man must be cherished,” said the Earl; “he is sound and faithful, and hath indeed all the chief holds in his hands, and at his commandment.  Ye shall do well to procure him a letter of thanks, taking knowledge in general of his good-will to her Majesty.  He is a right Almayn in manner and fashion, free of his purse and of his drink, yet do I wish him her Majesty’s pensioner before any prince in Germany, for he loves her and is able to serve her, and doth desire to be known her servant.  He hath been laboured by his nearest kinsfolk and friends in Germany to have left the States and to have the King of Spain’s pension and very great reward; but he would not.  I trust her Majesty will accept of his offer to be her servant during his life, being indeed a very noble soldier.”  The Earl was indeed inclined to take so cheerful view of matters as to believe that he should even effect a reform in the noble soldier’s most unpleasant characteristic.  “Hollock is a wise gallant gentleman,” he said, “and very well esteemed.  He hath only one fault, which is drinking; but good hope that he will amend it.  Some make me believe that I shall be able to do much with him, and I mean to do my best, for I see no man that knows all these countries, and the people of all sorts, like him, and this fault overthrows all.”

Accordingly, so long as Maurice continued under the tutelage of this uproarious cavalier—­who, at a later day, was to become his brother-in-law-he was not likely to interfere with Leicester’s authority.  The character of the young Count was developing slowly.  More than his father had ever done, he deserved the character of the taciturn.  A quiet keen observer of men and things, not demonstrative nor talkative, nor much given to writing—­a modest, calm, deeply-reflecting student of military and mathematical science—­he was not at that moment deeply inspired by political ambition.  He was perhaps more desirous of raising the fallen fortunes of his house than of securing the independence of his country.  Even at that early age, however, his mind was not easy to read, and his character was somewhat of a puzzle to those who studied it.  “I see him much discontented with the States,” said Leicester; “he hath a sullen deep wit.  The young gentleman is yet to be won only to her Majesty, I perceive, of his own inclination.  The house is marvellous poor and little regarded by the States, and if they get anything it is like to be by her Majesty, which should be altogether, and she may easily, do for him to win him sure.  I will undertake it.”  Yet the Earl was ever anxious about some of the influences which surrounded Maurice, for he thought him more easily guided than he wished him to be by any others but himself.  “He stands upon making and marring,” he said, “as he meets with good counsel.”  And at another time he observed, “The young gentleman hath a solemn sly wit; but, in troth, if any be to be doubted toward the King of Spain, it is he and his counsellors, for they have been altogether, so far, French, and so far in mislike with England as they cannot almost hide it.”