imprecations；
〃Escaped gone！ After them； and catch them！〃
〃Monseigneur； it seems that Mynheer Cornelius has really
escaped；〃 said the officer。
〃Yes； from prison； perhaps； but not from the town； you will
see； Van Deken； that the poor fellow will find the gate
closed against him which he hoped to find open。〃
〃Has an order been given to close the town gates；
Monseigneur？〃
〃No； at least I do not think so； who could have given
such an order？〃
〃Indeed； but what makes your Highness suppose？〃
〃There are fatalities；〃 Monseigneur replied； in an offhand
manner； 〃and the greatest men have sometimes fallen victims
to such fatalities。〃
At these words the officer felt his blood run cold； as
somehow or other he was convinced that the prisoner was
lost。
At this moment the roar of the multitude broke forth like
thunder； for it was now quite certain that Cornelius de Witt
was no longer in the prison。
Cornelius and John； after driving along the pond； had taken
the main street； which leads to the Tol…Hek； giving
directions to the coachman to slacken his pace； in order not
to excite any suspicion。
But when； on having proceeded half…way down that street； the
man felt that he had left the prison and death behind； and
before him there was life and liberty； he neglected every
precaution； and set his horses off at a gallop。
All at once he stopped。
〃What is the matter？〃 asked John； putting his head out of
the coach window。
〃Oh； my masters！〃 cried the coachman； 〃it is 〃
Terror choked the voice of the honest fellow。
〃Well； say what you have to say！〃 urged the Grand
Pensionary。
〃The gate is closed； that's what it is。〃
〃How is this？ It is not usual to close the gate by day。〃
〃Just look！〃
John de Witt leaned out of the window； and indeed saw that
the man was right。
〃Never mind； but drive on；〃 said John； 〃I have with me the
order for the commutation of the punishment； the gate…keeper
will let us through。〃
The carriage moved along； but it was evident that the driver
was no longer urging his horses with the same degree of
confidence。
Moreover； as John de Witt put his head out of the carriage
window； he was seen and recognized by a brewer； who； being
behind his companions； was just shutting his door in all
haste to join them at the Buytenhof。 He uttered a cry of
surprise； and ran after two other men before him； whom he
overtook about a hundred yards farther on； and told them
what he had seen。 The three men then stopped； looking after
the carriage； being however not yet quite sure as to whom it
contained。
The carriage in the meanwhile arrived at the Tol…Hek。
〃Open！〃 cried the coachman。
〃Open！〃 echoed the gatekeeper； from the threshold of his
lodge； 〃it's all very well to say 'Open！' but what am I to
do it with？〃
〃With the key； to be sure！〃 said the coachman。
〃With the key！ Oh； yes！ but if you have not got it？〃
〃How is that？ Have not you got the key？〃 asked the coachman。
〃No； I haven't。〃
〃What has become of it？〃
〃Well； they have taken it from me。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Some one； I dare say； who had a mind that no one should
leave the town。〃
〃My good man；〃 said the Grand Pensionary； putting out his
head from the window； and risking all for gaining all； 〃my
good man； it is for me； John de Witt； and for my brother
Cornelius； who I am taking away into exile。〃
〃Oh； Mynheer de Witt！ I am indeed very much grieved；〃 said
the gatekeeper； rushing towards the carriage； 〃but； upon my
sacred word； the key has been taken from me。〃
〃When？〃
〃This morning。〃
〃By whom？〃
〃By a pale and thin young man； of about twenty…two。〃
〃And wherefore did you give it up to him？〃
〃Because he showed me an order； signed and sealed。〃
〃By whom？〃
〃By the gentlemen of the Town…hall。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Cornelius calmly； 〃our doom seems to be
fixed。〃
〃Do you know whether the same precaution has been taken at
the other gates？〃
〃I do not。〃
〃Now then；〃 said John to the coachman； 〃God commands man to
do all that is in his power to preserve his life； go； and
drive to another gate。〃
And whilst the servant was turning round the vehicle the
Grand Pensionary said to the gatekeeper；
〃Take our thanks for your good intentions； the will must
count for the deed； you had the will to save us； and that；
in the eyes of the Lord； is as if you had succeeded in doing
so。〃
〃Alas！〃 said the gatekeeper； 〃do you see down there？〃
〃Drive at a gallop through that group；〃 John called out to
the coachman； 〃and take the street on the left； it is our
only chance。〃
The group which John alluded to had； for its nucleus； those
three men whom we left looking after the carriage； and who；
in the meanwhile； had been joined by seven or eight others。
These new…comers evidently meant mischief with regard to the
carriage。
When they saw the horses galloping down upon them； they
placed themselves across the street； brandishing cudgels in
their hands； and calling out；
〃Stop！ stop！〃
The coachman； on his side； lashed his horses into increased
speed； until the coach and the men encountered。
The brothers De Witt； enclosed within the body of the
carriage； were not able to see anything； but they felt a
severe shock； occasioned by the rearing of the horses。 The
whole vehicle for a moment shook and stopped； but
immediately after； passing over something round and elastic；
which seemed to be the body of a prostrate man set off again
amidst a volley of the fiercest oaths。
〃Alas！〃 said Cornelius； 〃I am afraid we have hurt some one。〃
〃Gallop！ gallop！〃 called John。
But； notwithstanding this order； the coachman suddenly came
to a stop。
〃Now； then； what is the matter again？〃 asked John。
〃Look there！〃 said the coachman。
John looked。 The whole mass of the populace from the
Buytenhof appeared at the extremity of the street along
which the carriage was to proceed； and its stream moved
roaring and rapid； as if lashed on by a hurricane。
〃Stop and get off；〃 said John to the coachman； 〃it is
useless to go any farther； we are lost！〃
〃Here they are！ here they are！〃 five hundred voices were
crying at the same time。
〃Yes； here they are； the traitors； the murderers； the
assassins！〃 answered the men who were running after the
carriage to the people who were coming to meet it。 The
former carried in their arms the bruised body of one of
their companions； who； trying to seize the reins of the
horses； had been trodden down by them。
This was the object over which the two brothers had felt
their carriage pass。
The coachman stopped； but； however strongly his master urged
him； he refused to get off and save himself。
In an instant the carriage was hemmed in between those who
followed and those who met it。 It rose above the mass of
moving heads like a floating island。 But in another instant
it came to a dead stop。 A blacksmith had with his hammer
struck down one of the horses； which fell in the traces。
At this moment； the shutter of a window opened； and
disclosed the sallow face and the dark eyes of the young
man； who with intense interest watched the scene which was
preparing。 Behind him appeared the head of the officer；
almost as pale as himself。
〃Good heavens； Monseigneur； what is going on there？〃
whispered the officer。
〃Something very terrible； to a certainty；〃 replied the
other。
〃Don't you see； Monseigneur； they are dragging the Grand
Pensionary from the carriage； they strike him； they tear him
to pieces！〃
〃Indeed； these people must certainly be prompted by a most
violent indignation；〃 said the young marl； with the same
impassible tone which he had preserved all along。
〃And here is Cornelius； whom they now likewise drag out of
the carriage； Cornelius； who is already quite broken and
mangled by the torture。 Only look； look！〃
〃Indeed； it is Cornelius； and no mistake。〃
The officer uttered a feeble cry； and turned his head away；
the brother of the Grand Pensionary； before having set foot
on the ground； whilst still on the bottom step of the
carriage； was struck down with an iron bar which broke his
skull。 He rose once more； but immediately fell again。
Some fellows then seized him by the feet； and dragged him
into the crowd； into the middle of which one might have
followed his bloody track； and he was soon closed in among
the savage yells of malignant exultation。
The young man a thing which would have been thought
impossible grew even paler than before； and his eyes were
for a moment veiled behind the lids。
The officer saw this sign of compassion； and； wishing to
avail himself of this softened tone of his feelings；
continued；
〃Come； come； Monseigneur； for here they are also going to
murder the Grand Pensionary。〃
But the young man had already opened his eyes again。
〃To be sure；〃 he said。 〃These people are really implacable。
It does no one good to offend them。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 said the officer； 〃may not one save this poor
man； who has been your Highness's instructor？ I