The petitioner submitted his plea for mercy for his friends by saying that his request was backed by a letter from the holy _Mother_, begging her to write two letters to General Hoyos for their release. To the delight of the intercessor, the Sovereign at once wrote the letters. When this was done, the surprise of the courtier was increased when the Queen, who was generally _mañanista_, said in a quick, nervous tone: “Do not delay giving these letters; do not wait till to-morrow; do it to-day!” Before leaving the royal presence, Tarfe ventured to say that O’Donnell was much upset by the events of the preceding day, and the Queen replied in a tone curiously devoid of feeling: “Yes, I like O’Donnell very much.” This she said three times in the same passionless voice, and then, seeing that he was dismissed, Tarfe took leave of Her Majesty; and after fulfilling the mission to Hoyos, he went to see O’Donnell at his palace of Buenavista. The General declined to believe the reports of his friends, of the intrigues which were to compass his fall. The victor at Tetuan was more able to repel the open advance of an enemy than the underhand plots of a palace. But when Ortiz de Pinedo suddenly came in, and said, “Gonzalez Brabo has left San Juan de Luz to-day, and he is coming to form a Ministry with Narvaez,” the General was somewhat taken aback. On the following morning, after finishing a long despatch for the royal signature, he repaired to the palace, and, anxious to know the real state of affairs, he submitted to Her Majesty the list of appointments to the Senate-house, many of which had been suggested by Isabel herself. To the surprise of the Minister, the list was rejected by the Queen in a cold, disdainful way, so O’Donnell found himself forced to offer his resignation. This was accepted with the usual meaningless smiles and compliments. Then O’Donnell returned to his house, where his friends were waiting for him. His face betrayed his rage and mortification, and, throwing his gloves on the table with an angry gesture, he exclaimed: “I have been dismissed just as you would dismiss one of your servants.” “My General,” exclaimed one of the partisans of the ex-Minister, “the _camarilla_ delayed the change of Ministry for two days after the mutiny; why was that? And Ayala returned because it was better for Narvaez that we should have the odium of shooting the insurgents. Now he can take his place in Parliament with all the airs of clemency.” O’Donnell, who could not deny the truth of this remark, took General Serrano by the arm into another room, but they could plainly hear their indignant followers saying: “Eso, señora, es imposible!”