William glanced at the clock in the corner.
"We are almost due at the council chamber," he said, rising.
"You work late," remarked Mansfeld.
"And to little purpose," said Hoorne, gloomily pulling at his black beard. "Eh, Prince?"
"To little purpose, truly," replied William gravely. "The affairs of the Netherlands are settled in Philip's Cabinet in Madrid, not in the council chamber at Brussels."
He smiled to himself thoughtfully and picked up his long velvet mantle from one of the brocade chairs.
"We will go round by the horse market," he added, "and see how this banquet progresses."
"Nay, I beseech you," said Mansfeld eagerly. "Keep away from all such dangerous sport!"
"Not sport nor pleasure," replied the Prince, "but Hoogstraaten is there and I would bring him away. And if the company is riotous I will disperse them," he added, with a sure and entirely unconscious certainty of power.
Mansfeld shrugged his shoulders; his inflamed and bandaged eye irritated him, and he was deeply vexed at his son's connexion with the confederates.