In the meanwhile the “rough hewing” of the treaty of alliance went on, but to all attempts to draw him about the Alençon proposals Smith was dumb until he could receive instructions from England, which did not come; so the indispensable Cavalcanti was sent over to broach the matter there. La Mothe Fénélon, the French ambassador in England, had some months before looked coldly upon the suggestion of a match between Alençon and the Queen, and had told Catharine that he feared such a proposal would cause offence; but, urged by the Queen-mother and her emissary, Cavalcanti, he broached the matter to Cecil one day at the end of January as he was coming from a long interview with the Queen. Have you spoken to the Queen about it? said Cecil. La Mothe said he had not, and Cecil told him to keep it secret until they two had put themselves in accord on the subject. Smith’s repeated letters in favour of the idea, and La Mothe’s advances, at last decided him to open the suggestion to the Queen. She naturally at once objected to the great disparity of ages--she was nearly thirty-nine and Alençon was not seventeen--and then she asked Cecil what was Alençon’s exact height. He is about as tall as I am, replied the lord treasurer. “You mean as tall as your grandson,” snapped the Queen, and closed the conversation.[71] Elizabeth’s vanity had been wounded by the way in which the French had played fast and loose with her about Anjou, and she was somewhat restive; but Cecil and most of the English ministers were better pleased with Alençon than with his brother, first because he had been always attached to the Huguenots by his diplomatic mother, and would make no difficulty about religion; and secondly, as he was not the next heir to the French crown, the danger which might arise in the event of his succession was more remote. On Sunday, the 9th of February, a grand masque and tourney were given by Catharine de Medici, apparently for the purpose of showing off her youngest son to the English envoys. He and his brother the King, splendidly dressed and mounted, with six followers aside, tilted at the ring, the Queen-mother the meanwhile pointing out the perfections of the younger, who, she told Killigrew, was rather richer than his brother Anjou. [Illustration] CHAPTER VI. Interview of Walsingham and Smith with Catharine de Medici respecting Alençon--Treaty between England and France-- Cavalcanti’s negotiations--Montmorenci’s mission to London --Walsingham’s description of Alençon--La Mole’s visit to the Queen--The Alençon match prospers--The St. Bartholomew --Resumption of negotiations--Alençon’s first letter to the Queen--Maisonfleur’s mission--Special embassy of Castelnau de la Mauvissière--Civil war in France--Anjou elected King of Poland--Disappears as a suitor for Elizabeth’s hand.