Here the Governor’s speech was interrupted by cries of “Vive la Reine,” led by the Constable of S. Brelade, in whose parish was situated the town of S. Aubin, the principal port and residence of the corsairs.

“Nay, but hear her Majesty’s gracious project.  Nothing doubting your good affection or your courage, the Queen is persuaded that her royal son’s person (to say little of the other small matters already named by me) cannot be safe in your hands against a serious attempt such as can be made as soon as General Cromwell returns victorious—­as he doubtless will—­from the Irish war.  She therefore intends—­and here, Gentlemen, I come to the main purpose of our present meeting—­she intends, I say, to send over a strong force of French troops to occupy the island.”

Consternation kept the assembly silent.

“You are not ignorant of the history of your country,” pursued the Governor.  “When a former Queen sought the aid of France you know on what terms that aid was given.  You know the name of Maulevrier; how for six years he held the Castle of Gorey with the Eastern half of our island.  ‘We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared to us’ what things the Papists did in those days, and how the Lord delivered you by the hands of my own ancestor and of the sailors of England.  Are we to do it again; it is to be France or England?”

The hall was in an uproar.  With startling unanimity the last word was echoed from all sides:  “England for ever!  England above all!”

Returning to his quarters in the part of the Castle called by the name of the late King, Carteret found Sir Edward Nicholas—­who was ageing and felt the cold of sunset—­in a mantle and with a black silk skullcap on his head, pacing up and down the little esplanade by the faint light of a waning moon.  There was an old friendliness between the two:  Nicholas having been long loved and favoured by Hyde, now in Spain, but formerly the cherished guest of the Carterets.  Hence the Secretary was both willing and able to give sympathy and counsel to his host almost as well as could have been done by the author of the famous History of the Rebellion, had himself been once more in the Castle.

“I hear by letter from Prynne, this day received,” said the Lieutenant-Governor, “to the effect that our giving harbour here to his Majesty is a cause of umbrage to yonder cuckoldy knaves in London.  Meanwhile I have grave doubts as to the young man himself—­under your favour, Sir Edward.  We are undergoing so many and great dangers and distresses for him that we might well hope to have no renewal of the old dealings to our disadvantage.  Yet it seems that things are coming to that pass that we may ere long have to choose between England and France.”

“As for France,” answered the Secretary, “we may expect due provision from his Majesty who is—­believe me—­a true lover of his own country; as also from your Honour, whose noble house has done well-known service in bye-gone times.  For England, we know what her power is; but that power lies in the collection of her organs (as Sir Edward Hyde hath often taught us) by no means in the hypertrophe of one organ, and that one mutilated.  The Church, Lords, Commons, are Three Estates—­”