God willed that a strange, bold, and ingenious idea should enter into the mind of a certain man, whilst a devoted and courageous idea took possession of the mind of another man.

The combinations of these two ideas brought about such a change in the position of M.Monk, that, from an inveterate enemy, he became a friend to the deposed king." "These are exactly the details I asked for," said the king.

"Who and what are the two men of whom you speak ?" "Two Frenchmen, sire." "Indeed! I am glad of that." "And the two ideas," said Mazarin;--"I am more curious about ideas than about men, for my part." "Yes," murmured the king.
"The second idea, the devoted, reasonable idea--the least important, sir--was to go and dig up a million in gold, buried by King Charles I.
at Newcastle, and to purchase with that gold the adherence of Monk." "Oh, oh!" said Mazarin, reanimated by the word million.

"But Newcastle was at the time occupied by Monk." "Yes, monsieur le cardinal, and that is why I venture to call the idea courageous as well as devoted.

It was necessary, if Monk refused the offers of the negotiator, to reinstate King Charles II.