M. D’Avaux felt himself, as always, confused and heated; he believed that the Prince was laughing at him and at France, and a wave of anger shook him both against the supine James who would not be roused, and his own government who would not credit half the information he sent home. He tried that dry directness which his opponent employed with such effect. "Your Highness will scarcely deny that you intend a descent on England?" "I should," answered William, "be a fool if I did not deny it when asked by you, Monsieur." M. D’Avaux thrust his cane into the crevices of the stone pedestal of the sundial. "Whatever Your Highness may say—I know." "Ah!" answered William, "but can you prove?" "To the satisfaction of my own intelligence, Monseigneur," said M. D’Avaux vigorously. "You cannot suppose that I have been unobservant as to your measures since the beginning of the year." William kept his eyes fixed on the carp sluggishly moving round the fountain basin. "It would interest me, M. D’Avaux," he said, "to hear what you have discovered of these measures of mine." "You shall hear, Monseigneur." The Frenchman spoke as one spurred and goaded. "For one thing, I know that you obtained four million guilden from the States for repairing the fortifications of Brabant—that this money was to be payable in four years, and you have raised it in one. Your Highness hath the money, and the forts are untouched." William was silent. "Another public fund of equal value you have diverted from its proper use; you have farmed out the revenues of the Admiralty, and this, with your own great fortune, maketh Your Highness master of a huge treasure—apart from the money you are constantly raising among the French and English refugees. For what purpose is all this wealth intended?" "You say you know," replied William, without looking up. "And, my faith, what kind of an answer can you expect from me?" "Your Highness can give no good reason." "None of any sort, to you, on any part of my conduct," said the Prince coldly. "You already overstep your province." Pale, but firm, M. D’Avaux stood his ground. "I do not overstep my duty to my master if I ask why Your Highness persuaded the States to build forty new ships of war, and secretly added twelve by your own authority—why these ships were sent publicly to remote stations and secretly brought back—why a great army is encamped at Nymwegen—why M. Bentinck is so continually closeted with the Elector and Your Highness with the States, the German Princes, the Landgrave of Hesse and M. Castagnana—why seven thousand Swedish mercenaries have been hired, and a huge number of Dutch soldiers and sailors secretly raised and privately drilled?" The Prince turned his back to the sundial, so that he faced the Ambassador; his hands, clasped behind him, held his riding-whip; his face was inscrutable. "Well, what else?" he asked dryly.