The distance to be
ridden was about sixty miles, and late at night on the 10th they rode
into a village eight miles from Dreux. Here they heard that the Duke of
Mayenne, who commanded the force of the League, was approaching the
Seine at Mantes with an army of ten thousand foot and four thousand
horse.
"We must mount at daybreak, gentlemen," Sir Ralph Pimpernel said, "or
the forces of the League will get between us and the king. It is
evident that we have but just arrived in time, and it is well we did
not wait for our foot-men."
The next morning they mounted early and rode on to the royal camp near
Dreux. Here Sir Ralph Pimpernel found Marshal Biron, a relation of his
wife, who at once took him to the king.
"You have just arrived in time, Sir Ralph," the king said when Marshal
Biron introduced him, "for to-morrow, or at latest the day after, we
are likely to try our strength with Mayenne. You will find many of your
compatriots here. I can offer you but poor hospitality at present, but
hope to entertain you rarely some day when the good city of Paris opens
its gates to us.
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