There was, doubtless, some conversation at Dendermonde on the propriety or possibility of forcible resistance to a Spanish army, with which it seemed probable that Philip was about to invade the provinces, and take the lives of the leading nobles.  Count Louis was in favor of making provision in Germany for the accomplishment of this purpose.  It is also highly probable that the Prince may have encouraged the proposition.  In the sense of his former communication to Egmont, he may have reasoned on the necessity of making levies to sustain the decisions of the states-general against violence.  There is, however, no proof of any such fact.  Egmont, at any rate, opposed the scheme, on the ground that “it was wrong to entertain any such ill opinion of so good a king as Philip, that he had never done any thing unjust towards his subjects, and that if any one was in fear, he had better leave the country.”

Egmont, moreover; doubted the authenticity of the letters from Alava, but agreed to carry them to Brussels, and to lay them before the Regent.  That lady, when she saw them, warmly assured the Count that they were inventions.

The Conference broke up after it had lasted an hour and a half.  The nobles then went to dinner, at which other persons appear to have been present, and the celebrated Dendermonde meeting was brought to a close.  After the repast was finished, each of the five nobles mounted his horse, and departed on his separate way.

From this time forth the position of, these leading seigniors became more sharply defined.  Orange was left in almost complete isolation.  Without the assistance of Egmont, any effective resistance to the impending invasion from Spain seemed out of the question.  The Count, however, had taken his irrevocable and fatal resolution.  After various oscillations during the stormy period which had elapsed, his mind, notwithstanding all the disturbing causes by which it had hitherto been partially influenced, now pointed steadily to the point of loyalty.  The guidance of that pole star was to lead him to utter shipwreck.  The unfortunate noble, entrenched against all fear of Philip by the brazen wall of an easy conscience; saw no fault in his past at which he should grow pale with apprehension.  Moreover, he was sanguine by nature, a Catholic in religion, a royalist from habit and conviction.  Henceforth he was determined that his services to the crown should more than counterbalance any idle speeches or insolent demonstrations of which he might have been previously guilty.

Horn pursued a different course, but one which separated him also from the Prince, while it led to the same fate which Egmont was blindly pursuing.—­The Admiral had committed no act of treason.  On the contrary, he had been doing his best, under most difficult circumstances, to avert rebellion and save the interests of a most ungrateful sovereign.  He was now disposed to wrap himself in his virtue, to retreat from a court