husband earnestly entreated her to go to the springs, whose waters had
proved so beneficial, she remained in Brussels.

In August she saw King Philip set out for Spain, and Margaret of Parma,
her son's sister, assume the government of the Netherlands as regent.

On various occasions she succeeded in obtaining a near view of the
stately-lady, with her clever; kindly and, spite of the famous down
on her upper lip, by no means unlovely features, and her attractive
appearance gave Barbara courage to request an audience, in order to learn
from her something about her child. But the effort was vain, for the
duchess had had no news of the existence of a second son of her father;
and this time it was Granvelle who prevented the regent from receiving
the woman who would probably have spoken to her of the boy concerning
whose fate King Philip had yet reached no determination.

Barbara spent the month of October in depression caused by this fresh
disappointment, but it, too, passed without bringing her any
satisfaction.

It seemed almost foolish to lull herself further with ambitious
expectations, but the hope a mother's heart cherishes for her child does
not die until its last throb; and if the Emperor Charles's will did not
give her John his rights, then the gracious Virgin would secure them, if
necessary, by a miracle.

Her faithful clinging to hope was rewarded, for when one day, with
drooping head, she returned home from another futile errand, she found
Hannibal Melas there, as bearer of important news.