by hypocritically throwing up his cards at a game of hazard played for a large stake, and permitting him to win the game with a far inferior hand.  The King learning afterwards the true state of the case, was charmed by the grace and self-denial manifested by the young nobleman.  The complacency which the favorite subsequently exhibited in regard to the connexion which existed so long and so publicly between his wife, the celebrated Princess Eboli, and Philip, placed his power upon an impregnable basis, and secured it till his death.

At the present moment he occupied the three posts of valet, state councillor, and finance minister.  He dressed and undressed his master, read or talked him to sleep, called him in the morning, admitted those who were to have private audiences, and superintended all the arrangements of the household.  The rest of the day was devoted to the enormous correspondence and affairs of administration which devolved upon him as first minister of state and treasury.  He was very ignorant.  He had no experience or acquirement in the arts either of war or peace, and his early education had been limited.  Like his master, he spoke no tongue but Spanish, and he had no literature.  He had prepossessing manners, a fluent tongue, a winning and benevolent disposition.  His natural capacity for affairs was considerable, and his tact was so perfect that he could converse face to face with statesmen; doctors, and generals upon campaigns, theology, or jurisprudence, without betraying any remarkable deficiency.  He was very industrious, endeavoring to make up by hard study for his lack of general knowledge, and to sustain with credit the burthen of his daily functions.  At the same time, by the King’s desire, he appeared constantly at the frequent banquets, masquerades, tourneys and festivities, for which Brussels at that epoch was remarkable.  It was no wonder that his cheek was pale, and that he seemed dying of overwork.  He discharged his duties cheerfully, however, for in the service of Philip he knew no rest.  “After God,” said Badovaro, “he knows no object save the felicity of his master.”  He was already, as a matter of course, very rich, having been endowed by Philip with property to the amount of twenty-six thousand dollars yearly, [at values of 1855] and the tide of his fortunes was still at the flood.

Such were the two men, the master and the favorite, to whose hands the destinies of the Netherlands were now entrusted.

The Queen of Hungary had resigned the office of Regent of the Netherlands, as has been seen, on the occasion of the Emperor’s abdication.  She was a woman of masculine character, a great huntress before the Lord, a celebrated horsewoman, a worthy descendant of the Lady Mary of Burgundy.  Notwithstanding all the fine phrases exchanged between herself and the eloquent Maas, at the great ceremony of the 25th of October, she was, in reality, much detested in the provinces, and she repaid their aversion with