Many might murmur at this as dishonourable; but if necessity demands the sacrifice--" "If profit demanded the sacrifice, Oliver, the sacrifice should be made without hesitation," answered the King.

"I am an old, experienced salmon, and use not to gulp the angler's hook because it is busked up with a feather called honour.

But what is worse than a lack of honour, there were, in returning those ladies to Burgundy, a forfeiture of those views of advantage which moved us to give them an asylum.

It were heart breaking to renounce the opportunity of planting a friend to ourselves, and an enemy to Burgundy, in the very centre of his dominions, and so near to the discontented cities of Flanders.

Oliver, I cannot relinquish the advantages which our scheme of marrying the maiden to a friend of our own house seems to hold out to us." "Your Majesty," said Oliver, after a moment's thought, "might confer her hand on some right trusty friend, who would take all blame on himself, and serve your Majesty secretly, while in public you might disown him." "And where am I to find such a friend ?" said Louis.