betokened a forward policy.  Yet the Emperor continued to smile on the Spanish Court, and gave a sort of half sanction to the union of Ferdinand with a daughter of Lucien Bonaparte.[188] In fact, the hope of this alliance was now used to keep quiet the numerous partisans of Ferdinand, while Murat advanced rapidly towards Madrid.  To his Lieutenant the Emperor wrote (March 16th):  “Continue your kindly talk.  Reassure the King, the Prince of the Peace, the Prince of Asturias, the Queen.  The chief thing is to reach Madrid, to rest your troops and replenish your provisions.  Say that I am about to come so as to arrange matters.”

As to Napoleon’s real aims, Murat was in complete ignorance; and he repeatedly complained of the lack of confidence which a brother-in-law had a right to expect.[189] But while the Grand Duke of Berg beamed on the Spaniards with meaningless affability, Izquierdo, Godoy’s secret agent at Paris, troubled his master with gloomy reports of the deepening reserve and lowering threats of Ministers at Paris.  There was talk of requiring from Spain the cession of her lands between the Pyrenees and the Ebro:  there were even dark suggestions as to the need of dethroning the Spanish Bourbons once for all.  Interpreting these hints in the light of their own consciences, the King, Queen, and favourite saw themselves in imagination flung forth into the Atlantic, a butt to the scorn of mankind; and they prepared to flee to the New World betimes, with the needful treasure.

But there, too, Napoleon forestalled them.  On February 21st a secret order was sent to a French squadron to anchor off Cadiz and stop the King and Queen of Spain if they sought to “repeat the scene of Lisbon."[190] Their escape to America would be even more favourable to England than the flight of the Court of Lisbon had been; and Napoleon took good care that the King, to whom he had awarded the title of Emperor of the two Americas, should remain a prisoner in Europe.  Scared, however, by the approach of Murat and the news from Paris, Charles still prepared for flight; and the Queen’s anxiety to save her favourite from the growing fury of the populace also bent her desires seawards.

The Court was at the palace of Aranjuez, not far from Madrid, and it seemed easy to escape into Andalusia, and to carry away, by guile or by force, the heir to the throne.  But Ferdinand, who hoped for deliverance at the hands of the French, thwarted the scheme by a timely hint to his faithful guards.  At once his partisans gathered round him; and the people, rushing to Godoy’s residence, madly ransacked it in the hope of tearing to pieces the author of the nation’s ruin.  After thirty-six hours’ concealment, Godoy ventured to steal forth; at once he was discovered, was kicked and beaten; and only the intervention of Ferdinand, prompted by the agonized entreaties of his mother, availed to save the dregs of that wretched life.  The roars of the crowd around the palace, and the smashing of the royal carriage, now decided the King to abdicate; and he declared that his declining years and failing health now led him to yield the crown to Ferdinand (March 19th, 1808).