After all, the duke was explicit enough.  He was for taking all he could get—­the whole kingdom if possible—­but if foiled, then as large a slice of it as Philip would give him as the price of his services.  And Philip’s ideas were not materially different from those of the other conspirator.

Both were agreed on one thing.  The true heir must be kept out of his rights, and the Catholic religion be maintained in its purity.  As to the inclination of the majority of the inhabitants, they could hardly be in the dark.  They knew that the Bearnese was instinctively demanded by the nation; for his accession to the throne would furnish the only possible solution to the entanglements which had so long existed.

As to the true sentiments of the other politicians and soldiers of the League with whom Bearnese came in contact in France, he did not disguise from his master that they were anything but favourable.

“That you may know, the, humour of this kingdom,” said he, “and the difficulties in which I am placed, I must tell you that I am by large experience much confirmed in that which I have always suspected.  Men don’t love nor esteem the royal name of your Majesty, and whatever the benefits and assistance they get from you they have no idea of anything redounding to your benefit and royal service, except so far as implied in maintaining the Catholic religion and keeping out the Bearne.  These two things, however, they hold to be so entirely to your Majesty’s profit, that all you are doing appears the fulfilment of a simple obligation.  They are filled with fear, jealousy, and suspicion of your Majesty.  They dread your acquiring power here.  Whatever negotiations they pretend in regard to putting the kingdom or any of their cities under your protection, they have never had any real intention of doing it, but their only object is to keep up our vain hopes while they are carrying out their own ends.  If to-day they seem to have agreed upon any measure, tomorrow they are sure to get out of it again.  This has always been the case, and all your Majesty’s ministers that have had dealings here would say so, if they chose to tell the truth.  Men are disgusted with the entrance of the army, and if they were not expecting a more advantageous peace in the kingdom with my assistance than without it, I don’t know what they would do; for I have heard what I have heard and seen what I have seen.  They are afraid of our army, but they want its assistance and our money.”

Certainly if Philip desired enlightenment as to the real condition of the country he had determined to, appropriate; and the true sentiments of its most influential inhabitants, here, was the man most competent of all the world to advise him; describing the situation for him, day by day, in the most faithful manner.  And at every, step the absolutely puerile inadequacy of the means, employed by the king to accomplish his gigantic purposes became apparent.  If the crime