eldest son, the head of her illustrious house, so recently perish on the
scaffold, wished to make a last effort in behalf of the remaining one,
then closely confined in the prison of Segovia. The Archduchess solemnly
promised that his release should be the first boon which she would
request of her royal bridegroom, and the bereaved countess retired almost
with a hope.

A short digression must here be allowed, to narrate the remaining
fortunes of that son, the ill-starred Seigneur de Montigny. His mission
to Madrid in company of the Marquis Berghen has been related in a
previous volume. The last and most melancholy scene in the life of his
fellow envoy has been described in a recent chapter. After that ominous
event, Montigny became most anxious to effect his retreat from Spain.
He had been separated more than a year from his few months' bride.
He was not imprisoned, but he felt himself under the most rigid although
secret inspection. It was utterly impossible for him to obtain leave to
return, or to take his departure without permission. On one occasion,
having left the city accidentally for a ride on horseback to an adjoining
village, he found himself surrounded by an unexpected escort of forty
troopers. Still, however, the King retained a smiling mien. To
Montigny's repeated and urgent requests for dismissal, Philip graciously
urged his desire for a continuance of his visit. He was requested to
remain in order to accompany his sovereign upon that journey to the
Netherlands which would not be much longer delayed. In his impatience
anything seemed preferable to the state of suspense in which he was made
to linger. He eagerly offered, if he were accused or suspected of crime,
to surrender himself to imprisonment if he only could be brought to
trial. Soon after Alva's arrival in the Netherlands, the first part of
this offer was accepted. No sooner were the arrests of Egmont and Horn
known in Madrid, than Montigny was deprived of his liberty, and closely