　the　different　corps　should　so　march　that　cavalry　and　infantry　should　be　on　the　same　line　and　that　each　body　should　protect　its　gaps；　the　second；　to　go　to　the　charge　no　faster　than　a　walk；　the　third；　to　let　the　enemy　fire　first。
　　The　prince　assigned　the　Count　de　Guiche　to　his　father　and　kept　Bragelonne　near　his　own　person；　but　the　two　young　men　sought　the　privilege　of　passing　the　night　together　and　it　was　accorded　them。　A　tent　was　erected　for　them　near　that　of　the　marshal。
　　Although　the　day　had　been　fatiguing；　neither　of　them　was　inclined　to　sleep。　And　besides；　even　for　old　soldiers　the　evening　before　a　battle　is　a　serious　time；　it　was　so　with　greater　reason　to　two　young　men　who　were　about　to　witness　for　the　first　time　that　terrible　spectacle。　On　the　evening　before　a　battle　one　thinks　of　a　thousand　things　forgotten　till　then；　those　who　are　indifferent　to　one　another　bee　friends　and　those　who　are　friends　bee　brothers。　It　need　not　be　said　that　if　in　the　depths　of　the　heart　there　is　a　sentiment　more　tender；　it　reaches　then；　quite　naturally；　the　highest　exaltation　of　which　it　is　capable。　Some　sentiment　of　this　kind　must　have　been　cherished　by　each　one　of　these　two　friends；　for　each　of　them　almost　immediately　sat　down　by　himself　at　an　end　of　the　tent　and　began　to　write。
　　The　letters　were　long　　the　four　pages　were　covered　with　closely　written　words。　The　writers　sometimes　looked　up　at　each　other　a