Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/467

 EXPULSION OF MENDOZA. 451 had done, she would rather wonder that the Queen hud consented to treat with her at all. So the argument ran on, Wade being intentionally harsh, to prepare for concessions afterwards. At length her anger died away into pleading and tenderness. She sang the song which she had sung before to Mauvissiere. If the Queen wo^ild but trust her, she said, she should never find her confidence misplaced. Anything which her sister wished she was ready to do ; the first and last desire of her heart was to please her. 1 Could the Queen of Scots, when she learnt what could not long be concealed from her, have bridled her temper, and been prudent and moderate, she might possibly at this particular crisis have really recovered her freedom. At no time were so many circumstances in her favour. It was true that the continuance of the pressure which France was exerting in her behalf was contingent on her separating herself from Spain ; and to break with Spain was to break with the whole party of revolt and revolution. Yet it would have been her best chance. Spain clearly would not risk a war in her in- terest with France and England combined, and could hardly be tempted into a quarrel with England single- handed. Guise's enterprise hung fire through the jea- lousies which split up the party ; and could she have parted with her passionate desire for revenge, she might have either taken the benefit of a treaty in which Eng- land, France, and Scotland would have been held to- 1 Mr Wade's narrative of what passed at Sheffield, April 25 May 5 j MSS. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.