The death of O’Donnell at Biarritz relieved Narvaez of the fear of his rival’s return, but the General had the mortification of seeing his royal mistress utterly in the hands of Marfori, who had been raised from the position of Intendente of the Palace to the position of supreme personal favour. When the Queen heard of O’Donnell’s death, she is reported to have said: “He determined not to be Minister with me again, and now he can never be.” The Queen now committed the suicidal act of making Gonzalez Brabo Prime Minister in the place of Narvaez. The poor lady seemed quite to have lost her head, and there was no one to put her on the right path, surrounded as she was with harpies. According to a letter from Pius IX., found in the Princess’s prayer-book in the royal palace after the Queen had taken flight, the Pope counselled the marriage of the Infanta Isabella with a Neapolitan Prince. Even whilst the fêtes of the marriage were going on, Gonzalez Brabo was concerting with the revolutionary Generals, and the name of “Prim and Liberty!” was heard on all sides, and messengers were sent to consult with the leader of the Republican party in London. The supporters of the Montpensier party hoped that the dethronement of Isabella would mean the acceptance of the Duchess of Montpensier as Queen, and her husband as Prince-Consort. But this idea was soon nipped by Monsieur de Persigny, the President of the Privy Council of the Emperor of the French, saying to Olozaga, who was then Spanish Ambassador at Paris, that he would never consent to the crown of Spain being on the head of either the Duke or the Duchess of Montpensier. After the historic day of September 29, 1868, when Prim made his successful _coup_ at Cadiz, the Royal Family fled to San Sebastian. The haste with which the flight was made could be seen in the collections of jewels and money which had been thrust into bags which were after all left behind. In the Hôtel d’Angleterre of the seaside resort Isabella still seemed to expect a miracle to take place in her favour. A throne does not fall every day, and a crowd hovered about the hotel to see how the Queen would accept her overthrow. A murmur of satisfaction broke out among the bystanders when the loyal-hearted Marquis de Beramendi was seen entering the hotel. “That is a good thing,” they said, “for Isabella will listen to his advice, which is certain to be wise.” The courtier’s remarks to the Lady-in-Waiting were short and to the point. “I have come to tell you,” he said, “that, if the Queen keeps to the good idea of abdicating, certain infatuated people ought to be kept from opposing it. I have had direct news from Serrano, and he says that, if Doña Isabella will abdicate in favour of Don Alfonso, he will save the dynasty, and she herself will be saved. The Duke of Torres will not put obstacles in the way of this course.”