g on in years
and a little hard of hearing. Importunity without an Army and a Navy
behind it is not effective--especially when there is no wind. But
Mr. Jefferson heard the wind rising, and he sent Mr. Monroe to Mr.
Livingston's aid. Mr. Monroe was young, witty, lively, popular with
people he met. He, too, heard the wind rising, and so now did Mr.
Livingston.

The ships containing the advance guard of the colonists destined for
the new Louisiana lay in the roads at Dunkirk, their anchors ready
to weigh,--three thousand men, three thousand horses, for the Man did
things on a large scale. The anchors were not weighed.

His Catholic Majesty sent word from Spain to Mr. Jefferson that he was
sorry his Intendant had been so foolish. The River was opened again.

The Treaty of Amiens was a poor wind-shield. It blew down, and the
chessmen began to totter. One George of England, noted for his frugal
table and his quarrelsome disposition, who had previously fought with
France, began to call the Man names. The Man called George names, and
sat down to think quickly. George could not be said to be on the best of
terms with his American relations, but the Anglo-Saxon is unsentimental,
phlegmatic, setting money and trade and lands above ideals. George meant
to go to war again. Napoleon also meant to go to war again. But
George meant to go to war again right away, which was inconvenient and
inconsiderate, for Napoleon had not finished his game of chess. The
obvious outcome of the situation was that George with his Navy would
get Louisiana, or else help his relations to get it. In either case
Louisiana would become Anglo-Saxon.

This was the wind which Mr. Jefferson had heard.

The Man, being a genius who let go gracefully when he had to, decided
between two bad bargains. He would sell Louisiana to the Americans as
a favor; they would be very, very grateful, and they would go on hating
George. Moreover, he would have all the more money with which to fight
George.

The inaccessible Man suddenly became accessible. Nay, he became
gracious, smiling, full of loving-kindness, charitable. Certain
dickerings followed by a bargain passed between the American Minister
and Monsieur Barbe-Marbois. Then Mr. Livingston and Mr. Monroe dined
with the hitherto inaccessible. And the Man, after the manner of
Continental Personages, asked questions. Frederick the Great has started
this fashion, and many have imitated it.

Louisiana became American