“No water! Dare to land to take water from running stream or lake and I make war upon you!”
“And this is a Christian country?”
“Yes, Christian enough to keep its obligations and faith with Spain, a friendly power. If within twenty-four hours you have not sailed from our port of Dover our batteries and castle open upon you with bombard and culverin.”
“And drive us away without water, without food, upon the open ocean?”
“YES!”
“Then, Your Majesty,” says Van Tresslong, “God [[120]]forgive your inhumanity. We have given up for our religion, which is yours; for our country that you have professed to love, everything we have on earth—save our lives. When the time comes we will give up them also. It must now be our lives. We must go back to death grip with Alva!”
“Heaven help us,” sighs the admiral. “We have not even powder to fight with!” and the two, bowing together, retire in despair from the presence of England’s sovereign.
She makes one step as if to stay them, then cries harshly: “God forgive me! I shall be called an inhuman woman. I shall dream of these poor, starving Gueux to-night. But they shall not go back without ball and powder!” With this she says to Chester: “Has your vessel sailed?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
“Then you shall go also. Here are orders for you to have all the powder, arms, ball and ammunition you can carry. Take them. Sail from the port of Sandwich to-night. Meet the Gueux fleet off Dover. Arm them; ammunition them, give them plenty to fight with.”