Parma and his agents smiled, of course, at such exorbitant terms.

Nevertheless, it was necessary to deal cautiously with a man who, although but a poor baffled rogue to-day, might to-morrow be seated on the throne of France.

While they were all secretly haggling over the terms of the bargain, the Prince of Orange discovered the intrigue.

It convinced him of the necessity of closing with a man whose baseness was so profound, but whose position made his enmity, on the whole, more dangerous than his friendship.

Anjou, backed by so astute and unscrupulous a politician as Parma, was not to be trifled with.