III.--The _Importants_ 77 IV.--Conspiracy of the Duchess de Chevreuse and the Duke de Beaufort to get rid of Mazarin 82 V.--Failure of the plot to assassinate Mazarin--Arrest of Beaufort--Banishment of Madame de Chevreuse and dispersion of the _Importants_ 99 VI.--Results of the quarrel between the Duchesses--Fatal duel between the Duke de Guise and Count Maurice de Coligny 110 BOOK III. CHAP. I.--The Duchess de Longueville and the Duke de la Rochefoucauld 121 II.--La Rochefoucauld draws Madame de Longueville into the vortex of politics and civil war 131 III.--The Duchess de Chevreuse driven into exile for the third time 143 IV.--Fatal influence of Madame de Longueville's passion for La Rochefoucauld--The Fronde 149 V.--Madame de Longueville wins over her brother Conde to the Fronde 161 VI.--The causes which led to the _coup d'etat_--The arrest of the Princes 168 VII.--Madame de Longueville's adventures in Normandy--The _Women's War_ 178 BOOK IV. CHAP. I.--The Princess Palatine 187 II.--The young Princess de Conde conducts the war in the south 203 III.--State of Parties on the liberation of the Princes 214 IV.--The Duchesses de Longueville and de Chevreuse and the Princess Palatine in the last Fronde--Results of the rupture of the marriage projected between the Prince de Conti and Mademoiselle de Chevreuse 221 V.--Conde, urged by his sister, goes unwillingly into rebellion 257 VI.--Madame de Longueville coquets with the Duke de Nemours 262 BOOK V. CHAP. I.--Conde's adventurous expedition 275 II.--Political and gallant intrigues--The Duchess de Chatillon's sway over Conde--Shameful conspiracy against Madame de Longueville 290 INTRODUCTION.