But they left the cold, implacable
Philip of Spain unmoved. Her only sin was that, yielding to the
hunger of her starved heart, and chafingunder the ascetic life
imposed upon her, she had allowed herself to be fascinated by the
prospect of becoming the protectress of one whom she believed to
be an unfortunate and romantic prince, and of exchanging her
convent for a throne.
Her punishment--poor soul--endured for close upon forty years,
but the most terrible part of it was not that which lay within
the prescription of King Philip, but that which arose from her
own broken and humiliated spirit. She had been uplifted a moment
by a glorious hope, to be cast down again into the blackest
despair, to which a shame unspeakable and a tortured pride were
added.
Than hers, as I have said, there is in history no sadder story.
V. THE END OF THE "VERT GALANT"
The Assassination of Henry IV
In the year 1609 died the last Duke of Cleves, and King Henry IV.
of France and Navarre fell in love with Charlotte de Montmorency.
In their conjunction these two events were to influence the
destinies of Europe. In themselves they were trivial enough,
since it was as much a commonplace that an old gentleman should
die as that Henry of Bearn should fall in love.
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