man； who has been your Highness's instructor？ If there be
any means； name it； and if I should perish in the attempt
〃
William of Orange for he it was knit his brows in a
very forbidding manner； restrained the glance of gloomy
malice which glistened in his half…closed eye； and answered；
〃Captain Van Deken； I request you to go and look after my
troops； that they may be armed for any emergency。〃
〃But am I to leave your Highness here； alone； in the
presence of all these murderers？〃
〃Go； and don't you trouble yourself about me more than I do
myself；〃 the Prince gruffly replied。
The officer started off with a speed which was much less
owing to his sense of military obedience than to his
pleasure at being relieved from the necessity of witnessing
the shocking spectacle of the murder of the other brother。
He had scarcely left the room； when John who； with an
almost superhuman effort； had reached the stone steps of a
house nearly opposite that where his former pupil concealed
himself began to stagger under the blows which were
inflicted on him from all sides； calling out；
〃My brother！ where is my brother？〃
One of the ruffians knocked off his hat with a blow of his
clenched fist。
Another showed to him his bloody hands； for this fellow had
ripped open Cornelius and disembowelled him； and was now
hastening to the spot in order not to lose the opportunity
of serving the Grand Pensionary in the same manner； whilst
they were dragging the dead body of Cornelius to the gibbet。
John uttered a cry of agony and grief； and put one of his
hands before his eyes。
〃Oh； you close your eyes； do you？〃 said one of the soldiers
of the burgher guard； 〃well； I shall open them for you。〃
And saying this he stabbed him with his pike in the face；
and the blood spurted forth。
〃My brother！〃 cried John de Witt； trying to see through the
stream of blood which blinded him； what had become of
Cornelius； 〃my brother； my brother！〃
〃Go and run after him！〃 bellowed another murderer； putting
his musket to his temples and pulling the trigger。
But the gun did not go off。
The fellow then turned his musket round； and； taking it by
the barrel with both hands； struck John de Witt down with
the butt…end。 John staggered and fell down at his feet； but；
raising himself with a last effort； he once more called out；
〃My brother！〃 with a voice so full of anguish that the young
man opposite closed the shutter。
There remained little more to see； a third murderer fired a
pistol with the muzzle to his face； and this time the shot
took effect； blowing out his brains。 John de Witt fell to
rise no more。
On this； every one of the miscreants； emboldened by his
fall； wanted to fire his gun at him； or strike him with
blows of the sledge…hammer； or stab him with a knife or
swords； every one wanted to draw a drop of blood from the
fallen hero； and tear off a shred from his garments。
And after having mangled； and torn； and completely stripped
the two brothers； the mob dragged their naked and bloody
bodies to an extemporised gibbet； where amateur executioners
hung them up by the feet。
Then came the most dastardly scoundrels of all； who not
having dared to strike the living flesh； cut the dead in
pieces； and then went about the town selling small slices of
the bodies of John and Cornelius at ten sous a piece。
We cannot take upon ourselves to say whether； through the
almost imperceptible chink of the shutter； the young man
witnessed the conclusion of this shocking scene； but at the
very moment when they were hanging the two martyrs on the
gibbet he passed through the terrible mob； which was too
much absorbed in the task； so grateful to its taste； to take
any notice of him； and thus he reached unobserved the
Tol…Hek； which was still closed。
〃Ah！ sir；〃 said the gatekeeper； 〃do you bring me the key？〃
〃Yes； my man； here it is。〃
〃It is most unfortunate that you did not bring me that key
only one quarter of an hour sooner；〃 said the gatekeeper；
with a sigh。
〃And why that？〃 asked the other。
〃Because I might have opened the gate to Mynheers de Witt；
whereas； finding the gate locked； they were obliged to
retrace their steps。〃
〃Gate！ gate！〃 cried a voice which seemed to be that of a man
in a hurry。
The Prince； turning round； observed Captain Van Deken。
〃Is that you； Captain？〃 he said。 〃You are not yet out of the
Hague？ This is executing my orders very slowly。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 replied the Captain； 〃this is the third gate
at which I have presented myself； the other two were
closed。〃
〃Well； this good man will open this one for you； do it； my
friend。〃
The last words were addressed to the gatekeeper； who stood
quite thunderstruck on hearing Captain Van Deken addressing
by the title of Monseigneur this pale young man； to whom he
himself had spoken in such a familiar way。
As it were to make up for his fault； he hastened to open the
gate； which swung creaking on its hinges。
〃Will Monseigneur avail himself of my horse？〃 asked the
Captain。
〃I thank you； Captain； I shall use my own steed； which is
waiting for me close at hand。〃
And taking from his pocket a golden whistle； such as was
generally used at that time for summoning the servants； he
sounded it with a shrill and prolonged call； on which an
equerry on horseback speedily made his appearance； leading
another horse by the bridle。
William； without touching the stirrup； vaulted into the
saddle of the led horse； and； setting his spurs into its
flanks； started off for the Leyden road。 Having reached it；
he turned round and beckoned to the Captain who was far
behind； to ride by his side。
〃Do you know；〃 he then said； without stopping； 〃that those
rascals have killed John de Witt as well as his brother？〃
〃Alas！ Monseigneur；〃 the Captain answered sadly； 〃I should
like it much better if these two difficulties were still in
your Highness's way of becoming de facto Stadtholder of
Holland。〃
〃Certainly； it would have been better；〃 said William； 〃if
what did happen had not happened。 But it cannot be helped
now； and we have had nothing to do with it。 Let us push on；
Captain； that we may arrive at Alphen before the message
which the States…General are sure to send to me to the
camp。〃
The Captain bowed； allowed the Prince to ride ahead and； for
the remainder of the journey； kept at the same respectful
distance as he had done before his Highness called him to
his side。
〃How I should wish；〃 William of Orange malignantly muttered
to himself； with a dark frown and setting the spurs to his
horse； 〃to see the figure which Louis will cut when he is
apprised of the manner in which his dear friends De Witt
have been served！ Oh thou Sun！ thou Sun！ as truly as I am
called William the Silent； thou Sun； thou hadst best look to
thy rays！〃
And the young Prince； the relentless rival of the Great
King； sped away upon his fiery steed； this future
Stadtholder who had been but the day before very uncertainly
established in his new power； but for whom the burghers of
the Hague had built a staircase with the bodies of John and
Cornelius； two princes as noble as he in the eyes of God and man。
Chapter 5
The Tulip…fancier and his Neighbour
Whilst the burghers of the Hague were tearing in pieces the
bodies of John and Cornelius de Witt； and whilst William of
Orange； after having made sure that his two antagonists were
really dead； was galloping over the Leyden road； followed by
Captain van Deken； whom he found a little too compassionate
to honour him any longer with his confidence； Craeke； the
faithful servant； mounted on a good horse； and little
suspecting what terrible events had taken place since his
departure； proceeded along the high road lined with trees；
until he was clear of the town and the neighbouring
villages。
Being once safe； he left his horse at a livery stable in
order not to arouse suspicion； and tranquilly continued his
journey on the canal…boats； which conveyed him by easy
stages to Dort； pursuing their way under skilful guidance by
the shortest possible routes through the windings of the
river； which held in its watery embrace so many enchanting
little islands； edged with willows and rushes； and abounding
in luxurious vegetation； whereon flocks of fat sheep browsed
in peaceful sleepiness。 Craeke from afar off recognised
Dort； the smiling city； at the foot of a hill dotted with
windmills。 He saw the fine red brick houses； mortared in
white lines； standing on the edge of the water； and their
balconies； open towards the river； decked out with silk
tapestry embroidered with gold flowers； the wonderful
manufacture of India and China； and near these brilliant
stuffs； large lines set to catch the voracious eels； which
are attracted towards the houses by the garbage thrown every
day from the kitchens into the river。
Craeke； standing on the deck of the boat； saw； across the
moving sails of the windmills； on the slope of the hill； the
red and pink house which wa