Critical condition of France at the accession of Charles IX.--Character and policy of Catherine de’ Medici--The Triumvirate--Catherine leans to the side of the Reformers--The “Edict of January”--Massacre of Vassy--Condé remains faithful to the Protestant cause--Beginning of the civil war--The Protestants, at first successful, soon in a desperate position--Condé turns to England for aid: Treaty of Hampton Court--Fall of Rouen--Condé marches on Paris--Battle of Dreux: the prince taken prisoner--Second Captivity of Condé--Assassination of Guise--Conference on the Île-aux-Bœufs--The maids-of-honour--Peace of Amboise--Condé follows the Court 16–28 CHAPTER III Catherine de’ Medici and her “_escadron volant_”--Adroitness with which the Queen employs the charms of her maids-of-honour to seduce the Huguenot chief--The King of Navarre and _la belle_ Rouet--Policy of Catherine after the Peace of Amboise--She determines to compromise Condé with his foreign allies and the French Protestants, by encouraging his taste for sensual pleasures--And selects for his subjugation her maid-of-honour and kinswoman Isabelle de Limeuil--Description of this siren--Her admirers --Her mercenary character--Beginning of her _liaison_ with the prince--Condé and Elizabeth of England--Mlle. de Limeuil, inspired by Catherine, seeks to persuade Condé to break with Elizabeth--Mission of d’Alluye to England--Condé is induced to take up arms against his late allies--Siege and surrender of Le Havre 29–42 CHAPTER IV Condé is disappointed in his hopes of obtaining the post of Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom--The prince incurs the hatred of the extreme Catholics--Plot to assassinate him on the Feast of Corpus Christi--Suspicion with which he is regarded by the zealots of his own party--Condé, deceived in his ambition and mortified by the hostility of the extremists on both sides, turns to pleasure for consolation--Violent passion of the Maréchale de Saint-André for him--Indignation and alarm aroused at Geneva by the rumours of Condé’s amorous adventures--Calvin and Bèze address a joint letter of remonstrance to the prince--Condé at Muret--Death of two of his children--Failing health of the Princesse de Condé--Her touching devotion to her husband--Her dignified attitude in regard to his infidelities--Return of Condé to the Court--Quarrel between him and Isabelle de Limeuil--Temporary triumph of the Maréchale de Saint-André--Refusal of the King to sanction the betrothal of the Marquis de Conti to Mlle. de Saint-Andre--Condé quits the Court in anger, but is reconciled to Isabelle and returns--A second honeymoon 43–52