heavens like a curtain. The expression in the book of Hebrews, that the
heavens are extended as a tent, was also quoted, in the same view.

Quotations from the early Fathers of the church were more fatal to the
new plan than those from the Scripture.

On the other hand there were men who cordially supported Columbus's
wishes, and there were more when the congress parted than when it met.
Its sessions occupied a considerable part of the summer, but it was not
for years that it rendered any decision.

The king, queen and court, meanwhile, were occupied in war with the
Moors. Columbus was once and again summoned to attend the court, and
more than once money was advanced to him to enable him to do so. Once he
began new negotiations with King John, and from him he received a letter
inviting him to return to Portugal. He received a similar letter
from King Henry VII of England inviting him to his court. Nothing was
determined on in Spain. To this day, the people of that country are
thought to have a habit of postponement to tomorrow of that which
perplexes them. In 1489, according to Ortiz de Zuniga, Columbus fought
in battle in the king's army.

When, however, in the winter of 1490, it was announced that the army
was to take the field again, never to leave its camp till Grenada had
fallen, Columbus felt that he must make one last endeavor. He insisted
that he must have an answer regarding his plans of discovery. The
confessor of the queen, Fernando da Talavera, was commanded to obtain
the definite answer of the men of learning. Alas! it was fatal to
Columbus's hopes. They said that it was not right that great princes
should undertake such enterprises on grounds as weak as those which he
relied upon.

The sovereigns themselves, however, were more favorable; so was a
minority of the council of Salamanca. And the confessor was instructed
to tell him that their expenses in the war forbade them from sending him
out as a discoverer, but that, when that was well over, they had hopes
that they might commission him. This was the end of five years of
solicitation, in which he had put his trust in princes. Columbus
regarded the answer, as well he might, as only a courtly measure of
refusal. And he retired in disgust from the court at Seville.

He determined to lay his plans before the King of France. He was
traveling with this purpose, with his son, Diego, now a boy of ten or
twelve years of age, when he arrived at night at the