CHAPTER XV

Bassompierre, during his absence in Lorraine, condemned by the Archbishop of Aix to espouse Mlle. d’Entragues, on pain of excommunication--The archbishop’s decision quashed by the Parlement of Paris--Financial and amatory embarrassments of Bassompierre--Death of his mother--The action which the d’Entragues have brought against him finally decided in his favour--Condé withdraws from Court and issues a manifesto against the Government--Civil war begins--Marriage of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria--Peace of Loudun--Fall of the old Ministers of Henri IV--Concini and the shoemaker--Condé becomes all-powerful--He obliges Concini to retire to Normandy--Arrogance of Condé and his partisans, who are suspected of conspiracy to change the form of government--The Queen-Mother sends for Bassompierre at three o’clock in the morning and informs him that she has decided upon the arrest of the Princes--Preparations for this _coup d’état_--Arrest of Condé--Concini’s house sacked by the mob--The Comte d’Auvergne and the Council of War--Bassompierre conducts Condé from the Louvre to the Bastille.....pp. 177-195