IN WHICH MR. VANSLYPERKEN PROVES HIS LOYALTY AND HIS FIDELITY TO KING
WILLIAM.
Mr Vanslyperken hastened from his inglorious conflict, maddened with
rage and disappointment. He returned on board, went down into his
cabin, and threw himself on his bed. His hopes and calculations had
been so brilliant--rid of his enemy Smallbones--with gold in possession,
and more in prospect, to be so cruelly deceived by the widow--the
cockatrice. Then by one to whom he fully confided, and who knew too
many of his secrets already--Corporal Van Spitter--he too!--and to dare
to aspire to the widow--it was madness--and then their knowledge of his
treason--the corporal having witnessed his receiving the gold--with such
bitter enemies, what could he expect but a halter?--he felt it even now
round his neck; and Vanslyperken groaned in the bitterness of his
spirit.
In the meantime, there was a consultation between the widow and the
corporal as to the best method of proceeding. That the corporal could
expect nothing but the most determined hostility from Vanslyperken was
certain; but for this the corporal cared little, as he had all the crew
of the cutter on his side, and he was in his own person too high in rank
to be at the mercy of Vanslyperken.
After many pros and cons, and at least a dozen bottles of beer--for the
excitement on the part of the corporal, and the exertion of the widow,
had made them both dry--it was resolved that the Frau Vandersloosh
should demand an audience at the Hague the next morning, and should
communicate the treasonable practices of Mr Vanslyperken, calling upon
the corporal as a witness to the receipt of the money from the Jesuit.
"Mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, striking his bull forehead as if a
new thought had required being forced out, "but they will ask me how I
came there myself, and what shall I say?"
"Say that the Jesuit-father had sent for you to try and seduce you to do
his treason, but that you would not consent."
"Mein Gott! yes--that will do."
The corporal then returned on board, but did not think it worth while to
report himself to Mr Vanslyperken.
Mr Vanslyperken had also been thinking over the matter, and in what way
he should be able to escape from the toils prepared for him. That the
widow would immediately inform the authorities he was convinced. How
was he to get out of his scrape?
Upon mature reflection, he decided that it was to be done. He had
copies of all Ramsay's letters, and those addressed to him, and the last
delivered were very important. _Now_, his best plan would be to set off
for the Hague early the next morning--demand an interview with one of
the ministers, or even his majesty himself--state that he had been
offered money from the Jacobite party to carry their letters, and that,
with a view to serve his majesty by finding out their secrets, he had
consented to do it, and had taken the money to satisfy them that he was
sincere. That he had opened the letters and copied them, and that now,
as the contents were important, he had thought it right to make them
immediately known to the Government, and at the same time to bring the
money received for the service, to be placed at his majesty's disposal.
"Whether she is before or after me," thought Vanslyperken, "it will then
be little matter, all I shall have to fear will be from Ramsay and his
party; but the Government will be bound to protect me."
There certainly was much wisdom in this plan of Vanslyperken; it was the
only one which could have been attended with success, or with any chance
of it.
Mr Vanslyperken was up at daylight, and dressed in his best uniform; he
put in his pocket all the copies of the Jacobite correspondence, and
went on shore--hired a calash, for he did not know how to ride, and set
off for the Hague, where he arrived about ten o'clock. He sent up his
name, and requested an audience of the Duke of Portland, as an officer
commanding one of his majesty's vessels; he was immediately admitted.
"What is your pleasure, Mr Vanslyperken?" said the duke, who was
standing at the table, in company with Lord Albemarle.
Vanslyperken was a little confused--he muttered, and stammered about
anxiety, and loyalty, and fidelity, and excess of zeal, etcetera.
No wonder he stammered, for he was talking of what he he knew nothing
about; but these two noblemen recollecting his confusion when presented
to his sovereign on board of the frigate, made allowances.
"I have at last," cried Vanslyperken, with more confidence, "been able
to discover the plots of the Jacobites, your grace."
"Indeed! Mr Vanslyperken," replied the duke, smiling incredulously,
"and pray what may they be? you must be as expeditious as possible, for
his majesty is waiting for us."
"These letters will take some time to read," replied Vanslyperken; "but
their contents are most important."
"Indeed! letters--how have you possession of their letters?"
"It will be rather a long story, sir--my lord! I mean," replied
Vanslyperken; "but they will amply repay an hour of your time, if you
can spare it."
At this moment the door opened, and his majesty entered the room. At
the sight of the king, Vanslyperken's confidence was again taking French
leave.
"My lords, I am waiting for you," said the king, with a little asperity
of manner.
"May it please your majesty, here is Lieutenant Vanslyperken, commanding
one of your majesty's vessels, who states that he has important
intelligence, and that he has possession of Jacobite papers."
"Indeed!" replied King William, who was always alive to Jacobite
plotting, from which he had already run so much risk.
"What is it, Mr Vanslyperken? speak boldly what you have to
communicate."
"Your majesty, I beg your gracious pardon, but here are copies of the
correspondence carried on by the traitors in England and this country.
If your majesty will deign to have it read, you will then perceive how
important it is. After your majesty has read it, I will have the honour
to explain to you by what means it came into my possession."
King William was a man of business, and Vanslyperken had done wisely in
making this proposal. His majesty at once sat down, with the Duke of
Portland on one side, and Lord Albemarle on the other: the latter took
the letters, which were arranged according to their dates, and read them
in a clear, distinct voice.
As the reading went on, his majesty made memorandums and notes with his
pencil on a sheet of paper, but did not interrupt during the whole
progress of the lecture. When the last and most important was finished,
the two noblemen looked at his majesty, with countenances full of
meaning. For a few moments, his majesty drummed with the second and
third finger of his left hand upon the table, and then said--
"Pray, Mr Vanslyperken, how did you obtain possession of these papers
and letters, or make copies of these letters?"
Vanslyperken, who had been standing at the other side of the table
during the time of the reading, had anxiously watched the countenance of
his majesty and the two noblemen, and perceived that the intelligence
which the letters contained had created a strong feeling, as he
expected. With a certain degree of confidence, he commenced his
explanation.
He stated that the crew of the cutter had been accustomed to frequent
the Lust Haus of a certain widow Vandersloosh, and that he had made her
acquaintance, by several times going there to look after his seamen.
That this widow had often hinted to him, and at last proposed to him,
that he should take letters for some friends of hers--at last she had
told him plainly that it was for the Jacobite party, and he pretended,
to consent.
That he had been taken by her to the house of a Jesuit, 169, in the Bur
Street, nearly opposite to her Lust Haus, and that the Jesuit had given
him some letters and fifty guineas for his trouble.
He then stated that he had opened, copied, and re-sealed them: further,
that he had brought over one of the confederates, who was now residing
in the house of the syndic, Van Krause. That he should have made all
this known before, only that he waited till it was more important. That
the last letters appeared of such consequence, that he deemed it his
duty no longer to delay.
"You have done well, Mr Vanslyperken," replied his majesty.
"And played a bold game," observed Lord Albemarle, fixing his eyes upon
Vanslyperken. "Suppose you had been found out co-operating with
traitors, before you made this discovery?"
"I might have forfeited my life in my zeal," replied Mr Vanslyperken,
with adroitness; "but that is the duty of a king's officer."
"That is well said," observed the Duke of Portland.
"I have a few questions to put to you, Mr Vanslyperken," observed his
majesty.
"What is the cave they mention so often?"
"It is on the bank of the Isle of Wight, your majesty. I did not know
of its existence but from the letters--but I once laid a whole night in
the cove underneath it, to intercept the smugglers, upon information
that I had received; but the alarm was given, and they escaped."
"Who is their agent at Portsmouth?"
"A Jew of the name of Lazarus, residing in Little Orange Street, at the
back of the Point, your majesty."
"Do you know any of the names of the conspirators?"
"I do not, your majesty, except a woman, who is very active one Moggy
Salisbury--her husband, not a month back, was the boatswain of the
cutter, but by some interest or another, he has obtained his discharge."
"My Lord of Portland, take a memorandum to inquire who it was applied
for the discharge of that man. Mr Vanslyperken, you may retire--we
will call you in by-and-bye--you will be secret as to what has passed."
"I have one more duty to perform," replied Vanslyperken, taking some
rouleaus of gold out of his pocket; "this is the money received from the
traitors--it is not for a king's officer to have it in his possession."
"You are right, Mr Vanslyperken, but the gold of traitors is forfeited
to the crown, and it is now mine; you will accept it as a present from
your king."
Mr Vanslyperken took the gold from the table, made a bow, and retired
from the royal presence.
The reader will acknowledge that it was impossible to play his cards
better than Mr Vanslyperken had done in this interview, and that he
deserved great credit for his astute conduct. With such diplomatic
talents, he would have made a great prime minister.
"The council was ordered at twelve o'clock, my lords. These letters
must [be] produced. That they are genuine appears to me beyond a
doubt."
"That they are faithful copies, I doubt not," replied Lord Albemarle,
"but--"
"But what, my Lord Albemarle?"
"I very much suspect the fidelity of the copier--there is something
more, that has not been told, depend upon it."
"Why do you think so, my lord?"
"Because, your majesty, allowing that a man would act the part that Mr
Vanslyperken says that he has done to discover the conspiracy, still,
would he not naturally, to avoid any risk to himself, have furnished
Government with the first correspondence, and obtained their sanction
for prosecuting his plans? This officer has been employed for the last
two years or more in carrying the despatches to the Hague, and it must
at once strike your majesty, that a person who can, with such dexterity,
open the letters of others, can also open those of his own Government."
"That is true, my lord," replied his majesty, musing.
"Your majesty is well aware that suspicions were entertained of the
fidelity of the syndic, suspicions which the evidence of this officer
have verified. But why were these suspicions raised? Because he knew
of the Government secrets, and it was supposed he obtained them from
some one who is in our trust, but inimical to us and unworthy of the
confidence reposed in him.
"Your majesty's acuteness will at once perceive that the secrets may
have been obtained by Mynheer Krause by the same means as have been
resorted to, to obtain the secrets of the conspirators. I may be in
error, and if I do this officer wrong by my suspicions, may God forgive
me, but there is something in his looks which tells me--"
"What, my lord?"
"That he is a traitor to both parties, may it please your majesty."
"By the Lord, Albemarle, I think you have hit upon the truth," replied
the Duke of Portland.
"Of that we shall soon have proof--at present, we have to decide whether
it be advisable to employ him to discover more, or at once seize upon
the parties he has denounced. But that had better be canvassed in the
council-chamber. Come, my lords, they be waiting for us."
The affair was of too great importance not to absorb all other business,
and it was decided that the house of Mynheer Krause, and of the Jesuit,
and the widow Vandersloosh should be entered by the peace-officers, at
midnight, and that they and any of the conspirators who might be found
should be thrown into prison. That the cutter should be dispatched
immediately to England, with orders to seize all the other parties
informed against by Vanslyperken, and that a force should be sent to
attack the cave, and secure those who might be found there, with
directions to the admiral, that Mr Vanslyperken should be employed both
as a guide, and to give the assistance of the cutter and his crew.
These arrangements having been made, the council broke up, King William
had a conference with his two favourites, and Vanslyperken was sent for.
"Lieutenant Vanslyperken, we feel much indebted to you for your
important communications, and we shall not forget, in due time, to
reward your zeal and loyalty as it deserves. At present, it is
necessary that you sail for England as soon as our despatches are ready,
which will be before midnight; you will then receive your orders from
the admiral, at Portsmouth, and I have no doubt you will take the
opportunity of affording us fresh proofs of your fidelity and
attachment."
Mr Vanslyperken bowed humbly and retired, delighted with the successful
result of his manoeuvre, and with a gay heart he leaped into his calash,
and drove off.
"Yes, yes," thought he, "Madam Vandersloosh, you would betray me. We
shall see. Yes, yes, we shall see, Madam Vandersloosh."
And sure enough he did see Madam Vandersloosh, who in another calash was
driving to the palace, and who met him face to face.
Vanslyperken turned up his nose at her as he passed by, and the widow,
astonished at his presumption, thought, as she went on her way, "Well,
well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see: you may turn up your snivelling
nose, but stop till your head's in the halter--yes, Mr Vanslyperken,
stop till your head's in the halter."
We must leave Mr Vanslyperken to drive, and the widow Vandersloosh to
drive, while we drive on ourselves. The subsequent events of this
eventful day we will narrate in the following chapter.