Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/222

 206 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 64. but in his well-known hand he has scrawled his appro- bation on the margin of the decipher of his ambassa- dor's letter. 1 Mendoza himself was writing evidently in perfect good faith, and in the tone of his letter there is as evident an acknowledgment that substantial justice had hitherto been on Elizabeth's side. It came to nothing, but the course of history turns upon slight accidents. A little more and Spain and England would have been friends again on free and fair conditions, with immeasurable consequences to Europe for good and evil. Alen9on meanwhile was again in England without the knowledge and against the wishes of his brother, who did not wish to be made increasingly ridiculous. He slipped across in disguise from Dieppe. An escort waited for him at Rye, and at the beginning of Novem- ber "he appeared in London. The enchanted frog of the fairy tale was present in all its hideousness, and the lovely lady was to decide if she would consent to be his bride. Walsingham, who detested the whole business, concluded now, like Burghley, that having gone so far she must carry it to the end. He praised Monsieur to the Queen. He said that he had an excellent understand- ing ; his ugly face was the worst part of him. ' Then thou knave,' she said, 'why hast thou so many times said ill of him ? Thou art as changeable as a weather- cock.' 2 The analogy suited better with herself. On 1 ' Dice bien en mucho desto.' 2 ' Walsingham decia estos dias atras muchos bienes a la Eeyna de las partes y entendimiento de Alcn- <jon, sin toner falta sino la fealtad del rostro. Respondiole pues