Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/377

 1 5 7o-] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 363 who knew what was expected of him, replied that if this was her resolution, he commended to her the pre- tensions of one of the most accomplished princes in the world. Could he be the means of bringing about a union between her Majesty and the Duke of Anjou, he would esteem himself the happiest of men. The Duke, the Queen answered, was indeed worthy of far higher honours than she could offer him. She feared however that his affections must have been .ilready centered in some fairer quarter. She was her- self an old woman, and but for the hope of children would be ashamed to think of marriage ; and if the Duke accepted her she supposed it would be rather for her realm than her person. French princes had a bad name for conjugal fidelity. She spoke of Madame d'Estampes and the Duchesse de Valentinois, and she said she would not like to find herself the wife of a man who might respect her as a Queen but would not love her as a woman. La Mothe swore that she would find the Duke all that was most devoted and all that was most deserving of devotion. 1 He reminded her that when she was once married she would find all her troubles disappear, and he partly-^-but partly only succeeded in removing her uneasiness. She said she would rather die than feel herself unloved. She was perhaps, however, following Cecil's advice, and concealing her own eagerness. The two Courts 1 ' II avoit cette peculire qu'il I se rendre de mesmes parfaitement s^avoit extremeraent bien aymer, et I aymable.' La Mothe, January 23.