ly. The day-patrols--

Alva. Enough. Attend in the gallery. Silva will announce to you the
moment when you are to draw them together, and to occupy the avenues
leading to the palace. The rest you know.

Gomez. I do, my lord.

[Exit. Alva. Silva.

Silva. Here my lord.

Alva. I shall require you to manifest to-day all the qualities which I
have hitherto prized in you: courage, resolve, unswerving execution.

Silva. I thank you for affording me an opportunity of showing that your
old servant is unchanged.

Alva. The moment the princes enter my cabinet, hasten to arrest Egmont's
private Secretary. You have made all needful preparations for securing
the others who are specified?

Silva. Rely upon us. Their doom, like a well-calculated eclipse, will
overtake them with terrible certainty.

Alva. Have you had them all narrowly watched?

Silva. All. Egmont especially. He is the only one whose demeanour, since
your arrival, remains unchanged. The live-long day he is now on one
horse and now on another; he invites guests as usual, is merry and
entertaining at table, plays at dice, shoots, and at night steals to
his mistress. The others, on the contrary, have made a manifest pause in
their mode of life; they remain at home, and, from the outward aspect of
their houses, you would imagine that there was a sick man within.

Alva. To work then, ere they recover in spite of us.

Silva. I shall bring them without fail. In obedience to your commands
we load them with officious honours; they are alarmed; cautiously, yet
anxiously, they tender us their thanks, feel that flight would be the
most prudent course, yet none venture to adopt it; they hesitate, are
unable to work together, while the bond which unites them prevents their
acting boldly as individuals. They are anxious to withdraw themselves
from suspicion, and thus only render themselves more obnoxious to it. I
already contemplate with joy the successful realization of your scheme.

Alva. I rejoice only over what is accomplished, and not lightly over
that; for there ever remains ground for serious and anxious thought.
Fortune is capricious; the common, the worthless, she oft-times
ennobles, while she dishonours with a contemptible issue the most
maturely considered schemes. Await the arrival of the princes, then
order Gomez to occupy the streets, and hasten yourself to arrest
Egmont's secretary, and the others who are specified. This done, return,
and announce to my