Education of Henri II. de Bourbon, Prince de Condé--Appearance and character of the young prince--He is offered and accepts the hand of Charlotte de Montmorency, unaware that Henry IV. is desperately enamoured of the lady--Conversation of the King with Bassompierre--Marriage of Condé and Mlle. de Montmorency--Infatuation of the King for the young princess--Condé refuses to accept the odious rôle assigned to him, and “plays the devil”--Violent scenes between him and the King--He removes with his wife to Picardy--Amorous escapade of Henri IV.--Condé, summoned to Court for the accouchement of the Queen, leaves the princess behind him--Indignation of Henri IV.--Condé flies with his wife to Flanders---Fury of the King, who sends troops in pursuit of the fugitives--Refusal of the Archdukes to deliver them up--Condé goes to Cologne, while the princess proceeds to Brussels 149–162 CHAPTER XII Condé summoned by the Archdukes to Brussels--He places himself under the protection of Philip III. of Spain--Mission of the Marquis de Cœuvres to Brussels--His attempted abduction of the Princesse de Condé--Condé declared guilty of high treason--He leaves Brussels for Milan--Henri IV. and his Ministers threaten the Archdukes with war if the princess is not given up--Despatches of the Spanish Ambassador to his Court--Condé at Milan--Assassination of Henri IV.--Embarrassing position of Condé in regard to Spain--He returns to Brussels, but declines to see his wife--His return to France--He contemplates the dissolution of his marriage, but ultimately consents to a formal reconciliation with the princess--His turbulent conduct during the regency of Marie de’ Medici--His arrest and imprisonment--The princess magnanimously shares her husband’s captivity--Dangerous illness of the prince--Birth of Anne Geneviève de Bourbon--Release of the Condés 163–178 CHAPTER XIII Birth of Louis de Bourbon, Duc d’Enghien (the Great Condé)--His early years at the Château of Montrond--His education--His personal appearance and character--Wealth of the Condés--Life at Chantilly--Isabelle de Boutteville and Marthe du Vigean--Tender attachment of the Duc d’Enghien and Mlle. du Vigean--Subserviency of the Prince de Condé towards Richelieu--He solicits for Enghien the hand of the Cardinal’s niece, Claire-Clémence de Maillé-Brézé--The young prince protests against the sacrifice demanded of him, but eventually consents--He is presented to Mlle. de Maillé-Brézé--First campaign of the Great Condé--He denies the rumour that he has “no taste for his _fiancée_”--Fête at the Palais-Cardinal: a ludicrous incident--Marriage of the Duc d’Enghien 179–195