AtthatdateNimes,settinganexampletotheothercitiesoftheLeague,deepenedhermoats,blewuphersuburbs,andaddedtotheheightofherramparts。Nightanddaytheworkofperfectingthemeansofdefencewenton;theguardateverygatewasdoubled,andknowinghowoftenacityhadbeentakenbysurprise,notaholethroughwhichaPapistcouldcreepwasleftinthefortifications。
Indreadofwhatthefuturemightbring,Nimesevencommittedsacrilegeagainstthepast,andpartlydemolishedtheTempleofDianaandmutilatedtheamphitheatre——ofwhichonegiganticstonewassufficienttoformasectionofthewall。Duringonetrucethecropsweresown,duringanothertheyweregarneredin,andsothingswentonwhilethereignoftheMignonslasted。AtlengththeprinceraisedupbyGod,whomtheHuguenotshadwaitedforsolong,appeared;HenriIVascendedthe,throne。
Butonceseated,HenrifoundhimselfinthesamedifficultyashadconfrontedOctaviusfifteencenturiesearlier,andwhichconfrontedLouisPhilippethreecenturieslater——thatistosay,havingbeenraisedtosovereignpowerbyapartywhichwasnotinthemajority,hesoonfoundhimselfobligedtoseparatefromthispartyandtoabjurehisreligiousbeliefs,asothershaveabjuredorwillyetabjuretheirpoliticalbeliefs;consequently,justasOctaviushadhisAntony,andLouisPhilippewastohavehisLafayette,HenriIV
wastohavehisBiron。Whenmonarchsareinthispositiontheycannolongerhaveawilloftheirownorpersonallikesanddislikes;
theysubmittotheforceofcircumstances,andfeelcompelledtorelyonthemasses;nosooneraretheyfreedfromthebanunderwhichtheylabouredthantheyareobligedtobringothersunderit。