Page:The silent prince - a story of the Netherlands (IA cu31924008716957).pdf/47

 humor. There was a dark frown on her face, and her voice was harsh and strident.

“Yes,” she was saying in reply to a remark of Baron Berlaymont, “I seem to be surrounded by malcontents. I thought that matters were going on smoothly, when, lo! the nobles seem to have espoused the cause of the people, and are evidently plotting mischief. Then there are the heretics! It seems sometimes as though the more we tried to exterminate them the faster they multiplied. I have tried in vain to snare that satrap Huguenot, Francis Junius, who has dared to preach a treasonable discourse before the nobles at Culemborg House. When my spies were confident that they had him, he somehow eluded them. I only wish his Majesty would visit the Netherlands, and set matters right.

“Ho, Prince, you are late! What means the news I hear from Antwerp? They tell me that the people are turbulent and riots frequent.”

“Your Highness, the trouble is with the edicts. They are too rigorous. The Netherlanders will never submit to the Spanish Inquisition.”

“The people of Antwerp must be pacified at any cost,” replied the Regent. “As hereditary burgrave of that city, I wish you to journey there at your earliest convenience, and straighten matters out.”

The Prince bowed in assent. “Gentlemen,”