For the present things are peaceable, and all the
world is rejoiced at the departure of that good Cardinal.”
The Prince never committed the error of undervaluing
the talents of his great adversary, and he felt the
necessity of being on the alert in the present emergency.
“’Tis a sly and cunning bird that we are
dealing with,” said he, “one that sleeps
neither day nor night if a blow is to be dealt to
us.” Honest Brederode, after solacing himself
with the spectacle of his enemy’s departure,
soon began to suspect his return, and to express himself
on the subject, as usual, with ludicrous vehemence.
“They say the red fellow is back again,”
he wrote to Count Louis, “and that Berlaymont
has gone to meet him at Namur. The Devil after
the two would be a good chase.” Nevertheless,
the chances of that return became daily fainter.
Margaret of Parma hated the Cardinal with great cordiality.
She fell out of her servitude to him into far more
contemptible hands, but for a brief interval she seemed
to take a delight in the recovery of her freedom.
According to Viglius, the court, after Granvelle’s
departure, was like a school of boys and girls when
the pedagogue’s back is turned. He was
very bitter against the Duchess for her manifest joy
at emancipation. The poor President was treated
with the most marked disdain by Margaret, who also
took pains to show her dislike to all the cardinalists.
Secretary Armenteros forbade Bordey, who was Granvelle’s
cousin and dependent, from even speaking to him in
public. The Regent soon became more intimate
with Orange and Egmont than she had ever been with
the Cardinal. She was made to see—and,
seeing, she became indignant—the cipher
which she had really been during his administration.
“One can tell what’s o’clock,”
wrote Morillon to the fallen minister, “since
she never writes to you nor mentions your name.”
As to Armenteros, with whom Granvelle was still on
friendly relations, he was restless in his endeavors
to keep the once-powerful priest from rising again.
Having already wormed himself into the confidence of
the Regent, he made a point of showing to the principal
seigniors various letters, in which she had been warned
by the Cardinal to put no trust in them. “That
devil,” said Armenteros, “thought he had
got into Paradise here; but he is gone, and we shall
take care that he never returns.” It was
soon thought highly probable that the King was but
temporizing, and that the voluntary departure of the
minister had been a deception. Of course nothing
was accurately known upon the subject. Philip
had taken good care of that, but meantime the bets
were very high that there would be no restoration,
with but few takers. Men thought if there had
been any royal favor remaining for the great man,
that the Duchess would not be so decided in her demeanor
on the subject. They saw that she was scarlet
with indignation whenever the Cardinal’s name
was mentioned. They heard her thank Heaven that
she had but one son, because if she had had a second