formed as
to the intentions of France. The interests of that kingdom and those of
England, though taking now diverse directions, are very nearly the same.
England needs tranquillity at home, in order to consummate the expulsion
of her king; France needs tranquillity to establish on solid foundations
the throne of her young monarch. You need, as much as we do, that
interior condition of repose which, thanks to the energy of our
government, we are about to attain.

"Your quarrels with the parliament, your noisy dissensions with the
princes, who fight for you to-day and to-morrow will fight against you,
the popular following directed by the coadjutor, President Blancmesnil,
and Councillor Broussel--all that disorder, in short, which pervades the
several departments of the state, must lead you to view with uneasiness
the possibility of a foreign war; for in that event England, exalted
by the enthusiasm of new ideas, will ally herself with Spain, already
seeking that alliance. I have therefore believed, monseigneur, knowing
your prudence and your personal relation to the events of the present
time, that you will choose to hold your forces concentrated in the
interior of the French kingdom and leave to her own the new government
of England. That neutrality consists simply in excluding King Charles
from the territory of France and in refraining from helping him--a
stranger to your country--with arms, with money or with troops.

"My letter is private and confidential, and for that reason I send it
to you by a man who shares my most intimate counsels. It anticipates,
through a sentiment which your eminence will appreciate, measures to be
taken after the events. Oliver Cromwell considered it more expedient to
declare himself to a mind as intelligent as Mazarin's than to a queen
admirable for firmness, without doubt, but too much guided by vain
prejudices of birth and of divine right.

"Farewell, monseigneur; should I not receive a reply in the space of
fifteen days, I shall presume my letter will have miscarried.

"Oliver Cromwell."

"Mr. Mordaunt," said the cardinal, raising his voice, as if to arouse
the dreamer, "my reply to this letter will be more satisfactory to
General Cromwell if I am convinced that all are ignorant of my having
given one; go, therefore, and await it at Boulogne-sur-Mer, and promise
me to set out to-morrow morning."

"I promise, my lord," replied Mordaunt; "but how many days does your
eminence