have been confined within such narrow
numerical limits as Alva laid down, together with a "blood council" to
complete the work, or with a massacre in which the proprieties of judicial
investigation would be less nicely observed--such was the scheme after
Philip's own heart.

But this scheme suited the present frame of mind neither of Charles nor of
Catharine. When the crafty Spaniard, cautiously feeling his way, begged
the young king to be very careful of his life, "for God, he was convinced,
was reserving him to execute a great work by his hands, in the punishment
of the offences which were committed in that kingdom,"[371] Charles
briskly responded: "Oh! to take up arms does not suit me. I have no
disposition to consummate the destruction of my kingdom begun in the past
wars."[372] The duke clearly saw that the king was but repeating a lesson
that had been taught him by others, and contemptuously dismissed the
topic.[373]

[Sidenote: Catharine and Alva.]

Catharine was not less determined than her son to avoid a resort to arms.
It was with difficulty that Alva could get her to broach the subject of
religion at all. Isabella having, at his suggestion, pressed her mother to
disclose the secret communication to make which she had sought this
interview, Catharine referred, with some bitterness, to the distrust of
Charles and of herself evidently entertained by Philip, which would be
likely to lead in the end to a renewal of war between France and Spain.
And she reproached Isabella with having so soon allowed herself to become
"Hispaniolized"[374]--a charge from which her daughter endeavored to clear
herself as best she could. When at last Alva succeeded in bringing up the
subject, which was, ostensibly at least, so near what Philip called his
heart, Catharine's display of tact was such as to elicit the profound
admiration of even so consummate a master in the art of dissimulation as
the duke himself. Her circumspection, he declared, he had never seen
equalled.[375] She maintained that there was no need of alarm at the
condition of religion in France, for everything was going on better than
when the Edict of Pacification was published. "It is your satisfaction at
being freed from war that leads you to take so cheerful a view," urged
Alva. "My master cannot but require the application of a more efficient
remedy, since the cause is common to Spain; for the disease will spread,
and Philip has no inclination to lose his crow