Before the middle of August they had reached Thionville, on the Luxemburg
frontier, having on the last day marched a distance of two leagues
through a forest, which seemed expressly arranged to allow a small
defensive force to embarrass and destroy an invading army. No
opposition, however, was attempted, and the Spanish soldiers encamped at
last within the territory of the Netherlands, having accomplished their
adventurous journey in entire safety, and under perfect discipline.

The Duchess had in her secret letters to Philip continued to express her
disapprobation of the enterprise thus committed to Alva, She had bitterly
complained that now when the country had been pacified by her efforts,
another should be sent to reap all the glory, or perhaps to undo all that
she had so painfully and so successfully done. She stated to her
brother, in most unequivocal language, that the name of Alva was odious
enough to make the whole Spanish nation detested in the Netherlands. She
could find no language sufficiently strong to express her surprise that
the King should have decided upon a measure likely to be attended with
such fatal consequences without consulting her on the subject, and in
opposition to what had been her uniform advice. She also wrote
personally to Alva, imploring, commanding, and threatening, but with
equally ill success. The Duke knew too well who was sovereign of the
Netherlands now; his master's sister or himself. As to the effects of
his armed invasion upon the temper of the provinces, he was supremely
indifferent. He came as a conqueror not as a mediator. "I have tamed
people of iron in my day," said he, contemptuously, "shall I not easily
crush these men of butter?"

At Thionville he was, however, officially waited upon by Berlaymont and
Noircarmes, on the part of the Regent. He at this point, moreover, began
to receive deputations from various cities, bidding him a hollow and