WILLIAM THE TIII11D.

139

impossible to doubt that he wrote what bethought, “actswith good faith in everything. His way of dealing isupright and sincere.”* “ The King of England,” he wrotea few days later, “has hitherto acted with great sincerity;and I venture to say that, if he once enters into a treaty,he will steadily adhere to it.” But in the same letter theAmbassador thought it necessary to hint to his master thatthe diplomatic chicanery which might be useful in other ne-gotiations would be all thrown away here. “I must ven-ture to observe to Your Majesty that the King of Englandis very sharpsighted, that his judgment is sound, and that,if we try to spin the negotiation out, he will very soon per-ceive that we are trifling with him.” **

During some time projects and counterprojects con-tinued to pass and repass between Kensington andVersailles. Something was conceded oii both sides;and when the session of Parliament ended there seemedto be fair hopes of a settlement. And now the scene ofthe negotiation was again changed. Having been shiftedfrom France to England, it was shifted from Englandto Holland. As soon as William had prorogued theHouses, he was impatient to be again in his native land.He felt all the glee of a schoolboy who is leaving harsh

* “II est dc bonne foi dans tout co qu’il fait. Son procedd estdroit et sinc6re.” Tallard to Lewis, July 3. 1698.

** “Le lloi d’Angleterre, Sire, va tr6s sincferement jusqu’a, present;et j'ose dire quo s’il cntre une fois cn traitd avec Votre Majestc, il lotincdra de bonne foi.” — “ Si je l’ose dire a V. M., il est tr6s penetrant,et a resprit juste. Il s’apereevra bientot qu’on barguigne si les chosesIraincnt trop de long.” July 8.

CHAP.

XXIII.

ItiDS.

The Kinggoes loHolland.