intimately, and saw him so constantly, know that he could only have said
that the Third was paid in acquittal of his debts to and for account of
the King of England, and not that we were to make restitution thereof.
The Chancellor tells me my refusal has been taken as an affront by the
Queen, and Puysieux says it is a contempt which she can't swallow."

Aerssens on his part remained firm; his pertinacity being the greater
as he thoroughly understood the subject which he was talking about, an
advantage which was rarely shared in by those with whom he conversed.
The Queen, highly scandalized by his demeanour, became from that time
forth his bitter enemy, and, as already stated, was resolved to be rid
of him.

Nor was the Envoy at first desirous of remaining. He had felt after
Henry's death and Sully's disgrace, and the complete transformation of
the France which he had known, that his power of usefulness was gone.
"Our enemies," he said, "have got the advantage which I used to have in
times past, and I recognize a great coldness towards us, which is
increasing every day." Nevertheless, he yielded reluctantly to
Barneveld's request that he should for the time at least remain at his
post. Later on, as the intrigues against him began to unfold themselves,
and his faithful services were made use of at home to blacken his
character and procure his removal, he refused to resign, as to do so
would be to play into the hands of his enemies, and by inference at
least to accuse himself of infidelity to his trust.

But his concealed rage and his rancor grew more deadly every day. He was
fully aware of the plots against him, although he found it difficult to
trace them to their source.