nied, endeavours at length to patch up a
scarecrow, by means of which he may at least hang his victim in effigy;
and the poor devil may thank Heaven if he is in a condition to see
himself hanged.

Jetter. He has a ready tongue of his own.

Carpenter. This may serve well enough with flies. Wasps laugh at your
cunning web.

Vansen. According to the kind of spider. The tall duke, now, has just
the look of your garden spider; not the large-bellied kind, they are
less dangerous; but your long-footed, meagre-bodied gentleman, that does
not fatten on his diet, and whose threads are slender indeed, but not
the less tenacious.

Jetter. Egmont is knight of the Golden Fleece, who dare lay hands on
him? He can be tried only by his peers, by the assembled knights of his
order. Your own foul tongue and evil conscience betray you into this
nonsense.

Vansen. Think you that I wish him ill? I would you were in the right. He
is an excellent gentleman. He once let off, with a sound drubbing,
some good friends of mine, who would else have been hanged. Now take
yourselves off! begone, I advise you! Yonder I see the patrol again
commencing their round. They do not look as if they would be willing to
fraternize with us over a glass. We must wait, and bide our time. I
have a couple of nieces and a gossip of a tapster; if after enjoying
themselves in their company, they are not tamed, they are regular
wolves.

SCENE II.--The Palace of Eulenberg, Residence of the Duke of Alva

Silva and Gomez (meeting)

Silva. Have you executed the duke's commands?

Gomez. Punctually. All the day-patrols have received orders to assemble
at the appointed time, at the various points that I have indicated.
Meanwhile, they march as usual through the town to maintain order.
Each is ignorant respecting the movements of the rest, and imagines the
command to have reference to himself alone; thus in a moment the cordon
can be formed, and all the avenues to the palace occupied. Know you the
reason of this command?

Silva. I am accustomed blindly to obey; and to whom can one more easily
render obedience than to the duke, since the event always proves the
wisdom of his commands?

Gomez. Well! Well! I am not surprised that you are become as reserved
and monosyllabic as the duke, since you are obliged to be always about
his person; to me, however, who am accustomed to the lighter service of
Italy, it seems strange enough. In loyalty and obedience, I am the