n ventured to insinuate during the night, were, in the cooler
hours of the next morning, advanced and urged by Crevecoeur and
others. Possibly their zeal in behalf of the King might not be entirely
disinterested.

Many, as we have mentioned, had already experienced the bounty of the
King; others had either estates or pretensions in France, which placed
them a little under his influence; and it is certain that the treasure
which had loaded four mules when the King entered Peronne, became much
lighter in the course of these negotiations.

In the course of the third day, the Count of Campobasso brought his
Italian wit to assist the counsels of Charles; and well was it for Louis
that he had not arrived when the Duke was in his first fury. Immediately
on his arrival, a regular meeting of the Duke's counsellors was convened
for considering the measures to be adopted in this singular crisis.

On this occasion, Campobasso gave his opinion, couched in the apologue
of the Traveller, the Adder, and the Fox; and reminded the Duke of the
advice which Reynard gave to the man, that he should crush his mortal
enemy, now that chance had placed his fate at his disposal. [The fox
advised the man who had found a snake by the roadside to kill it. He,
however, placed it in his bosom, and was afterwards bitten.] De Comines,
who saw the Duke's eyes sparkle at a proposal which his own violence
of temper had already repeatedly suggested, hastened to state the
possibility that Louis might not be, in fact, so directly accessory to
the sanguinary action which had been committed at Schonwaldt; that he
might be able to clear himself of the imputation laid to his charge, and
perhaps to make other atonement for the distractions which his intrigues
had occasioned in the Duke's dominions, and those of his allies; and
that an act of violence perpetrated on the King was sure to bring both
on France and Burgundy a train of the most unhappy consequences, among
which not the least to be feared was that the English might avail
themselves of the commotions and civil discord which must needs ensue,
to repossess themselves of Normandy and Guyenne, and renew those
dreadful wars which had only, and with difficulty, been terminated by
the union of both France and Burgundy against the common enemy.
Finally, he confessed that he did not mean to urge the absolute and
free dismissal of Louis; but only that the Duke should avail himself
no farther of his present condit