th the spirit of adventure.
Now it was a stately, almost a regal, movement, with anger as its
source, disappointment as its companion. Charles had fairly sold himself
to Philip, and yet was returning home without his bride. Buckingham, the
nobler nature of the two, had by his petulance and arrogance kept
himself in hot water with the Spanish court. Altogether, the adventure
had not been a success.

The bride was to follow the prince to England in the spring. But the
farther he got from Madrid the less Charles felt that he wanted her. His
love, which had grown as he came, diminished as he went. It had then
spread over his fancy like leaves on a tree in spring; now it fell from
him like leaves from an October tree. It had been largely made up, at
the best, of fancy and vanity, and blown to a white heat by the
obstacles which had been thrown in his way. It cooled with every mile
that took him from Madrid.

To the port of Santander moved the princely train. As it entered that
town, the bells were rung and cannon fired in welcoming peals. A fleet
lay there, sent to convey him home, one of the ships having a
gorgeously-decorated cabin for the infanta,--who was not there to occupy
it.

Late in the day as it was, Charles was so eager to leave the detested
soil of Spain, that he put off in a boat after nightfall for the fleet.
It was a movement not without its peril. The wind blew, the tide was
strong, the rowers proved helpless against its force, and the boat with
its precious freight would have been carried out to sea had not one of
the sailors managed to seize a rope that hung by the side of a ship
which they were being rapidly swept past. In a few minutes more the
English prince was on an English deck.

For some days the wind kept the fleet at Santander. All was cordiality
and festivity between English and Spaniards. Charles concealed his
change of heart. Buckingham repressed his insolence. On the 18th of
September the fleet weighed anchor and left the coast of Spain. On the
5th of October Prince Charles landed at Portsmouth, his romantic
escapade happily at an end.

He hurried to London with all speed. But rapidly as he went, the news
of his coming had spread before him. He came without a Spanish bride.
The people, who despised the whole business and feared its results, were
wild with delight. When Charles landed from the barge in which he had
crossed the Thames, he found the streets thronged with applauding
people,