If the siege
of Antwerp, like that of Troy, had lasted nine years, the besieged need
have done nothing but look at the assailants, who would certainly have
destroyed themselves. Francois acted the part of mediator, but not
without great difficulty; he had made promises to the Huguenots, and
could not offend them without offending at the same time all Flanders.
On the other hand, to offend the Catholics sent by the king to aid him
would be most impolitic. The arrival of this re-enforcement, on which
the duke himself had not reckoned, filled the Spaniards and the Guises
with rage. However, all these different opinions interfered sadly with
the discipline of the duke's army. Joyeuse, who we know had never liked
the mission, was annoyed to find among these men such antagonistic
opinions, and felt instinctively that the time for success was past, and
both as an idle courtier and as a captain, grumbled at having come so
far only to meet with defeat. He declared loudly that the Duc d'Anjou
had been wrong in laying siege to Antwerp, and argued that to possess a
great city with its own consent was a real advantage; but that to take
by assault the second capital of his future states was to expose himself
to the dislike of the Flemings; and Joyeuse knew the Flemings too well
not to feel sure that if the duke did take Antwerp, sooner or later they
would revenge themselves with usury. This opinion Joyeuse did not
hesitate to declare in the duke's tent.

While the council was held among his captains, the duke was lying on a
couch and listening, not to the advice of the admiral, but to the
whispers of Aurilly. This man, by his cowardly compliances, his base
flatteries, and his continual assiduities, had secured the favor of the
prince. With his lute, his love messages, and his exact information
about all the persons and all the intrigues of the court--with his
skillful maneuvers for drawing into the prince's net whatever prey he
might wish for, he had made a large fortune, while he remained to all
appearance the poor luteplayer. His influence was immense, because it
was secret.

Joyeuse, seeing the duke talking to Aurilly, stopped short. The duke,
who had, after all, been paying more attention than he seemed to do,
asked him what was the matter. "Nothing, monseigneur; I am only waiting
until your highness is at liberty to listen to me."

"Oh! but I do listen, M. de Joyeuse. Do you think I cannot listen to
two people at once, when C