"Half," continued William, leaning forward and taking some papers from under the great Bible, "I have already had promised me from my agents in Antwerp, Amsterdam, Leyden, Haarlem, and other great towns; some has been promised by the refugee merchants in England."
"And for the rest?"
"Culemburg, Van der Berg, and Hoogstraaten will help—the House of Nassau must make up the balance."
Louis sat thoughtful, his eyes narrowed while he made a mental calculation.
"I could raise ten thousand," he said at length.
William added the sum to the list he held in his hand.
"John will help," he remarked. "And I, I will do what I can. Would we now had the money we once spent on pleasure—yet those were golden days, and I regret them not."
He rose and paced up and down the room, holding his papers.
"There are the Huguenots under De Villars—they would do something. Then I think many would join us. Alva is so hated."
Louis remained in the window-seat, gazing out on the golden April day which was now fading to a close.