within the limits of their treaty of alliance?"

Louis listened; it seemed so strange to him that Mazarin should invoke
good faith, and he the author of so many political tricks, called
Mazarinades. "And yet," said the king, "without manifest of my
authorization, I cannot prevent gentlemen of my states from passing over
into England, if such should be their good pleasure."

"You should compel them to return, sire, or at least protest against
their presence as enemies in a allied country."

"But come, my lord cardinal, you who are so profound a genius, try if
you cannot find a means to assist this poor king, without compromising
ourselves."

"And that is exactly what I am not willing to do, my dear sire," said
Mazarin. "If England were to act exactly according to my wishes, she
could not act better than she does; if I directed the policy of England
from this place, I should not direct it otherwise. Governed as she
is governed, England is an eternal nest of contention for all Europe.
Holland protects Charles II., let Holland do so; they will quarrel, they
will fight. Let them destroy each other's navies, we can construct ours
with the wrecks of their vessels; when we shall save our money to buy
nails."

"Oh, how paltry and mean is all this that you are telling me, monsieur
le cardinal!"

"Yes, but nevertheless it is true, sire; you must confess that. Sill
further. Suppose I admit, for a moment, the possibility of breaking your
word, and evading the treaty--such a thing as sometimes happens, but
that is when some great interest is to be promoted by it, or when the
treaty is found to be too troublesome--well, you will authorize
the engagement asked of you: France--her banner, which is the same
thing--will cross the Straits and will fight; France will be conquered."

"Why so?"

"_Ma foi!_ we have a pretty general to fight under--this Charles II.!
Worcester gave us proofs of that."

"But he will no longer have to deal with Cromwell, monsieur."

"But he will have to deal with Monk, who is quite as dangerous. The
brave brewer of whom we are speaking, was a visionary; he had moments of
exaltation, of inflation, during which he ran over like an over-filled
cask; and from the chinks there always escaped some drops of his
thoughts, and by the sample the whole of his thought was to be made out.
Cromwell has thus allowed us more than ten times to penetrate into his
very soul, when one would have conceived that soul to be