looking behind them. I am traveling towards Madrid, but I
never lose sight of London. To guess, with that devil of a
man, is to deceive one’s self, and to deceive one’s self is
to ruin one’s self. God keep me from ever seeking to guess
what he aims at; I confine myself to watching what he does,
and that is well enough. Now I believe — you observe the
meaning of the word I believe? — I believe, with respect to
Monk, ties one to nothing — I believe that he has a strong
inclination to succeed Cromwell. Your Charles II. has
already caused proposals to be made to him by ten persons;
he has satisfied himself with driving these ten meddlers
from his presence, without saying anything to them but,
`Begone, or I will have you hung.’ That man is a sepulcher!
At this moment Monk is affecting devotion to the Rump
Parliament; of this devotion, observe, I am not the dupe.
Monk has no wish to be assassinated, — an assassination
would stop him in the midst of his operations, and his work
must be accomplished; — so I believe — but do not believe,
what I believe, sire: for I say I believe from habit — I
believe that Monk is keeping on friendly terms with the
parliament till the day comes for dispersing it. You are
asked for swords, but they are to fight against Monk. God
preserve you from fighting against Monk sire; for Monk would
beat us, and I should never console myself after being
beaten by Monk. I should say to myself, Monk has foreseen
that victory ten years. For God’s sake, sire, out of
friendship for you, if not out of consideration for himself,
let Charles II. keep quiet. Your majesty will give him a
little income here; give him one of your chateaux. Yes, yes
— wait awhile. But I forgot the treaty — that famous
treaty of which we were just now speaking. Your majesty has
not even the right to give him a chateau.”
“How is that?”
“Yes, yes, your majesty is bound not to grant hospitality to
King Charles, and to compel him to leave France even. It was
on this account we forced him to quit you, and yet here he
is again. Sire, I hope you will give your brother to
understand that he cannot remain with us; that it is
impossible he should be allowed to compromise us, or I
myself —- ”
Page 72
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Enough, my lord,” said Louis XIV, rising. “In refusing me a
million, perhaps you may be right; your millions are your
own. In refusing me two hundred gentlemen, you are still
further in the right; for you are prime minister, and you
have, in the eyes of France, the responsibility of peace and
war. But that you should pretend to prevent me, who am king,
from extending my hospitality to the grandson of Henry IV.,
to my cousin-german, to the companion of my childhood —
there your power stops, and there begins my will.”
“Sire,” said Mazarin, delighted at being let off so cheaply,
and who had, besides, only fought so earnestly to arrive at
that, — “sire, I shall always bend before the will of my
king. Let my king, then, keep near him, or in one of his
chateaux, the king of England; let Mazarin know it, but let
not the minister know it.”
“Good-night, my lord,” said Louis XIV., “I go away in
despair.”
“But convinced, and that is all I desire, sire,” replied
Mazarin.
The king made no answer, and retired quite pensive,
convinced, not of all Mazarin had told him, but of one thing
which he took care not to mention to him; and that was, that
it was necessary for him to study seriously both his own
affairs and those of Europe, for he found them very
difficult and very obscure. Louis found the king of England
seated in the same place where he had left him. On
perceiving him, the English prince arose; but at the first
glance he saw discouragement written in dark letters upon
his cousin’s brow. Then, speaking first, as if to facilitate