to my daughter, or marry another while she
lives!"

"Your Majesty," said De Comines, "ere you set your mind so keenly
against what is proposed, will consider your own want of power to
prevent it. Every wise man, when he sees a rock giving way, withdraws
from the bootless attempt of preventing the fall."

"But a brave man," said Louis, "will at least find his grave beneath
it. De Comines, consider the great loss, the utter destruction, such a
marriage will bring upon my kingdom. Recollect, I have but one feeble
boy, and this Orleans is the next heir--consider that the Church hath
consented to his union with Joan, which unites so happily the interests
of both branches of my family, think on all this, and think too that
this union has been the favourite scheme of my whole life--that I have
schemed for it, fought for it, watched for it, prayed for it--and sinned
for it. Philip de Comines, I will not forego it! Think man, think!--pity
me in this extremity, thy quick brain can speedily find some substitute
for this sacrifice--some ram to be offered up instead of that project
which is dear to me as the Patriarch's only son was to him. [Isaac,
whose father Abraham, in obedience to the command of God, was about to
sacrifice him upon the altar when a ram appeared, which Abraham offered
in his stead.] Philip, pity me!--you at least should know that, to men
of judgment and foresight, the destruction of the scheme on which
they have long dwelt, and for which they have long toiled, is more
inexpressibly bitter than the transient grief of ordinary men, whose
pursuits are but the gratification of some temporary passion--you, who
know how to sympathize with the deeper, the more genuine distress of
baffled prudence and disappointed sagacity--will you not feel for me?"

"My Lord and King," replied De Comines, "I do sympathize with your
distress in so far as duty to my master--"

"Do not mention him!" said Louis, acting, or at least appearing to act,
under an irresistible and headlong impulse, which withdrew the usual
guard which he maintained over his language. "Charles of Burgundy
is unworthy of your attachment. He who can insult and strike his
councillors--he who can distinguish the wisest and most faithful among
them by the opprobrious name of Booted Head!"

The wisdom of Philip de Comines did not prevent his having a high sense
of personal consequence; and he was so much struck with the words
which the King uttered, as it were,