You pity me, and that is all I can require of you in your present situation." "Sire," said Louis XIV., with a sudden impulse, and raising his head, "it is a million you require, or two hundred gentlemen, I think you say ?" "Sire, a million would be quite sufficient." "That is very little." "Offered to a single man it is a great deal.

Convictions have been purchased at a much lower price; and I should have nothing to do but with venalities." "Two hundred gentlemen! Reflect!--that is little more than a single company." "Sire, there is in our family a tradition, and that is, that four men, four French gentlemen, devoted to my father, were near saving my father, though condemned by a parliament, guarded by an army and surrounded by a nation." "Then if I can procure you a million, or two hundred gentlemen, you will be satisfied; and you will consider me your well-affectioned brother ?" "I shall consider you as my saviour; and if I recover the throne of my father, England will be, as long as I reign at least, a sister to France, as you will have been a brother to me." "Well, my brother," said Louis, rising, "what you hesitate to ask for, I will myself demand; that which I have never done on my own account, I will do on yours.

I will go and find the king of France--the other--the rich, the powerful one, I mean.

I will myself solicit this million, or these two hundred gentlemen; and--we will see." "Oh!" cried Charles, "you are a noble friend, sire--a heart created by God! You save me, my brother; and if you should ever stand in need of the life you restore me, demand it." "Silence, my brother,--silence!" said Louis, in a suppressed voice.
"Take care that no one hears you! We have not obtained our end yet.
To ask money of Mazarin--that is worse than traversing the enchanted forest, each tree of which inclosed a demon.

It is more than setting out to conquer a world." "But yet, sire, when you ask it----" "I have already told you that I never asked," replied Louis with a haughtiness that made the king of England turn pale.
And as the latter, like a wounded man, made a retreating movement--"Pardon me, my brother," replied he.