Yet Philip has taken his measures so well, that no one as yet suspects his departure. When during the night Charles occupies the gates with his own guards, he thinks the Landgrave still in the city.[743] When the Protestants were assembled at eight in the morning in the Chapter-hall, the princes of both parties were a little astonished at the absence of Philip of Hesse. They are accustomed, however, to see him keep aloof; he is in a pet, no doubt. No one imagines he is between twelve and fifteen leagues from Augsburg. [743] Existimabat enim Cæsar adhuc præsto adesse. (Ibid.) [Sidenote: ALARM IN AUGSBURG.] After the termination of the conference, and as each one was returning towards his hotel, the Elector of Brandenburg and his friends on the one hand, elated at the speech they had delivered, the Elector of Saxony and his allies on the other, resolved to sacrifice everything, inquiries were made at the Landgrave's lodgings as to the reason of his absence; they closely question Salz, Nuszbicker, Mayer, and Schnepf. At last the Hessian councillors can no longer keep the secret. "The Landgrave," said they, "has returned to Hesse." This news circulated immediately through all the city, and shook it like the explosion of a mine. Charles especially, who found himself mocked, and frustrated in his expectations--Charles, who had not the least suspicion,[744] trembled, and was enraged.[745] The Protestants, whom the Landgrave had not admitted to his secret,[746] are as much astonished as the Roman-catholics themselves, and fear that this inconsiderate departure may be the immediate signal for a terrible persecution. There was only Luther, who, the moment he heard of Philip's proceeding, highly approved of it, and exclaimed: "Of a truth all these delays and indignities are enough to fatigue more than one Landgrave."[747] [744] Cæsare nihil suspicante. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 277.) [745] Imperator re insperata commotus. (Seck. ii. p. 172.) [746] Unwissend des Churfursten von Sachsenund unserer. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 263.) [747] Es möchte wohl _ista mora et indignitas_ nocheinen Landgraven müde machen. (L. Epp. iv. p. 134.) The Chancellor of Hesse gave the Elector of Saxony a letter that his master had left for him. Philip spoke in this ostensible document of his wife's health; but he had charged his ministers to inform the Elector in private of the real causes of his departure. He announced, moreover, that he had given orders to his ministers to assist the Protestants in all things, and exhort his allies to permit themselves in no manner to be turned aside from the Word of God.[748] "As for me," said he, "I shall fight for the Word of God, at the risk of my goods, my states, my subjects, and my life." [748] Ut nullo modo a verbo Dei abstrahi aut terreri se patiatur. (Seck. ii. p. 172.) [Sidenote: METAMORPHOSIS.]