have an opinion which now I have not.”
“And yet does not your honor fear to compromise yourself by
allowing such a sum to be carried away for the service of
your enemy?”
“My enemy, say you? Eh, monsieur, I have no enemies. I am in
the service of the parliament, which orders me to fight
General Lambert and Charles Stuart — its enemies, and not
mine. I fight them. If the parliament, on the contrary,
ordered me to unfurl my standards on the port of London, and
to assemble my soldiers on the banks to receive Charles II.
—- ”
“You would obey?” cried Athos, joyfully.
“Pardon me,” said Monk, smiling, “I was going — I, a
gray-headed man — in truth, how could I forget myself? was
going to speak like a foolish young man.”
“Then you would not obey?” said Athos.
“I do not say that either, monsieur. The welfare of my
country before everything. God, who has given me the power,
has, no doubt, willed that I should have that power for the
good of all, and He has given me, at the same time,
discernment. If the parliament were to order such a thing, I
should reflect.”
The brow of Athos became clouded. “Then I may positively say
that your honor is not inclined to favor King Charles II.?”
“You continue to question me, monsieur le comte; allow me to
do so in turn, if you please.”
“Do, monsieur; and may God inspire you with the idea of
replying to me as frankly as I shall reply to you.”
“When you shall have taken this money back to your prince,
what advice will you give him?”
Athos fixed upon Monk a proud and resolute look.
“My lord,” said he, “with this million, which others would
perhaps employ in negotiating, I would advise the king to
raise two regiments, to enter Scotland, which you have just
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pacified: to give to the people the franchises which the
revolution promised them, and in which it has not, in all
cases, kept its word. I should advise him to command in
person this little army, which would, believe me, increase,
and to die, standard in hand, and sword in its sheath,
saying, `Englishmen! I am the third king of my race you have
killed; beware of the justice of God!'”
Monk hung down his head, and mused for an instant. “If he
succeeded,” said he, “which is very improbable, but not
impossible — for everything is possible in this world —
what would you advise him to do?”
“To think that by the will of God he lost his crown but by
the good will of men he recovered it.”
An ironical smile passed over the lips of Monk.
“Unfortunately, monsieur,” said he, “kings do not know how
to follow good advice.”
“Ah, my lord, Charles II. is not a king,” replied Athos,
smiling in his turn, but with a very different expression
from Monk.
“Let us terminate this, monsieur le comte, — that is your
desire, is it not?”
Athos bowed.
“I shall give orders to have these two casks transported
whither you please. Where are you lodging, monsieur?”
“In a little hamlet at the mouth of the river, your honor.”
“Oh, I know the hamlet; it consists of five or six houses,
does it not?”
“Exactly. Well, I inhabit the first, — two net-makers
occupy it with me; it is their bark which brought me
ashore.”
“But your own vessel, monsieur?”
“My vessel is at anchor, a quarter of a mile at sea, and
waits for me.”
“You do not think, however, of setting out immediately?”
“My lord, I shall try once more to convince your honor.”
“You will not succeed,” replied Monk; “but it is of
consequence that you should depart from Newcastle without
leaving of your passage the least suspicion that might prove
injurious to me or you. To-morrow my officers think Lambert
will attack me. I, on the contrary, am convinced that he
will not stir; it is in my opinion impossible. Lambert leads
an army devoid of homogeneous principles, and there is no
possible army with such elements. I have taught my soldiers