Undoubtedly, the solemn oath spoken by the tyrant who was such a devout and bigoted Catholic greatly worked upon the feelings of the Orangists: never for a moment did the suspicion of the oath being a false one enter their loyal heads: nor must they be blamed for their childish confidence in a man who had lied to them and deceived them so continuously for the past five years. They were so loyal themselves, such a trap as Alva was setting for them now was so far from their ken, that it was impossible for them to imagine such appalling treachery: as for the sanctity of an oath, they would as soon have thought of doubting the evidence of their own eyes. Mark van Rycke, it is true, held out to the last. He knew these Spaniards better than those simple burghers did: not in vain had he spent his best years in the uncongenial task of worming out their secret plans--their treacherous devices--over tankards of ale and games of hazard in Flemish taverns. He mistrusted them all, he mistrusted Alva above all! he had no belief in that execrable monster’s oath. "God is on our side!" he said quietly, "we’ll bury our dead when we can, and pray when God wills. He’ll forgive the breaking of His Sabbath for the justice of our cause. "They are weary of the fight," he added obstinately, "we are not." But already every one of his friends was urging him to grant the truce: "For the sake of our women and children," said van Deynse who voiced the majority, "let there be no fighting to-morrow. The tyrant has pledged his immortal soul that he will not play us false. No man would dare to do that unless he meant to be true." "Rebel!" now shouted Alva impatiently, "I await thine answer." "Accept, van Rycke, accept," cried the Orangists unanimously now, "it is God’s will that we accept." "I await thine answer, rebel," reiterated Alva. "What answer can I give?" retorted van Rycke. "You say your men will go to our churches unarmed. We are not butchers as ye would have been." "You will let them pray in peace?" "As thou desirest. You who were prepared to destroy our city and to murder our women and our children will have nothing to fear from us while ye are unarmed and at prayer." "Until the evening Angelus ceases to ring?" "Until then." "And until that hour we remain as we are. Our guard at the gates...." "Our prisoners in our hands." "And may God guard thee," concluded Alva unctuously. "May God have mercy on thy soul if thou hast lied to us," said Mark van Rycke quietly. To this Alva made no reply, but his grim face looked in no way troubled. Special absolution even for speaking a false oath could easily be obtained, alas! these days by any Duke of Alva or other tyrant powerful enough to demand it; and no doubt the Lieutenant-Governor, sent to subdue the rebellious Low Countries, was well provided with every kind of dispensation which embodied the principle that "the end justifies the means!"