ventured himself once more into the confusion, and tried to appeal to
the reason of the company. He might as well have addressed the crew of
Comus. He gained nothing but additional insult. Brederode advanced upon
him with threatening gestures. Egmont implored the prelate to retire, or
at least not to take notice of a nobleman so obviously beyond the control
of his reason. The Bishop, however, insisted--mingling reproof, menace;
and somewhat imperious demands--that the indecent Saturnalia should
cease. It would have been wiser for him to retire. Count Hoogstraaten,
a young man and small of stature, seized the gilt laver, in which the
company had dipped their fingers before seating themselves at table:
"Be quiet, be quiet, little man," said Egmont, soothingly, doing his best
to restrain the tumult. "Little man, indeed," responded the Count,
wrathfully; "I would have you to know that never did little man spring
from my race." With those words he hurled the basin, water, and all, at
the head of the Archbishop. Hoogstraaten had no doubt manifested his
bravery before that day; he was to display, on future occasions, a very
remarkable degree of heroism; but it must be confessed that the chivalry
of the noble house of Lalaing was not illustrated by this attack upon a
priest. The Bishop was sprinkled by the water, but not struck by the
vessel. Young Mansfeld, ashamed of the outrage, stepped forward to
apologize for the conduct of his companions and to soothe the insulted
prelate. That personage, however, exasperated, very naturally, to the
highest point, pushed him rudely away, crying, "Begone, begone! who is
this boy that is preaching to me?" Whereupon, Mansfeld, much irritated,
lifted his hand towards the ecclesiastic, and snapped his fingers
contemptuously in his face. Some even said that he pulled the
archiepiscopal nose, others that he threatened his life with a drawn
dagger. Nothing could well have been more indecent or more cowardly than
the conduct of these nobles upon this occasion. Their intoxication,
together with the character of the victim, explained, but certainly could