M. de Zuylestein frowned.
“What you say amounts to this—that some agents of King Louis have broached to you a scheme for the assassination of His Highness.”
Van Mander answered firmly—
“I journeyed straight to the Hague to inform the Prince—I have had till now no opportunity of speaking.”
Inwardly he was referring to the past night. He could have cried out the great pride and joy he felt in serving a Prince who had revealed himself at the death-bed of Cornelius Triglandt, a master whom he knew at last.
He longed to prove his devotion, to die for the Prince and the country. He burned with shame when he recalled that he had once tampered with France.
“Madame Lavalette is at the bottom of it.…”
He continued his narration.
“And one Hyacinthe St. Croix.… She hath a spite against His Highness.… M. de Louvois thinks there could be no greater disaster to the country than the loss of the Prince.… They approached me—” he paused, “because I had formerly dealings with St. Croix,” he added with an effort.