As to the scheme of assassinating the Prince of Orange, Escovedo prayed Perez to believe him incapable of negligence on the subject.

"You know that the finishing of Orange is very near my heart," wrote the poor dupe to the man by whom he was himself so soon to be finished.

"You may believe that I have never forgotten it, and never will forget it, until it be done.

Much, and very much artifice is, however, necessary to accomplish this object.

A proper person to undertake a task fraught with such well-known danger, is hard to find.