Barbara Blomberg | Page 3

interview
with young Granvelle, the Bishop of Arras, which had continued three
full hours, and perhaps might be going on still had not Dr. Mathys, the
leech, put an end to it.
Queen Mary had just found him utterly exhausted, with his face buried
in his hands.
"And you, too," she added in conclusion, "can not help admitting that if
this state of things continues there must be an evil end."
Quijada bent his head in assent, and then answered modestly:
"Yet your Majesty knows our royal master's nature. He will listen
calmly to you, whom he loves, or to me, who was permitted to remain
at his side as a page, or probably to the two Granvelles, Malfalconnet,
and others whom he trusts, when they venture to warn him--"
"And yet keep on in his mad career," interrupted Queen Mary with an

angry gesture of the hand.
"Plus ultra--more, farther--is his motto," observed Quijada in a tone of
justification.
"Forward ceaselessly, for aught I care, so long as the stomach and the
feet are sound!" replied the Queen, raising her hand to the high lace ruff,
which oppressed the breathing of one so accustomed to the outdoor air.
"But when, like him, a man must give up deer-stalking and at every
movement makes a wry face and can scarcely repress a groan--it might
move a stone to pity!--he ought to choose another motto. Persuade him
to do so, Quijada, if you are really his friend."
The smile with which the nobleman listened to this request plainly
showed the futility of the demand.
The Queen noticed it, threw her arm aloft as if she were hurling a
hunting spear, and exclaimed "I'm not easily deceived, Luis. Whether
you could or not, the will is lacking. You shun the attempt! Because
you are young yourself, and can still cope with the bear and wild boar,
you like the motto, which will probably lead to new wars, and thereby
to fresh renown. But, alas! my poor, poor brother, who--how long ago
it is!--could once have thrown even you upon the sand, what can he do,
with this accursed gout? And besides, what more can the Emperor
Charles gain, since there is no chance of obtaining the sovereignty of
the world, of which he once dreamed? He must learn to be content!
Surely at his age! It is easy to calculate, for his life began with the
century, and this is its forty-sixth year. Of course, with you soldiers the
years of warfare count double, and he--Duke Alba said so--was born a
general. One need not be able to reckon far in order to number how
many months he has spent in complete peace. And then he attained his
majority at fifteen, and with what weighty cares the man of the 'plus
ultra' has loaded his shoulders since that time! You, and many others at
the court, had still more to do, but, Luis, one thing, and it is the hardest
burden, you were all spared. I know it. It is called responsibility.
Compared with this all others are mere fluttering feathers. Its weight
may become unendurable when the weal and woe of half the world are
at stake. Thus every year of government was equal to three of war; but

you, Luis--the question is allowable when put to a man-how old are
you?"
"Within a few months of forty."
"So young!" cried the Queen. "Yet, when one looks at you closely,
your appearance corresponds with your years."
Quijada pointed to the gray locks on his temples, but the Queen eagerly
continued:
"I noticed that at Brussels. And do you know what gave you those few
white hairs? Simply the responsibility that so cruelly shortened the
Emperor's youth, and which at least grazes you. As I saw him to-day,
Luis, many a man of sixty has a more vigorous appearance."
"And yet, if your Majesty will permit me to say so," Quijada replied
with a low bow, "he may be in a very different condition to-morrow. I
heard Dr. Mathys himself remark that the life of a gouty patient was
like a showery day in July--gloomy enough while the thunder-storm
was raging, but radiant before and afterward until the clouds rose again.
Surely your Majesty remembers how erect, how vigorous, and how
knightly his bearing was when he greeted you on your arrival. The
happiness of having his beloved sister again restored his paralyzed
buoyancy speedily enough, although just at present there is certainly no
lack of cares pressing upon him, and notwithstanding the disastrous
conditions which we found existing among the godless populace here.
That this cruel responsibility, however, can mature the mind without
harming the body your Majesty is a living example."
"Nonsense!" retorted the regent in protest. "From you, at least, I