Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/158

143 ItEIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 64. of the performance. She spoke of France, Italy, Ger- many, of all the world. At length after circling about the real subject she came to the great fleet at Cadiz. ' She understood,' she said, ' that six thousand additional seamen were taken up, and that no sovereign in Chris- tendom had ever had so powerful an armament afloat. Ut quid tot sumptus ! ' she exclaimed, turning suddenly upon him ; ' what can such an expense be for ? ' ' Nemo novit nisi cui Pater revelavit,' replied Mendoza, ironi- cally : 'of that knoweth no man save he to whom the Father has revealed it.' ' Ah,' said the Queen, ' I see you have been something more than a light dragoon ; ' they tell me you have views on these countries, but I don't believe it ; if your King come here it will be as my good brother, and I will go myself to welcome him/ Mendoza's composure was not to be disturbed. ' I have not the gift of inspiration/ he coolly replied. ' I can give your Majesty no information.' He saw that the Queen was afraid, and he February. did not wish to relieve her anxiety. His blood was hotter than Philip's, and he was provoked at the effects produced in London by the message to the mer- chants. The men who had lately been so alarmed at Philip's probable displeasure now thought that he was pigeon-livered. In the most insolent language they disclaimed all gratitude for his forbearance. 2 Spain, they said, could not live without the English ; and it was true, as Mendoza admitted, that the entire trade of the 1 ' Me replied que yo habia sido I was Philip's Master of tbe Horse, mas que caballo ligero.' Mendoza ! 2 ' Con una insolencia terrible.'