Before the end of the year, a body of 2000 foot and 1500 horse, dispatched by Alva from Flanders under the Count of Aremberg, accompanied by a choice band of the Catholic nobility of the Low Countries, had joined the royal camp of Paris. At the same time the Huguenots were expecting reinforcements from Germany, and, in order to meet them, Condé left his head-quarters at Chalons, marched above twenty leagues in three days, through the rain and over bad roads, losing neither wagons nor artillery. There was some doubt whether the royal forces would not intercept the Germans before they could join the Huguenots. “And what will you do, in case they do not come to the rendezvous?” asked some one of Condé. “I think we should have to blow on our fingers,” he jestingly replied, “for the weather is very cold.” But they were not reduced to such extremity, having formed a successful junction with the German auxiliaries, commanded by John Casimir, son of the elector-palatine. This force consisted of 7000 cavalry and 4000 infantry--all mercenary troops who fought solely for pay and plunder. Before they would move another step, the reiters (as they were called) demanded a bounty of 100,000 crowns; and as the military chest was empty, the French force voluntarily subscribed money, jewels, rings, gold chains, and other ornaments to the amount of 30,000 crowns, with which the Germans, astonished at so much self-denial, were momentarily satisfied. “Even soldiers, lackeys, and boys gave every one somewhat,” says La Noue, “so as in the end it was accounted a dishonor to have given a little.” The old warrior takes the opportunity furnished by this incident to describe some of the difficulties with which the Huguenot chiefs had to contend. It required “great art and diligence to feed an unpaid army of above 20,000 men.” The admiral was remarkably careful in all the arrangements of his commissariat department, and acted up to the spirit of the old saying, that “a soldier fights upon his belly.” Whenever there was any question of forming an army, he used to say: “Let us begin the shaping of this monster by the belly.” “This devouring animal,” continues La Noue, “passing through so many provinces, could still find some pasture wherewith was sometimes mixed the poor man’s garment, yea, and the friend’s too; so sore did necessity and desire to catch incite those that wanted no excuses to color their spoil.”