IN WHICH A GREAT DEAL OF LOYALTY IS SHOWN TO COUNTERBALANCE THE TREASON
OF VANSLYPERKEN.
We must not, however, forget the syndic and the widow Vandersloosh, whom
we left in confinement at Amsterdam. We left Mynheer Krause smoking his
pipe, and showing to those about him how great a great man always proves
himself when under adversity. The widow also, had she performed in
public, would have been acknowledged to have been a great, woman. She
could not but lament the present, for she was on the floor of a dungeon,
so she occasionally wrung her hands; but she looked forward to the
future, and to better times, not abandoning herself to despair, but
comforting, herself with hope, as might have been clearly proved by her
constant repetition of these words: "Well, well, Mr Vanslyperken, we
shall see."
That the night appeared long to both parties is not to be denied, but
the longest night will have its end, so long as the world continues to
turn round; the consequence was, that the morning came as usual to the
syndic, although the widow, from the peculiarity of her situation, had
not the same advantage.
After morning comes breakfast, in the natural order of mundane affairs,
and kings, being but men, and subject to the same wants as other
mortals, his majesty, King William, sat down, and dispatched a very
hasty meal, in company with his Grace the Duke of Portland, and the
Right Honourable the Lord Albemarle. History does not record, as it
sometimes does in works of this description, by what viands his
majesty's appetite was stimulated; we must therefore pass it over, and,
as his majesty did on that occasion, as soon as breakfast was over,
proceed to business.
"Have you received information, my Lord Albemarle, how many of the
conspirators have been seized?"
"May it please your majesty, I am sorry to inform you, that all who were
innocent have been imprisoned, and all who were guilty have escaped."
Upon this intelligence his majesty looked very grave.
"How do you mean, my lord?" said he, after a pause.
"The conspirators have all received some friendly notice, and the only
two who are in custody are the syndic, Mynheer Krause, and the woman who
keeps the Lust Haus."
"And you put the syndic down as an innocent person, my lord!"
"If your majesty will be pleased to read this communication," replied
Lord Albemarle, presenting Ramsay's letter and enclosures, "you will
then be of my opinion."
King William took the letter and read it. "What Ramsay--he who was
attainted with Sir Robert Barclay?"
"The same, your majesty."
"So near us, and escaped--but what credence would you place in him?"
"Every credence, may it please your majesty. I believe him to be
incapable of a lie."
"A traitor like him!"
"A traitor to your majesty, but most true to his Catholic majesty, King
James that was. But if I venture to point out to your majesty, the
enclosures prove that Lieutenant Vanslyperken's word is not of much
value. He, at least, is a double traitor."
"Yes, a little hanging will do him no harm--you are sure this is his
writing?"
"There can be no doubt of it, your majesty, I have compared it."
"You will see to this, my lord: and now to the syndic."
"He has, as your majesty will perceive, been grossly deceived, and
suspected without reason."
"And the woman--"
"Was here yesterday, and fully convinced me that Vanslyperken was a
traitor, and that she was innocent. His Grace of Portland was present."
"Well, my lord, you may give orders for their release; of course a
little surveillance will be advisable. You will justify the proceedings
to the council this afternoon."
"But may I presume to submit to your majesty that the public affront
offered to the syndic should be repaired?"
"Certainly--send for him," replied his majesty, carelessly. "I will
receive him to-morrow morning;" and his majesty left the room.
Lord Albemarle immediately dispatched a courier with an order for the
release of the syndic and the Frau Vandersloosh, with a note to the
former, stating that his majesty would receive him on the following day
at noon. But while this act of justice had been preparing at the palace
of the Hague, there were other acts, not quite so justifiable,
performing at the town of Amsterdam.
The sun made its appearance more than an hour before the troops of the
royal guard. Mobs were collected in knots in the street, and in front
of the Hotel de Ville, or Stadt House, and the object of their meeting
was to canvass the treason and imprisonment of the syndic, Mynheer Van
Krause. "Shame--shame,"--"Death to the traitor,"--"Tear him to
pieces,"--and "Long life to King William," were the first solitary
remarks made--the noise and hubbub increased. The small knots of people
gradually joined together, until they formed a large mob, all burning
with loyalty, and each individual wishing to give a practical evidence
of it--again were the cries of "Long live the king!" and "Death to
traitors!" to be heard, with loud huzzas. A confused din followed, and
the mob appeared, as if simultaneously, to be all impelled in one
direction. At last the word was given, which they all waited for. "To
his house--to his house--down with it--death to the traitor!" and the
loyal mob hastened on, each individual eager to be first to prove his
loyalty, by helping himself to Mynheer Krause's goods and chattels.
In the Low Countries, this species of loyalty always has been and is now
very much the fashion. In ten minutes, the gates were forced open--old
Koops knocked down, and trod under foot till he was dead--every article
of value that was portable was secured; chairs, tables, glasses, not
portable, were thrown out of the window; Wilhelmina's harp and
pianoforte battered to fragments; beds, bedding, everything flew about
in the air, and then the fragments of the furniture were set fire to,
and in less than an hour, Mynheer Krause's splendid house was burning
furiously, while the mob cheered and cried, "Long live King William!"
Before the courier could arrive from the Hague, all that was left of Mr
Krause's property was the bare walls. Merchandise, everything was
consumed, and part of the building had fallen into the canal and choked
it up, while fifteen schuyts, waiting to be discharged of their cargoes,
had been obliged to retreat from the fury of the flames, the phlegmatic
skippers looking on with their pipes in their mouths, and their hands in
their wide breeches-pockets.
The loyal mob, having effected their object, gradually retired. It is
singular that popular feeling is always expressed in the same way. Had
the mob collected for disloyal purposes, they would have shown their
disloyalty just in the like manner, only it would have been the Stadt
House instead of that of Mynheer Krause.
But now there was a fresh impetus given to the feelings of the mob. The
news had been spread like wildfire, that Mynheer the syndic had been
proved innocent, and ordered to be immediately liberated, and was sent
for by his majesty; upon which, the mob were undecided whether they
should prove their indignation, at this unjust imprisonment of their
worthy magistrate, by setting fire to some public building, or by
carrying him in triumph to his own house, which they forgot they had
burnt down. Fortunately they decided upon the latter: they surrounded
the Stadt House with cries of "Long life to our worthy syndic--
prosperity to Mynheer Krause," and rushing up-stairs, they caught him in
their arms, and carried him triumphantly through the streets, bringing
him at last to the smoking ruins of his own house, and there they left
him; they had done all they could, they had carried him there in
triumph, but, as for building the house up again, that was impossible
so, as Mynheer Krause looked with dismay at the wreck of all his
property, the loyal mob dispersed, each feeling that he had been a
little too hasty in possessing himself of a small share of it. What a
fine thing is loyalty! Mynheer Krause found himself alone; he looked
with scorn and indignation upon the scene of violence, and then walked
away to an hotel, particularly disgusted with the loyal cry of "Long
live King William."
In the meantime, the door of the dungeon where the widow Vandersloosh
was incarcerated was thrown open, and she was informed that she was no
longer a prisoner. The widow, indignant that she should have been
confined for her loyalty raved and walked majestically out of the Stadt
House, not deigning to answer to the compliments offered to her by some
of the inferior officers. Her bosom swelled with indignation, and she
was determined to tell his majesty a bit of her mind, if she should
obtain access to him; and the next day she took the trouble to go all
the way to the Hague, again to see his majesty; but his majesty wasn't
at home, and Lord Albemarle to whom she sent in, was indisposed, and his
Grace the Duke of Portland was particularly engaged; so the widow had
the journey for nothing, and she declared to Babette, that she never
would put her foot under the palace roof again as long as she lived.
But, although Madam Vandersloosh was not received at court that day, the
syndic Mynheer Krause was; when he sent in his name, Lord Albemarle led
the syndic by the hand to his majesty.
"We have been too hasty, Mynheer Krause," said his majesty, with a
gracious smile.
Mynheer bowed low.
"I regret to hear that the populace in their loyalty have burnt down
your house, Mr Krause--they were too hasty."
Mynheer Krause made another low bow.
"You will continue your office of syndic of the town of Amsterdam."
"Pardon me, your majesty," replied Mynheer Krause respectfully, but
firmly, "I have obeyed your summons to appear in your presence, but will
request that your majesty will release me from the burden. I have come
to lay my chain and staff of office at your majesty's feet, it being my
intention to quit the town."
"You are too hasty, Mynheer Krause," replied his majesty with
displeasure.
"May it please your majesty," replied Krause, "he who has been confined
as a prisoner in the Stadt House, is not fit to exercise his duties
there as a judge. I have served your majesty many years with the utmost
zeal and fidelity. In return, I have been imprisoned and my property
destroyed. I must now return to a station more suitable to my present
condition, and once more, with every assurance of loyalty, I beg to be
permitted to lay my insignia of office at your majesty's feet."
Mynheer Krause suited the action to the word. The king frowned and
turned away to the window, and Mynheer Krause, perceiving that his
majesty's back was turned upon him, walked out of the door.
"Too hasty!" thought Mynheer Krause. "I am loyal and thrown into
prison, and am expected to be satisfied with the plea of being too
hasty. My house is burnt down, and the plundering mob have been too
hasty. Well--well--it is fortunate I took Ramsay's advice: my house and
what was in it was a trifle; but if all my gold at Hamburg and
Frankfort, and in the charge of Ramsay had been there, and I had been
made a beggar, all the satisfaction I should have received would have
been a smile, and the excuse of being too hasty. I wonder where my
daughter and Ramsay are? I long to join them."
From which mental soliloquy, it will be evident to the render, that
Mynheer Krause's loyalty had been considerably diminished, perhaps
thinking that he had paid too dear for the commodity.
Upon his return, Mynheer Krause publicly announced that he had resigned
the office of syndic, much to the astonishment of those who heard of it,
and much to the delight of his very particular friend Engelback, who,
the next morning, set off for the Hague, and had an interview with his
Grace the Duke of Portland, the result of which was, that upon grounds
best known to the parties, for history will not reveal everything,
Mynheer Engelback was recommended to fill the office of syndic of the
town of Amsterdam, vacant by the resignation of Mynheer Krause; and that
in consequence of this, all those who took off their hats to Mynheer
Krause but two days before, and kept them on when they met Mynheer
Engelback, now kept them on when they met Mynheer Krause, and pulled
them off very politely to Mynheer Krause's very particular friend,
Mynheer Engelback.