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〃August 20th; 1672。〃 



John; with tears in his eyes; wiped off a drop of the noble 

blood which had soiled the leaf; and; after having handed 

the despatch to Craeke with a last direction; returned to 

Cornelius; who seemed overcome by intense pain; and near 

fainting。 



〃Now;〃 said he; 〃when honest Craeke sounds his coxswain's 

whistle; it will be a signal of his being clear of the 

crowd; and of his having reached the other side of the pond。 

And then it will be our turn to depart。〃 



Five minutes had not elapsed; before a long and shrill 

whistle was heard through the din and noise of the square of 

the Buytenhof。 



John gratefully raised his eyes to heaven。 



〃And now;〃 said he; 〃let us off; Cornelius。〃 









Chapter 3



The Pupil of John de Witt





Whilst the clamour of the crowd in the square of Buytenhof; 

which grew more and more menacing against the two brothers; 

determined John de Witt to hasten the departure of his 

brother Cornelius; a deputation of burghers had gone to the 

Town…hall to demand the withdrawal of Tilly's horse。 



It was not far from the Buytenhof to Hoogstraet (High 

Street); and a stranger; who since the beginning of this 

scene had watched all its incidents with intense interest; 

was seen to wend his way with; or rather in the wake of; the 

others towards the Town…hall; to hear as soon as possible 

the current news of the hour。 



This stranger was a very young man; of scarcely twenty…two 

or three; with nothing about him that bespoke any great 

energy。 He evidently had his good reasons for not making 

himself known; as he hid his face in a handkerchief of fine 

Frisian linen; with which he incessantly wiped his brow or 

his burning lips。 



With an eye keen as that of a bird of prey;  with a long 

aquiline nose; a finely cut mouth; which he generally kept 

open; or rather which was gaping like the edges of a wound; 

 this man would have presented to Lavater; if Lavater had 

lived at that time; a subject for physiognomical 

observations which at the first blush would not have been 

very favourable to the person in question。 



〃What difference is there between the figure of the 

conqueror and that of the pirate?〃 said the ancients。 The 

difference only between the eagle and the vulture;  

serenity or restlessness。 



And indeed the sallow physiognomy; the thin and sickly body; 

and the prowling ways of the stranger; were the very type of 

a suspecting master; or an unquiet thief; and a police 

officer would certainly have decided in favour of the latter 

supposition; on account of the great care which the 

mysterious person evidently took to hide himself。 



He was plainly dressed; and apparently unarmed; his arm was 

lean but wiry; and his hands dry; but of an aristocratic 

whiteness and delicacy; and he leaned on the shoulder of an 

officer; who; with his hand on his sword; had watched the 

scenes in the Buytenhof with eager curiosity; very natural 

in a military man; until his companion drew him away with 

him。 



On arriving at the square of the Hoogstraet; the man with 

the sallow face pushed the other behind an open shutter; 

from which corner he himself began to survey the balcony of 

the Town…hall。 



At the savage yells of the mob; the window of the Town…hall 

opened; and a man came forth to address the people。 



〃Who is that on the balcony?〃 asked the young man; glancing 

at the orator。 



〃It is the Deputy Bowelt;〃 replied the officer。 



〃What sort of a man is he? Do you know anything of him?〃 



〃An honest man; at least I believe so; Monseigneur。〃 



Hearing this character given of Bowelt; the young man showed 

signs of such a strange disappointment and evident 

dissatisfaction that the officer could not but remark it; 

and therefore added;  



〃At least people say so; Monseigneur。 I cannot say anything 

about it myself; as I have no personal acquaintance with 

Mynheer Bowelt。〃 



〃An honest man;〃 repeated he who was addressed as 

Monseigneur; 〃do you mean to say that he is an honest man 

(brave homme); or a brave one (homme brave)?〃 



〃Ah; Monseigneur must excuse me; I would not presume to draw 

such a fine distinction in the case of a man whom; I assure 

your Highness once more; I know only by sight。〃 



〃If this Bowelt is an honest man;〃 his Highness continued; 

〃he will give to the demand of these furibund petitioners a 

very queer reception。〃 



The nervous quiver of his hand; which moved on the shoulder 

of his companion as the fingers of a player on the keys of a 

harpsichord; betrayed his burning impatience; so ill 

concealed at certain times; and particularly at that moment; 

under the icy and sombre expression of his face。 



The chief of the deputation of the burghers was then heard 

addressing an interpellation to Mynheer Bowelt; whom he 

requested to let them know where the other deputies; his 

colleagues; were。 



〃Gentlemen;〃 Bowelt repeated for the second time; 〃I assure 

you that in this moment I am here alone with Mynheer 

d'Asperen; and I cannot take any resolution on my own 

responsibility。〃 



〃The order! we want the order!〃 cried several thousand 

voices。 



Mynheer Bowelt wished to speak; but his words were not 

heard; and he was only seen moving his arms in all sorts of 

gestures; which plainly showed that he felt his position to 

be desperate。 When; at last; he saw that he could not make 

himself heard; he turned round towards the open window; and 

called Mynheer d'Asperen。 



The latter gentleman now made his appearance on the balcony; 

where he was saluted with shouts even more energetic than 

those with which; ten minutes before; his colleague had been 

received。 



This did not prevent him from undertaking the difficult task 

of haranguing the mob; but the mob preferred forcing the 

guard of the States  which; however; offered no resistance 

to the sovereign people  to listening to the speech of 

Mynheer d'Asperen。 



〃Now; then;〃 the young man coolly remarked; whilst the crowd 

was rushing into the principal gate of the Town…hall; 〃it 

seems the question will be discussed indoors; Captain。 Come 

along; and let us hear the debate。〃 



〃Oh; Monseigneur! Monseigneur! take care!〃 



〃Of what?〃 



〃Among these deputies there are many who have had dealings 

with you; and it would be sufficient; that one of them 

should recognize your Highness。〃 



〃Yes; that I might be charged with having been the 

instigator of all this work; indeed; you are right;〃 said 

the young man; blushing for a moment from regret of having 

betrayed so much eagerness。 〃From this place we shall see 

them return with or without the order for the withdrawal of 

the dragoons; then we may judge which is greater; Mynheer 

Bowelt's honesty or his courage。〃 



〃But;〃 replied the officer; looking with astonishment at the 

personage whom he addressed as Monseigneur; 〃but your 

Highness surely does not suppose for one instant that the 

deputies will order Tilly's horse to quit their post?〃 



〃Why not?〃 the young man quietly retorted。 



〃Because doing so would simply be signing the death warrant 

of Cornelius and John de Witt。〃 



〃We shall see;〃 his Highness replied; with the most perfect 

coolness; 〃God alone knows what is going on within the 

hearts of men。〃 



The officer looked askance at the impassible figure of his 

companion; and grew pale: he was an honest man as well as a 

brave one。 



From the spot where they stood; his Highness and his 

attendant heard the tumult and the heavy tramp of the crowd 

on the staircase of the Town…hall。 The noise thereupon 

sounded through the windows of the hall; on the balcony of 

which Mynheers Bowelt and D'Asperen had presented 

themselves。 These two gentlemen had retired into the 

building; very likely from fear of being forced over the 

balustrade by the pressure of the crowd。 



After this; fluctuating shadows in tumultuous confusion were 

seen flitting to and fro across the windows: the council 

hall was filling。 



Suddenly the noise subsided; and as suddenly again it rose 

with redoubled intensity; and at last reached such a pitch 

that the old building shook to the very roof。 



At length; the living stream poured back through the 

galleries and stairs to the arched gateway; from which it 

was seen issuing like waters from a spout。 



At the head of the first group; man was flying rather than 

running; his face hideously distorted with satanic glee: 

this man was the surgeon Tyckelaer。 



〃We have it! we have it!〃 he cried; brandishing a paper in 

the air。 



〃They have got the order!〃 muttered the officer in 

amazement。 



〃Well; then;〃 his Highness quietly remarked; 〃now I know 

what to believe with regard to Mynheer Bowelt's honest

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