; and to take up my former parable, you must needs remain on the
watch, ready to give the Duke line enough whenever he shoots away under
the impulse of his rage. His fury, already considerably abated, will
waste itself if he be unopposed, and you will presently find him become
more friendly and more tractable."

"Still," said the' King, musing, "there must be some particular demands
which lie deeper at my cousin's heart than the other proposals. Were I
but aware of these, Sir Philip."

"Your Majesty may make the lightest of his demands the most important
simply by opposing it," said De Comines, "nevertheless, my lord, thus
far I can say, that every shadow of treaty will be broken off, if your
Majesty renounce not William de la Marck and the Liegeois."

"I have already said that I will disown them," said the King, "and well
they deserve it at my hand; the villains have commenced their uproar at
a moment that might have cost me my life."

"He that fires a train of powder," replied the historian, "must expect
a speedy explosion of the mine.--But more than mere disavowal of their
cause will be expected of your Majesty by Duke Charles, for know that
he will demand your Majesty assistance to put the insurrection down, and
your royal presence to witness the punishment which he destines for the
rebels."

"That may scarce consist with our honour, De Comines," said the King.

"To refuse it will scarcely consist with your Majesty's safety," replied
De Comines. "Charles is determined to show the people of Flanders that
no hope, nay, no promise, of assistance from France will save them in
their mutinies from the wrath and vengeance of Burgundy."

"But, Sir Philip, I will speak plainly," answered the King. "Could we
but procrastinate the matter, might not these rogues of Liege make
their own part good against Duke Charles? The knaves are numerous and
steady.--Can they not hold out their town against him?"

"With the help of the thousand archers of France whom your Majesty
promised them, they might have done something, but--"

"Whom I promised them?" said the King. "Alas! good Sir Philip! you much
wrong me in saying so."

"But without whom," continued De Comines, not heeding the interruption,
"as your Majesty will not now likely find it convenient to supply them,
what chance will the burghers have of making good their town, in whose
walls the large breaches made by Charles after the battle of St. Tron
are still unrepaired;