414 RElGti OF ELIZABETH, [CH. The Queen, agitated or professing to be agitated in turn, exclaimed 'that he must not threaten a poor old woman in her own kingdom ; passion not reason spoke in him,' she said, * or she would think him mad. She begged him not to use such dreadful words.' ' No, no, Madame/ croaked the poor Prince, ' you mistake ; I meant no hurt to your blessed person. I meant only that I would sooner be cut in pieces than not marry you and so be laughed at by the world.' With these words he burst into tears. The Queen gave him her handkerchief to wipe his eyes with, and in this charming situation the curtain drops over the scene. 1 He would perhaps have been driven out of the country with some discourtesy but for the arrival a second time 1582. of Secretary Pinart. Pinart had gone back to January. p ar j s o re p Or t n j s disappointment, and had been again despatched upon the spot to tell the Queen that unless she showed more consideration for the honour and interests of France, a league would be im- mediately formed between France and Spain, and de- mands would be made upon herself, which she would probably find unpleasant. Pinart spoke so sternly, so seriously, that it cost her a night's rest and a fever in the morning. She sent for Sussex to her bed-side. She said she had reconsidered her situation. The danger was too great. She would accept her fate and marry after all. Again the wretched council was forcer! to as- semble and travel once more over the dreary road of 1 'La Reyna le dio un liencjo para enjugarse, consolandole con algunas palabras de mas ternura quc las que antes habian pasado.' Ibid.
