eart's blood, every penny of
his property.

Her son came to the country as a Spaniard and the brother of the hated
Philip on the day of the most abominable crime history ever narrated,
and which his followers committed; and who stood higher in the hearts of
the people of the Netherlands than their beloved helper in need, their
"Father William"?

She saw her son go to this hopeless conflict like a garlanded victim to
the altar. She had nothing to aid him save her prayers and the execution
of the heavy sacrifice which she had resolved to make. The collapse of
her belief, wishes, and expectations produced a transformation of her
whole nature. A world of ideas had crumbled into fragments before and
within her, and from their ruins a new one suddenly sprang up in her
strong soul. Where yesterday her warlike temper had defied or resisted,
to-day she retired with lowered weapons. To contend against her son, and
force her new knowledge upon him, would have seemed to her foolish and
fruitless, for she desired and expected nothing more from him than that
he should keep for her the love she had won.

So she yielded to his desire without resistance. However his destiny
might turn, he should be obliged to admit that his mother had omitted
nothing in her power to open to him the path which, according to his own
opinion, might lead to the height for which he longed.

She made use of his affectionate readiness to serve her only so far as
to beg him to take charge of her son Conrad. He did so willingly, and
endeavoured to induce the young man to enter the priesthood. He wished
to spare him the disappointments which had marred his own life, but
Conrad preferred the army.

His mother did not forget him, and did everything in her power for him.
He remained on terms of affectionate union with her, but he did not
see her again until the gold of her hair was changed to silver, and he
himself had risen to the rank of colonel.

This was to happen in Spain. Barbara had gone there by way of Genoa
under the escort of Count Faconvergue, commander of the German
mercenaries, and while doing so had been treated with the respect and
distinguished consideration which was her due as the mother of Don John
of Austria, who had now acknowledged her.

Like every other wish of her son, Barbara had fulfilled with quiet
indulgence his desire that she would not again enter the Netherlands and
Ghent.

From Luxemburg she directed what should be done with