it was, I risked my life rather than be robbed. My Spaniard was quite
astonished not to have been struck by any of the balls which whistled
past his ears.

The French were in winter quarters at Cologne, and I put up at the
"Soleil d'Or." As I was going in, the first person I met was the Comte de
Lastic, Madame d'Urfe's nephew, who greeted me with the utmost
politeness, and offered to take me to M. de Torci, who was in command. I
accepted, and this gentleman was quite satisfied with the letter M.
d'Afri had written me. I told him what had happened to me as I was coming
into Cologne, and he congratulated me on the happy issue of the affair,
but with a soldier's freedom blamed the use I had made of my courage."

"You played high," said he, "to save your money, but you might have lost
a limb, and nothing would have made up for that."

I answered that to make light of a danger often diminished it. We laughed
at this, and he said that if I was going to make any stay in Cologne I
should probably have the pleasure of seeing the highwaymen hanged.

"I intend to go to-morrow," said I, "and if anything could keep me at
Cologne it would certainly not be the prospect of being present at an
execution, as such sights are not at all to my taste."

I had to accept M. de Lastic's invitation to dinner, and he persuaded me
to go with himself and his friend, M. de Flavacour, an officer of high
rank, and an agreeable man, to the theatre. As I felt sure that I should
be introduced to ladies, and wished to make something of a figure, I
spent an hour in dressing.