possesses the cardinal's confidence."

"It seems strange," de Lisle said, "but it is assuredly good
policy. While fighting Austria we are fighting Spain, for Austria
and Spain are but two branches of one empire. Spain is our eternal
enemy. True, she is not as formidable as she was. Henry of Navarre's
triumph over the Guises half emancipated us from her influence.
The English destroyed her naval power. Holland well nigh exhausted
her treasury, and brought such discredit on her arms as she had
never before suffered. Still, she and Austria combined dominate
Europe, and it is on her account that we have taken the place of the
Swedes and continued this war that has raged for so many years."



CHAPTER II: CHOOSING A LACKEY


The policy of the great cardinal had for its objects the aggrandizement
of France, as well as the weakening of the power of Austria. So
long as the struggle between the Protestant princes and the Swedes
against the Imperialists had been maintained with equal successes
on both sides, he had been well content to see Germany watering its
soil with the blood of its people. Nearly a third of the population
had been swept away during the terrible war. Many hundreds of
towns and villages had already disappeared, while large tracts of
country lay uncultivated, and whichever party won a victory France
gained by it. Her interest, however, lay with the Protestant
confederation. So long as Germany was cut up into a number of small
principalities, divided by religion and political animosity, she