said the Grand Pensionary； with gloomy bitterness。 〃I have
made my way through all sorts of bystreets and alleys。〃
〃You hid yourself； John？〃
〃I wished to reach you without loss of time； and I did what
people will do in politics； or on the sea when the wind is
against them； I tacked。〃
At this moment the noise in the square below was heard to
roar with increasing fury。 Tilly was parleying with the
burghers。
〃Well； well；〃 said Cornelius； 〃you are a very skilful pilot；
John； but I doubt whether you will as safely guide your
brother out of the Buytenhof in the midst of this gale； and
through the raging surf of popular hatred； as you did the
fleet of Van Tromp past the shoals of the Scheldt to
Antwerp。〃
〃With the help of God； Cornelius； we'll at least try；〃
answered John； 〃but； first of all； a word with you。〃
〃Speak！〃
The shouts began anew。
〃Hark； hark！〃 continued Cornelius； 〃how angry those people
are！ Is it against you； or against me？〃
〃I should say it is against us both； Cornelius。 I told you；
my dear brother； that the Orange party； while assailing us
with their absurd calumnies； have also made it a reproach
against us that we have negotiated with France。〃
〃What blockheads they are！〃
〃But； indeed； they reproach us with it。〃
〃And yet； if these negotiations had been successful； they
would have prevented the defeats of Rees； Orsay； Wesel； and
Rheinberg； the Rhine would not have been crossed； and
Holland might still consider herself invincible in the midst
of her marshes and canals。〃
〃All this is quite true； my dear Cornelius； but still more
certain it is； that if at this moment our correspondence
with the Marquis de Louvois were discovered； skilful pilot
as I am； I should not be able to save the frail barque which
is to carry the brothers De Witt and their fortunes out of
Holland。 That correspondence； which might prove to honest
people how dearly I love my country； and what sacrifices I
have offered to make for its liberty and glory； would be
ruin to us if it fell into the hands of the Orange party。 I
hope you have burned the letters before you left Dort to
join me at the Hague。〃
〃My dear brother；〃 Cornelius answered； 〃your correspondence
with M。 de Louvois affords ample proof of your having been
of late the greatest； most generous； and most able citizen
of the Seven United Provinces。 I rejoice in the glory of my
country； and particularly do I rejoice in your glory； John。
I have taken good care not to burn that correspondence。〃
〃Then we are lost； as far as this life is concerned；〃
quietly said the Grand Pensionary； approaching the window。
〃No； on the contrary； John； we shall at the same time save
our lives and regain our popularity。〃
〃But what have you done with these letters？〃
〃I have intrusted them to the care of Cornelius van Baerle；
my godson； whom you know； and who lives at Dort。〃
〃Poor honest Van Baerle！ who knows so much； and yet thinks
of nothing but of flowers and of God who made them。 You have
intrusted him with this fatal secret； it will be his ruin；
poor soul！〃
〃His ruin？〃
〃Yes； for he will either be strong or he will be weak。 If he
is strong； he will； when he hears of what has happened to
us； boast of our acquaintance； if he is weak； he will be
afraid on account of his connection with us： if he is
strong； he will betray the secret by his boldness； if he is
weak； he will allow it to be forced from him。 In either case
he is lost； and so are we。 Let us； therefore； fly； fly； as
long as there is still time。〃
Cornelius de Witt； raising himself on his couch； and
grasping the hand of his brother； who shuddered at the touch
of his linen bandages； replied；
〃Do not I know my godson？ have not I been enabled to read
every thought in Van Baerle's mind； and every sentiment in
his heart？ You ask whether he is strong or weak。 He is
neither the one nor the other； but that is not now the
question。 The principal point is； that he is sure not to
divulge the secret； for the very good reason that he does
not know it himself。〃
John turned round in surprise。
〃You must know； my dear brother； that I have been trained in
the school of that distinguished politician John de Witt；
and I repeat to you； that Van Baerle is not aware of the
nature and importance of the deposit which I have intrusted
to him。〃
〃Quick then；〃 cried John； 〃as there is still time； let us
convey to him directions to burn the parcel。〃
〃Through whom？〃
〃Through my servant Craeke； who was to have accompanied us
on horseback； and who has entered the prison with me； to
assist you downstairs。〃
〃Consider well before having those precious documents burnt；
John！〃
〃I consider； above all things； that the brothers De Witt
must necessarily save their lives； to be able to save their
character。 If we are dead； who will defend us？ Who will have
fully understood our intentions？〃
〃You expect； then； that they would kill us if those papers
were found？〃
John； without answering； pointed with his hand to the
square； whence； at that very moment； fierce shouts and
savage yells made themselves heard。
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Cornelius； 〃I hear these shouts very
plainly； but what is their meaning？〃
John opened the window。
〃Death to the traitors！〃 howled the populace。
〃Do you hear now； Cornelius？〃
〃To the traitors！ that means us！〃 said the prisoner； raising
his eyes to heaven and shrugging his shoulders。
〃Yes； it means us；〃 repeated John。
〃Where is Craeke？〃
〃At the door of your cell； I suppose。〃
〃Let him enter then。〃
John opened the door； the faithful servant was waiting on
the threshold。
〃Come in； Craeke； and mind well what my brother will tell
you。〃
〃No； John； it will not suffice to send a verbal message；
unfortunately； I shall be obliged to write。〃
〃And why that？〃
〃Because Van Baerle will neither give up the parcel nor burn
it without a special command to do so。〃
〃But will you be able to write； poor old fellow？〃 John
asked； with a look on the scorched and bruised hands of the
unfortunate sufferer。
〃If I had pen and ink you would soon see；〃 said Cornelius。
〃Here is a pencil； at any rate。〃
〃Have you any paper？ for they have left me nothing。〃
〃Here； take this Bible； and tear out the fly…leaf。〃
〃Very well； that will do。〃
〃But your writing will be illegible。〃
〃Just leave me alone for that；〃 said Cornelius。 〃The
executioners have indeed pinched me badly enough； but my
hand will not tremble once in tracing the few lines which
are requisite。〃
And really Cornelius took the pencil and began to write；
when through the white linen bandages drops of blood oozed
out which the pressure of the fingers against the pencil
squeezed from the raw flesh。
A cold sweat stood on the brow of the Grand Pensionary。
Cornelius wrote：
〃My dear Godson；
〃Burn the parcel which I have intrusted to you。 Burn it
without looking at it； and without opening it； so that its
contents may for ever remain unknown to yourself。 Secrets of
this description are death to those with whom they are
deposited。 Burn it； and you will have saved John and
Cornelius de Witt。
〃Farewell； and love me。
〃Cornelius de Witt
〃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 rath