g experience taught him great mistrust of the evidence of
informers, who had a money interest in the conviction of the accused.
Lastly, it did not seem well to him that the name of a young and noble
lady should be mixed up in such a business. As they knew under the
recent edicts, his powers in these cases were absolute; indeed, in his
official capacity he was ordered at once to consign any suspected of
Anabaptism or other forms of heresy to be dealt with by the appointed
courts, and in the case of people who had escaped, to cause them, on
satisfactory proof of their identity, to be executed instantly without
further trial. Under these circumstances, fearing that did the lady knew
his purpose she might take fright, he had, he confessed, resorted to
artifice, as he was very anxious both for her sake and in the interest
of justice that she should bear testimony in the matter. So he asked
her to accompany him on a short drive while he attended to a business
affair; a request to which she had graciously assented.

"Friends," he went on in a still more solemn voice, "the rest of my
story is short. Indeed I do congratulate myself on the decision that
I took, for when confronted with the prisoner our young and honourable
hostess was able upon oath to refute the story of the spy with the
result that I in my turn was to save an unfortunate, and, as I believe,
a half-crazed creature from an immediate and a cruel death. Is it not
so, lady?" and helpless in the net of circumstance, not knowing indeed
what else to do, Lysbeth bowed her head in assent.

"I think," concluded Montalvo, "that after this explanation, what may
have appeared to be a breach of manners will be forgiven. I have only
one other word to add. My position is peculiar; I am an official here,
and I speak boldly among friends taking the risk that any of you present
will use what I say against me, which for my part I do not believe.
Although there is no better Catholic and no truer Spaniard in the
Netherlands, I have been accused of showing too great a sympathy with
your people, and of dealing too leniently with those who have incurred
the displeasure of our Holy Church. In the cause of right and justice I
am willing to bear such aspersions; still this is a slanderous world, a
world in which truth does not always prevail. Therefore, although I have
told you nothing but the bare facts, I do suggest in the interests of
your hostess--in my own humble interest who might be