A scrupulous search was at once made by the attendants, and everything placed in the young Count’s own hands.  This done, Maurice expressed a doubt lest some of the villain’s accomplices might attempt to take the articles from him, whereupon a faithful old servant of his father came forward, who with an emphatic expression of the importance of securing such important documents, took his young master under his cloak, and led him to a retired apartment of the house.  Here, after a rapid examination, it was found that the papers were all in Spanish, written by Spaniards to Spaniards, so that it was obvious that the conspiracy, if one there were, was not a French conspiracy.  The servant, therefore, advised Maurice to go to his father, while he would himself instantly descend to the hall with this important intelligence.  Count Hohenlo had, from the instant of the murder, ordered the doors to be fastened, and had permitted no one to enter or to leave the apartment without his permission.  The information now brought by the servant as to the character of the papers caused great relief to the minds of all; for, till that moment, suspicion had even lighted upon men who were the firm friends of the Prince.

Saint Aldegonde, who had meantime arrived, now proceeded, in company of the other gentlemen, to examine the papers and other articles taken from the assassin.  The pistol with which he had done the deed was lying upon the floor; a naked poniard, which he would probably have used also, had his thumb not been blown off by the discharge of the pistol, was found in his trunk hose.  In his pockets were an Agnus Dei, a taper of green wax, two bits of hareskin, two dried toads—­which were supposed to be sorcerer’s charms—­a, crucifix, a Jesuit catechism, a prayer-book, a pocket-book containing two Spanish bills of exchange—­one for two thousand, and one for eight hundred and seventy-seven crowns—­and a set of writing tablets.  These last were covered with vows and pious invocations, in reference to the murderous affair which the writer had in hand.  He had addressed fervent prayers to the “Virgin Mary, to the Angel Gabriel, to the Saviour, and to the Saviour’s Son as if,” says the Antwerp chronicler, with simplicity, “the Lord Jesus had a son”—­that they might all use their intercession with the Almighty towards the certain and safe accomplishment of the contemplated deed.  Should he come off successful and unharmed, he solemnly vowed to fast a week on bread and water.  Furthermore, he promised to Christ a “new coat of costly pattern;” to the Mother of God, at Guadalupe, a new gown; to Our Lady of Montserrat, a crown, a gown, and a lamp; and so on through along list of similar presents thus contemplated for various Shrines.  The poor fanatical fool had been taught by deeper villains than himself that his pistol was to rid the world of a tyrant, and to open his own pathway to Heaven, if his career should be cut short on earth.  To prevent so undesirable a catastrophe to himself, however, his most natural conception had been to bribe the whole heavenly host, from the Virgin Mary downwards, for he had been taught that absolution for murder was to be bought and sold like other merchandise.  He had also been persuaded that, after accomplishing the deed, he would become invisible.