176 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



"Girardin," at length observed the king, "these ordon- 

 nances seem to have a great effect upon you." 



" It is true, sire." 



" According to your own views what is to be done V 



" Before everything else, devote all your energies to the 

 restoration of France; you have there a solemn duty to 

 perform towards the nation. Let France recover its real 

 boundaries, which are the Rhine and the sea, the Alps and 

 the Pyrenees. 



" Believe me, it is my most ardent vow, and I will never 

 abandon this great and useful direction in the policy of my 

 Government, for I consider that the Restoration has all its 

 influence to recover ; but, Girardin, how am I to bring it 

 about?" 



" Two means present themselves one, an English, the other 

 a continental alliance. To ensure the first it is necessary 

 that the English nation should consent that all our relations 

 should be in common, all our commercial treaties similar. Is 

 it reasonable to expect it f 



" You consider, then, that my Government would be to 

 blame to attempt it." 



" It would be to condemn France to play a secondary role 

 in the equilibrium of the world. It would make it necessary 

 for her to maintain an army on the most extended scale, and 

 necessarily increase her expenses." 



" And the other system," continued the king, who listened 

 attentively; "in what does that consist 1 ?" 



" In the re-union of the interests of the continental 

 powers with those of France. It is clear, that as up to the 

 present moment the whole continent has been armed by 

 England against France, it is the continent which it is most 

 important to conciliate, and which can only be done by 

 a community of interest. It will never contest the power of 

 France when the same interests are at stake. It is to this 



