"His price would be a high one," returned Lord Digby thoughtfully. "He is much esteemed by his party; he hath good hopes of rising."
"Faugh!" cried the King angrily. "He hath risen—what more can he hope? He comes to me because he finds his usurped honours perilous, because he can hardly hold his own. There is no loyalty in the fellow. I take him to be a very artful, false rebel."
"Yet," said my lord earnestly, "he is worth gaining. I know of none whom the rebels think so highly of, and his interest in the army is supreme."
"I also have some interest in the army," said Charles haughtily. "Dost not thou know it? Even as this Cromwell knoweth it—else why doth he come to me? Nay, he is well aware that I still count for something in this my kingdom."
"Still, I would say that it were well to gain Oliver Cromwell—if he be willing to bring the army over to Your Majesty. I say, he is greater in the public eye than we can think. His party taketh him for a man."
"And so he is, and therefore can be gained," replied Charles, with a bitter smile. "I tell thee it goes to my heart to deal with this fellow, whom I would very willingly see hanged; indeed, it does. But as I do believe he hath influence, I will do it. What would he have—some patent of nobility? It were fitting to offer him the rebel Essex's title. Hath he not some distant relation to that Thomas Cromwell who was the Earl of Essex?"
"I have heard it," assented Lord Digby, "and I believe that Your Majesty hath hit on a good bait. Cromwell hath much railed against the nobility, which is a good sign in a man that he would have a title himself."
"And Fairfax—I must throw a sop to Fairfax," continued Charles. "There is more loyalty and more manners in him than in his Lieutenant."
"He is not," added Lord Digby, "so useful."
Charles paused before the window.