Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-08


ment to other ducal lieutenantS to
watch over my interests with the same
zeal.' - r
1t was one Of the matters for conSid-
GRAFTON and discussion upon which he
would welcome the counts opinions.
Then there was his audiences OF justice,
so long suspended of necessity that the
list of petitioners who desired TO sue
directly to him had grown TO enormous
length.
These audiences Of justice were ban
quets to his vanity. Three days q week
it had been his custom to sit in open
court all the morning.to hear all claims
and grievances in person, and to deliver
Judgment like another Solomon. Few
duties of his princely ONCE we're 'dearer
to him than this which he had imposed
upon himself. He derived from it an
incense such as no courtly adulation
could supply, for this welding power
at first hand over the lives and destinies
Of men gave him sense of being ele-
waited almost to the rank of a divinity.
Therefore, although it imported that he
should resume that progress through the
Northern provinces which necessities
imposed upon him by the King of
France had interrupted; yet he would
postpone for two or three weeks that
resumption in order to enable him to
deal in person with some Of the older
PNbAVAOAio dbLCIlLNOH.
The sum total of all this was that,
while on the one hand it was of the
first Importance that he should visit
those Northern provinces in which the
accession oaths had not yet been ex-
changed between himself and the rep
reSentatives of the people, on the other
1t was of almost equal importance that
ne should remain at home to deal with
the arrears of affairs which his cam.
paigning absence had accumulated. And
since it Is not given to any man, not
even to so exalted and quaSi-diVine g.
prince as the Duke of Burgundy and
Brabant, to be in two places at one and
the same time, it became clear that he
must find a deputy to act for him at
home, while abroad he went to give
and receive those oaths which could not
be pledged by proxy. In this deputy
certain rare qualities were essential.
He must be of rank as nearly equal
as possible to the dukes own, to-
insure him the reverence which an
office rarely commands unless the
holder himself commands it; he
must be of exceptional ability in af-'
fairs, so that the. dukes interests should
be properly safeguarded. and-most
rare OF all qualifications-he must be Of
proven fidelity to the duke and entirely
trustworthy, above all venal temptations.
That" the duke concluded, lis the
man I need to be my grand master of
Burgundy and my vicegerent here dur
ing my absence in the North. You will
agree that he is not readily found. In
deed, having carefully considered,
know OF but one man who could fill that
Office for me in such a manner that
should be able to sleep in peace while
on my travels. That man. Anthony, is
| yourself
The count was almost startled. But
the responsibilities of such charge
Peremptorily the duke cut him short.
Are such as you could bear with ease
and dignity" He rose 1T is an honor .
| which you cannot refuse without af-
fronting me. Just as you are the man
need for the Office, so is the ofice the
thing you need to give you back your
manhood which you are in danger Of
losing in a mist Of dreams" He set his
strong, firm hand upon the counts
shoulder, and looked up into that SOL
emn. comely face, with an expression in
his dark eyes which was at once i'm
periouS and entreating.
And so that very day the parchments
were drawn up, appointing Count An
thony OF Egmont, Prince of GuelderS
Lord Of Valburg, and Knight of the
/ Most Noble and Exalted Order of the
Golden Fleece, to be Grand Master of
Burgundy, Dueal Lieutenant-in-ch ief
and Ducal Vicegerent throughout the
! Dominions of the Duke of Burgundy
and Brabant. whereof public proclama-'
ton was duly made.
If certain reluctance had signalized
Count Anthonys acceptance of the Of
f1ce, none was perceptible in the man.
ner in which he threw himself into it's
duties once he had accepted it. 1t was
a full month before the duke Quilted
Brussels for that necessary Northern
visit. But not until then did Count An
thony wait to take up the onerous bur-
den ne had agreed to bear.
At first in concert with the duke, but
gradually more and more independently
! IN the dukes name, he set about dealing
with those weighty affairs which al
ready had been awaiting attention over
long. There were affairs of England, af-
fairs of the empire, affairs of France,
OF Venice, Milan and a dozen lesser
states. And he went about them In a
manner OF so much graciousnesS, shrewd-
ness and tact that everywhere he
smoothed away difficulties and strength
ened ties.
Among the domestic affairs trans
acted in those days. and in which Count
Anthony bore part was the promotion
OF the Sire Claude de Rhynsault. It.
was decided to give him the important,
governorship of Client, and If it was not
yet decided to hang about his neck the
collar Of the Golden Fleece. neither was
1t decided not to do so. Decision was
postponed because this was a matter in
which the duke and his newly appoint
ed grand master could not see eye to.
eye. Count Anthony took the view that
| Rhynsault's birth and antecedents we're
not of such quality as to entitle him
to place in the chapter Of that exalted
order until he added to them as a quail
f1cation some achievement Of more than
ordinary worth, which In itself should
lend his name the luster. which origin
failed to supply. The duke, on the other
hand, chose to account the mans long
and tried fidelity and the skill with
which he had handled the affairs of
Zealand and stifled there all danger of
a revolt, at time when a revolt might
have had the most serious inflammatory
qualities upon other neighboring states,
as SUFFICIENT grounds for beStowinR upon
him the highest honor in his gift. /,
To this disagreement between the
cousins was due the postponement in
submitting Rhynsault's name to the
chapter for election to the vacant place.
Meanwhile. however. the Governor OF
Zealand was summoned to Brussels by
very friendly letter from the duke,
which intimated to him that the object
OF this summons was to promote him
| as a mark Of the dukes Appreciation
! Of his services and worth. y
| -,