But Monk! Oh, sire, God defend you from ever having anything to transact politically with Monk.It is he who has given me, in one year, all the gray hairs I have.Monk is no fanatic; unfortunately he is a politician; he does not overflow, he keeps close together.For ten years he has had his eyes fixed upon one object, and nobody has yet been able to ascertain what.Every morning, as Louis XI.advised, he burns his nightcap.Therefore, on the day when this plan slowly and solitarily ripened, shall break forth, it will break forthwith all the conditions of success which always accompany an unforeseen event.That is Monk, sire, of whom perhaps, you have never heard -- of whom, perhaps, you did not even know the name before your brother Charles II., who knows what he is, pronounced it before you.He is a marvel of depth and tenacity, the two only things against which intelligence and ardor are blunted.Sire, I had ardor when Iwas young, I always was intelligent.I may safely boast of it, because I am reproached with it.I have done very well with these two qualities, since, from the son of a fisherman of Piscina, I have become prime minister to the king of France; and in that position your majesty will perhaps acknowledge I have rendered some service to the throne of your majesty.Well, sire, if I had met with Monk on my way, instead of Monsieur de Beaufort, Monsieur de Retz, or Monsieur le Prince -- well, we should have been ruined.If you engage yourself rashly, sire, you will fall into the talons of this politic soldier.The casque of Monk, sire, is an iron coffer, in the recesses of which he shuts up his thoughts, and no one has the key of it.Therefore, near him, or rather before him, I bow, sire, for I have nothing but a velvet cap.""What do you think Monk wishes to do, then?""Eh! sire, if I knew that, I would not tell you to mistrust him, for I should be stronger than he; but with him, I am afraid to guess -- to guess! -- you understand my word? --for if I thought I had guessed, I should stop at an idea, and, in spite of myself, should pursue that idea.Since that man has been in power yonder, I am like one of the damned in Dante whose neck Satan has twisted, and who walk forward looking behind them.I am traveling towards Madrid, but Inever lose sight of London.To guess, with that devil of a man, is to deceive one's self, and to deceive one's self is to ruin one's self.God keep me from ever seeking to guess what he aims at; I confine myself to watching what he does, and that is well enough.Now I believe -- you observe the meaning of the word I believe? -- I believe, with respect to Monk, ties one to nothing -- I believe that he has a strong inclination to succeed Cromwell.Your Charles II.has already caused proposals to be made to him by ten persons;he has satisfied himself with driving these ten meddlers from his presence, without saying anything to them but, `Begone, or I will have you hung.' That man is a sepulcher!
At this moment Monk is affecting devotion to the Rump Parliament; of this devotion, observe, I am not the dupe.
Monk has no wish to be assassinated, -- an assassination would stop him in the midst of his operations, and his work must be accomplished; -- so I believe -- but do not believe, what I believe, sire: for I say I believe from habit -- Ibelieve that Monk is keeping on friendly terms with the parliament till the day comes for dispersing it.You are asked for swords, but they are to fight against Monk.God preserve you from fighting against Monk sire; for Monk would beat us, and I should never console myself after being beaten by Monk.I should say to myself, Monk has foreseen that victory ten years.For God's sake, sire, out of friendship for you, if not out of consideration for himself, let Charles II.keep quiet.Your majesty will give him a little income here; give him one of your chateaux.Yes, yes -- wait awhile.But I forgot the treaty -- that famous treaty of which we were just now speaking.Your majesty has not even the right to give him a chateau.""How is that?"
"Yes, yes, your majesty is bound not to grant hospitality to King Charles, and to compel him to leave France even.It was on this account we forced him to quit you, and yet here he is again.Sire, I hope you will give your brother to understand that he cannot remain with us; that it is impossible he should be allowed to compromise us, or Imyself ---- "