anish
diplomat, called on him, saw his visitors, and while affecting ignorance
was not for an instant deceived. On leaving Bristol's house he at once
hurried to the royal palace, and, filled with his weighty tidings, burst
upon Count Olivares, the king's favorite, at supper. Gondomar's face was
beaming. Olivares looked at him in surprise.

"What brings you so late?" he asked. "One would think that you had got
the king of England in Madrid."

"If I have not got the king," replied Gondomar, "at least I have got the
prince. You cannot ask a rarer prize."

Olivares sat stupefied at the astounding news. As soon as he could find
words he congratulated Gondomar on his important tidings and quickly
hastened to find the king, who was in his bed-chamber, and whom he
astonished with the tale he had to tell.

The monarch and his astute minister earnestly discussed the subject in
all its bearings. On one point they felt sure. The coming of Charles to
Spain was evidence to them that he intended to change his religion and
embrace the Catholic faith. He would never have ventured otherwise. But,
to "make assurance doubly sure," Philip turned to a crucifix which stood
at the head of his bed, and swore on it that the coming of the Prince of
Wales should not induce him to take a step in the marriage not favored
by the pope, even if it should involve the loss of his kingdom.

"As to what is temporal and mine," he said, to Olivares, "see that all
his wishes are gratified, in consideration of the obligation under which
he has placed us by coming here."

Meanwhile, Bristol spent the night in the false belief that the secret
was still his own. He summoned Gondomar in the morning, told him, with a
show of conferring a favor, of what had occurred, and bade him to tell
Olivares that Buckingham had arrived, but to say nothing about the
prince. That Gondomar consented need not be said. He had already told
all there was to tell. In the afternoon Buckingham and Olivares had a
brief interview in the gardens of the palace. After nightfall the
English marquis had the honor of kissing the hand of his Catholic
Majesty, Philip IV. of Spain. He told the king of the arrival of Prince
Charles, much to the seeming surprise of the monarch, who had learned
the art of keeping his countenance.

During the next day a mysterious silence was preserved concerning the
great event, through certain unusual proceedings took place. Philip,
with the queen, his sister