Condé and his allies offer to secure for Bassompierre the position of favourite, if he will join forces with them to bring about the fall of Puisieux--Refusal of Bassompierre--Condé complains to Louis XIII of Bassompierre’s hostility to him--Bassompierre informs the King of the proposal which has been made him--Louis XIII orders _Monsieur le Prince_ to be reconciled with Bassompierre--Siege of Négrepelisse--The town is taken by storm--Terrible fate of the garrison and the inhabitants--Fresh differences between Condé and Bassompierre--Discomfiture of _Monsieur le Prince_--Bassompierre, placed temporarily in command of the Royal army, captures the towns of Carmain and Cuq-Toulza--Offer of Bassompierre to resign his claim to the marshal’s bâton in favour of Schomberg--Surrender of Lunel--Massacre of the garrison by disbanded soldiers of the Royal army--Bassompierre causes eight of the latter to be hanged--Lunel in danger of being destroyed by fire with all within its walls--Bassompierre, by his presence of mind, saves the situation--Schomberg and Bassompierre--The latter is promised the marshal’s bâton.....pp. 363-376 CHAPTER XXIX Conditions of peace with the Huguenots decided upon--Refusal of the citizens of Montpellier to open their gates to the King until his army has been disbanded--Bullion advises Louis XIII to accede to their wishes, and is supported by the majority of the Council--Bassompierre is of the contrary opinion and urges the King to reduce Montpellier to “entire submission and repentance”--Louis XIII decides to follow the advice of Bassompierre, and the siege of the town is begun--A disastrous day for the Royal army--Death of Zamet and the Italian engineer Gamorini--Political intrigues--Bassompierre succeeds in securing the post of Keeper of the Seals for Caumartin, although the King has already promised it to d’Aligre, the nominee of Condé--Heavy losses sustained by the besiegers in an attack upon one of the advanced works--Condé quits the army and sets out for Italy--Bassompierre is created marshal of France amidst general acclamations--Peace is signed--Death of the Abbé Roucellaï--Bassompierre accompanies the King to Avignon, where he again falls of petechial fever, but recovers--He assists at the entry of the King and Queen into Lyons--He is offered the government of the Maine, but declines it......pp. 377-393 CHAPTER XXX