"The Seigneur Brederode is reckless," returned the Countess gravely, "and does us little good."
"Oh, I think he is amusing," said Anne perversely. "He told me some fine stories of the Cardinal," and she laughed coarsely.
Sabina knit her brows.
"Beware of laughing at the Seigneur Brederode's tales," she said. "I tell you his pastimes are dangerous."
Anne shrugged her shoulders as she replied—
"What has your princely Grace to say at the end of this?"
Egmont's wife flushed; she was not used to the rudeness she was so patiently enduring from this ill-bred girl.
"I wish Your Highness to be one of us," she said, "to help us. To be ductile, circumspect, to submit to the Regent—to give no confidences to Aerschot's wife."
"She is my husband's kinswoman," interrupted Anne.
"She is of the Cardinal's party," flashed the Countess, "and they are none of them to be trusted. I appeal to you," she added with dignity, "to stand by us, who are standing by those of your faith. I tell you, King Philip is only waiting for the decision of the Council at Trent to force all his subjects into conformity with the ancient faith—yea, even at the price of depopulating the Netherlands. I tell you no liberty, no charter, no privilege will be safe, nay, not 'the joyous entry' itself, and we must all turn into persecutors—scourgers in Granvelle's hand—or be ruined."