For his own indifference to all considerations of justice and mercy was such that, in his schemes, he made no allowance for the consciences and sensibilities of his neighbours.

More than once he deliberately recommended wickedness so horrible that wicked men recoiled from it with indignation.

But they could not succeed even in making their scruples intelligible to him.

To every remonstrance he listened with a cynical sneer, wondering within himself whether those who lectured him were such fools as they professed to be, or were only shamming.
Such was the man whom Lewis selected to be the companion and monitor of James.

Avaux was charged to open, if possible, a communication with the malecontents in the English Parliament; and he was authorised to expend, if necessary, a hundred thousand crowns among them.
James arrived at Brest on the fifth of March, embarked there on board of a man of war called the Saint Michael, and sailed within forty-eight hours.