"Let them come," said Charles. "We will put ourself at their head and fall upon Guernsey, that nest of Roundheads where Osborne and honest Baldwin Wake have borne so long the brunt of insult and privation." "Under your favour, Sir," broke in Carteret, "you would be bubbled. I have seen and spoke with a known creature of my Lord Jermyn's; and I know well that the design of the French is--so to speak--to clap your Majesty under the hatches, and to steer the vessel on their own account. Mr. La Cloche shall answer for this," he added in a lower tone. "By your leave again, Sir George," put in the beaming Secretary, "we lawyers are to speak by our calling. It is not indeed, Sir, that my Lord Jermyn hath made direct overtures to us. And 'tis to be thought that in this last respect the messenger spoke but according to his own understanding." "I would cut every throat in the island," cried Carteret, with savage interruption.... "Sir George Cartwright's zeal hath eaten him up," said Nicholas with a twinkle of his merry eye. "Let it suffice that the concurrent information of divers persons (and they strangers to one another), together with the Lord Jermyn's total neglect of the island in regard of the provisions that he hath not sent as promised nor repaid sums of money lent to your service by the people, have led us to sign a paper of association for which we shall crave your gracious approval. We doubt not you will agree with us that the delivery of the islands to the French is not consistent with the duty and fidelity of Englishmen, and would be an irreparable loss to the nation besides being an indelible dishonour to the Crown." As Charles took the paper handed him for perusal by Nicholas, a flush arose upon his swarthy countenance. "Enough said, my Lords and gentlemen! We need not that any should instruct us as to our duty." "We trust not," cried Carteret, bluffly. "If the French come here we shall give them a sour welcome; and as to my Lord the Governor, he will find," and he slipped in his eagerness into his native tongue, "that he has made _le marché de la peau de l'ours qui ne seroit pas encore tué_." Presently the little Council broke up. The King, after glancing at the paper of association, consented that Lord Hopton--in whose diplomatic abilities he perhaps did not feel much confidence--should proceed at once to the Hague, and lay the case before the States General of Holland as the power most interested--after England--in sifting and, if need were, opposing the designs of France. Meanwhile the articles of the association were not to be divulged; the whole affair being kept a profound secret and mystery of State.