st add, that
it will be considered as an affront to his Majesty's dignity, and as
a thing incompatible with the sincerity of the Negotiation, to make
farther mention of such a circumstance." [In THACKERAY, ii. 554;--Pitt
next day putting it in writing, "word for word," at Bussy's request.]
Bussy did not go at once, after this deliverance; but was unable, by
his arguments and pleadings, by all his oil and fire joined together, to
produce the least improvement on it: "Time enough to treat of all that,
Sir, when the Tower of London is taken sword in hand!" [Beatson, ii.
434. Archenholtz (ii. 245) has heard of this expression, in a slightly
incorrect way.] was Pitt's last word. An expression which went over the
world; and went especially to King Carlos, as fast as it could fly, or
as his Choiseul could speed it: and, in about three weeks: produced--it
and what had gone before it, by the united industry of Choiseul and
Carlos, finally produced--the famed BOURBON FAMILY COMPACT (August
15th, 1761), and a variety of other weighty results, which lay in embryo
therein.

Pitt, in the interim, had been intensely prosecuting, in Spain and
everywhere, his inquiry into the Bussy phenomenon of July 15th; which
he, from the first glimpse of it, took to mean a mystery of treachery
in the pretended Peace-Negotiation, on the part of Choiseul and Catholic
Majesty;--though other long heads, and Pitt's Ambassador at Madrid
investigating on the spot, considered it an inadvertence mainly, and
of no practical meaning. On getting knowledge of the Bourbon Family
Compact, Pitt perceived that his suspicion was a certainty;--and
likewise that the one clear course was, To declare War on the Spanish
Bourbon too, and go into him at once: "We are ready; fleets, soldiers,
in the East, in the West; he not ready anywhere. Since he wants War, let
him have it, without loss of a moment!" That is Pitt's clear view of
the case; but it is by no means Bute and Company's,--who discern in
it, rather, a means of finishing another operation they have long been
secretly busy upon, by their Mauduits and otherwise; and are clear
against getting into a new War with Spain or anybody: "Have not we
enough of Wars?" say they.

Since September 18th, there had been three Cabinet-Councils held on this
great Spanish question: "Mystery of treachery, meaning War from Spain?
Or awkward Inadvertence only, practically meaning little or nothing?"
Pitt, surer of his course every time