424 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 66. It was a peculiarity of Elizabeth that no May. matter how great her danger, or how obvious her interest in a straightforward and open course of action, she exhibited always the same obliquities. She could not write an English sentence without the most intricate involutions. Like animals which move only sideways, she advanced, when she advanced at all, in zigzag lines, with her eyes everywhere except directly in her front. She never adopted a policy, she never ventured on an action, where her retreat was not secured, or where she had not some unexpected and crooked reason to allege in its defence. To become an ally of the revolted States on the ground of a common religion, was to furnish her own Catholic subjects with a justifi- cation of a revolt against herself; and to call on Parlia- ment to grant subsidies for a war in a cause which half England abhorred, might provoke the Catholics' patience beyond anything which she had hitherto ventured. She intended, if she again moved for the States, to maintain her old position. The safety of England requii'ed that they should not become French. She demanded the towns as a guarantee for the repayment of her expenses, meaning to use them also for such further purposes as the turn of events might make necessary. It was a dangerous manoeuvre, for meanwhile ' the grass was growing.' The circle of Brabant which held out against Parma was narrowing day by day. Ghent had submitted, Brussels had submitted. Of all the Bel- gian provinces the narrow strip of coast from Ostend to the Scheldt alone remained besides Antwerp. Antwerp
