The Prince de Condé overwhelmed Claire-Clémence with attentions and declared that he was all impatience to call her his daughter-in-law. On presenting her _fiancé_ to her, he assured her “it would never be possible for her to espouse a person who would show her more respect or more affection;” and when Enghien was about to take the armchair that was offered him, he stopped him, saying sharply: “That is not the place for a _serviteur_; go and sit down on a little _placet_ with your mistress.”[179] Nothing less than the paternal exhortations were required to persuade the young duke to pay his court to his betrothed, and, in point of fact, he limited his visits to those which the exigencies of etiquette required. Claire-Clémence was “far from plain; she had beautiful eyes, a fine complexion, and a pretty figure.”[180] But she was barely twelve years old, and very small even for her years, and, besides, so childish in her ways that _la Grande Mademoiselle_ declares that two years after her marriage she still amused herself with dolls. Very young men are more often attracted by ripe than by immature charms, and it was therefore scarcely to be expected that Enghien should have shown any inclination for the society of his betrothed--even if his affections had not been already engaged elsewhere. Little time, however, was given the young people for becoming better acquainted with one another, as other matters than courtship and marriage were demanding Enghien’s attention. Since 1635 war had been declared against Spain, and France had come openly into that field in which her secret influence had long been exercised. The clash of arms which resounded throughout Europe had strongly affected the young prince, and he had long sighed for an opportunity of displaying his courage. So early as 1636 he had written to his father: “I read with pleasure the heroic actions of our kings in history.... I feel a holy ambition to imitate them and follow in their track, when my age and capabilities shall have made me what you wish.”[181] Condé, however, thinking that his son’s strength was not yet equal to the hardships of active service, had hitherto refused to gratify his ambition; but, in the spring of 1640, he at length gave his consent, and, at the end of April, the lad set out for Picardy to make his first campaign with the army operating against the Spaniards on the North-Eastern frontier. He was greatly disappointed that he was not to receive his baptism of fire under the eyes of his father, who commanded the French forces in Roussillon. But Richelieu had chosen the Army of Picardy, because its commander, the Maréchal de la Meilleraie, was the sworn enemy of _Monsieur le Prince_, and might, consequently, be trusted neither to allow the young soldier to shirk his duties nor to exaggerate his services. To mitigate his disappointment, the Cardinal overwhelmed his future nephew with compliments, and presented him with two splendid chargers.