The Admiral crossed himself in silence; Egmont gave a passionate ejaculation; the rest were dumb and motionless in the darkness.
And so the thing was done, and Philip's mandate obeyed.
Margaret rose and called for candles; Armenteros put up his papers; the councillors got to their feet.
Severally they took leave of the Regent; when the first candles were brought in, William of Orange was at her side, and she saw his face, pale and extraordinarily aglow with some inner emotion.
He took his leave with no added word, and she could find none with which to detain him, though she longed to try and test him.
He was on the palace steps with Lamoral Egmont at his side; they paused a second watching the loose, fiercely driven clouds flying over the seven churches and proud palaces of Brussels, the long broken lances of the rain dashing on shining wet roof and spire.
"'Tis the Angel of Death riding the whirlwind—the clouds of havoc gather from the four corners of the earth," said the Prince. "God send us a good deliverance."
CHAPTER V
THE KNIGHT-ERRANT
AS the Prince of Orange returned to his palace he passed a mansion which defied the stormy night with light and music, and from the great doors, which emitted rays of rose and gold on to the bitter rain, a band of young cavaliers came forth, mounted, and turned their several ways, with joyous farewells to each other.
William recognized the persons and voices of several—Brederode, Hoogstraaten, Culemburg, Nicolas de Hammes, commonly called Golden Fleece, and his own brother Louis, who was newly come to Brussels.