Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/189

 VOYAGE OF SIX FRANCIS DRAKE. with flattering excuses. ' No one,' the Queen said, ' was more grieved at the delay than she was ; an hour lost to her was of more consequence than a year to Monsieur ; but she had written to him on a private matter, and could not enter on the treaty without his answer/ They forced her at last into a serious conversation. She mentioned objections. They admitted them, but they said that so intelligent a person must have weighed them before, and it was to be assumed that she had made up her mind. They were not sent, they said, to discuss the general question, but to conclude the arrange- ments for the ceremony. She fell back on Monsieur and her correspondence. After all, she said, the object of the marriage was political. Why would not a league answer the purpose equally well ? Why could not the defensive treaty which already existed be made comprehensive for a common course of action in Eu- rope ? It was the old language over again. Wlien France was willing to make a league, she preferred the marriage. When the marriage came close to her, she fell back on the league. The French were not to be caught. The marriage, said Pinart, is the surest league ; the political alliance shall be made the first article of the treaty. They held her close to the point. She answered that she could determine nothing till she had heard from Monsieur, and when one letter came it was not sufficient, and. she wanted another. 1 1 Dispatches of the French am- bassadors sent to England in April, 1581 : Printed in the Egerton Papers.