a haughty refusal
of her hand, dictated, as we have seen, by Philip himself. A few weeks
later, as Margaret informs us in her Memoires--which may generally be
credited, except where the fair author's love affairs are concerned--the
Prince of Navarre began again to be mentioned as an available candidate
for her hand. She expressly states that it was from the Montmorencies that
the first suggestion came[859]--that is, from Francois de Montmorency, the
constable's oldest son. This nobleman, while he had inherited a great part
of his father's influence, as the head of one of the most honorable feudal
families in France, having its seat in the very neighborhood of the
capital, had ranged himself with the party opposed to that with which Anne
had been identified, and, although in outward profession a Roman Catholic,
was in full sympathy with the liberal political views of his cousin,
Admiral Coligny. This fact effectually disposes of the story that the
marriage was proposed, however much it may subsequently have been
entertained, as a trap to ensnare the Huguenots, thus thrown off their
guard.

Marshal Biron, another statesman of the same type, was the messenger to
carry the royal proposals to La Rochelle. He pictured to the Queen of
Navarre in glowing colors the advantages that would flow from this
alliance, the strength it would impart to the friends of mutual
toleration, the consternation and dismay it would carry into the camp of
the enemy. At the same time he declared that Charles the Ninth felt
confident that, although he had not as yet obtained from the Pope the
dispensation which the relationship subsisting between the parties, as
well as their religious differences, rendered necessary, Pius the Fifth
would ultimately place no obstacle in the way. Jeanne d'Albret gratefully
acknowledged the honor offered by the king to her son, but, before
accepting it, professed herself compelled to consult her spiritual
advisers respecting the question whether such a marriage might in good
conscience be entered into by a member of the reformed church.[860] As for
Margaret herself, she gives us in her Memoires little light as to the
state of her own feelings at this time. If we may imagine her so
indifferent, she demurely expressed her acquiescence in whatever her
mother might decide, but begged her to remember that "she was very
Catholic," and that "she would be very sorry to marry any one who was not
of her religion."[861] A few m