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

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