sometimes as if asking assent, sometimes combatively.

He believed that the weight of financial cares was causing the Emperor
Charles's abdication. Like a wise man, he said, he would place his own
burden of debt upon his son's shoulders. His Majesty usually uttered
exactly the opposite of his real opinions, and therefore, in the outline
of his abdication speech, he twice emphasized how great a debt of
gratitude Don Philip owed him for the Heritage which while still alive
he bequeathed to him. True, besides the debts, crowns and kingdoms in
plenty passed to Charles's successor; but the father, so long as he drew
breath, would not give up the decision of the most important questions of
government, and therefore this abdication, after all, was merely an
excellent means of divesting himself of burdensome obligations,
embellished with a certain amount of humbug.

The Bishop of Arras made no weighty protest against this severe speech;
nay, he even said, in a tone of assent, that the Emperor Charles's
tireless intellect would continue to direct political events. Besides,
he could safely commit the execution of his conclusions and commands to
his obedient and dutiful heir.

"The world," he added, "will not fare badly by this arrangement; but you,
Viglius, can not forget the religious liberty which his Majesty promised
to the Germans."

"Not until the end of my life!" cried the Frieslander, his green eyes
flashing angrily.

Granvelle protested that this act of indulgence weighed heavily upon him
also; but at that time a refusal would have occasioned a new war, which,