JACQUELINE RESPONDS TO AN URGENT SUMMONS
Since the great dyke had been pierced an entire week had elapsed.
Stout-hearted Admiral Boisot had expected to find the Land-scheiding the
only barrier between his fleet and the city. But no sooner had this been
passed than he discovered to his surprise and disgust that several more
dykes and fortresses stood between himself and the goal. Three-quarters
of a mile farther on was the "Green-way," another long dyke rising a
foot above the water. But the Spaniards had not yet sufficiently learned
their lesson, and this barrier also was very scantily guarded.
With his usual promptness and audacity, Boisot carried this situation,
set his men to levelling the dyke, and the fleet passed through
triumphantly. But again he was doomed to disappointment. Beyond the
"Green-way" stretched a large shallow lake called "Freshwater Mere"
through which there was but one passage, a deep canal. As fortune would
have it, however, this canal led directly under a bridge that was in
possession of the Spaniards. This time the enemy had looked well to its
defences, and a few skirmishes soon convinced Boisot that the foe had
the advantage of him. So he prudently drew off and waited.
Only two and a half miles from the beleaguered city lay the rescuing
fleet stranded in shallow water, unable to progress an inch. The east
wind blew steadily, the waters decreased and the Spaniards laughed in
their faces. Within the city reigned a despair all the blacker for the
brief illumination of hope that had now died. But God had not yet
forsaken the cause of the right.
On the eighteenth of September the wind changed, a great gale raged for
three days out of the northwest, the waters rose rapidly, and the
vessels were again afloat. Fortunately too, from some fugitives from one
of the villages, who had come aboard, Boisot learned of another course
he could pursue, a little roundabout indeed, but having the advantage of
avoiding the terrible, guarded bridge. He lost no time in availing
himself of this, and the amazed Spaniards at the village of Nord Aa
suddenly beheld this fear-inspiring flotilla bearing down upon them from
an entirely unexpected direction. They fled precipitately, not even
stopping to gather up their possessions, to the strongly fortified
village of Zoeterwoude, only a mile and three-quarters from the city.
A little beyond Nord Aa, Boisot encountered the last dyke, the
"Kirk-way." This he promptly levelled, but the wind had again changed,
the water fell to the depth of only nine inches, and the fleet lay once
more helpless in its shallows. Day by day passed and nothing occurred to
alter the monotony of this inaction. But one circumstance took place
which filled the Sea Beggars with renewed courage and inspired universal
joy. The Prince of Orange, now recovered sufficiently from his long
illness to be about, came on board the "_Ark of Delft_," to grasp the
hand of the doughty Admiral. From thence he made a triumphal tour of all
the vessels, instilling into every heart fresh courage, cheering,
advising and directing. He looked pale and worn after his illness, and
his devoted veterans, even these fierce Sea Beggars, were ready to fall
at his feet and obey his lightest command. After a long and serious
conference with Boisot, he returned to Delft.
Meanwhile, what of Jacqueline, upon the messages borne by whose carrier
pigeons the whole city hung with breathless expectation? Since the
passing of the Land-scheiding she had continued to carry constant
messages to Van der Werf, for every time the Admiral gained a new
advantage, he hastened to despatch another pigeon, for the
encouragement of Leyden. Everyone who was not too weak with hunger to
walk, haunted the summit of Hengist Hill to watch the advance of the
rescuers. It filled their hearts with new courage to note how small a
space the besieging army was now forced to occupy,--only a ring little
more than a mile wide all about the city, with the threatening ocean and
a crew of desperate Sea Beggars on one side, and the hunger-maddened
populace of Leyden in the center. The situation was certainly becoming a
trifle embarrassing for the Spanish army!
Jacqueline occasionally went to Hengist Hill with Jan, who was now able
to get about quite briskly. Dr. de Witt insisted that she must get out
and take fresh air and exercise, and he was always willing to sit with
Vrouw Voorhaas while she was away. They never allowed the girl to go far
alone, for all yet feared the threat of Dirk Willumhoog to entrap her as
well as her brother, and took care that she was well guarded. Vrouw
Voorhaas had also made decided improvement but was yet unable to leave
her bed. The excessive weakness caused by her long self-denial and its
consequences, seemed almost impossible to overcome. Her constant
inquiries about Gysbert too, were becoming more and more difficult to
answer, though they still kept up the fiction that he was quartered with
Dr. de Witt during her illness. Sometimes it seemed as though she
watched them all with hidden suspicion, and once she even murmured:
"I fear he is not safe! Something tells me he is in danger!" On the
night when the fleet reached Nord Aa a pigeon flew in bearing the
tidings. Jacqueline found him, for she was constantly on the watch for
messages, but since it was nearly nine o'clock, it was deemed best that
Jan should carry the word to the burgomaster. The doctor had just left
not five minutes before, and Jan hobbled off to execute his mission
leaving Jacqueline with Vrouw Voorhaas. The girl sat reading by the sick
bed, casting an occasional glance at her patient who was sound asleep.
Presently, thinking she heard a knock at the door, she closed her book
and hurried downstairs.
"'Tis early for Jan to be back," she thought. "He has but just left, and
I know he will want to stay and chat awhile with Mynheer Van der Werf.
Who can it be!" Some indefinable sensation of misgiving caused her to be
a little long about opening the door. She was reassured, however, by
seeing only a small boy who thrust a note into her hand, and turning ran
down the street. She called to him to come back as there might be an
answer required, but the child apparently did not hear her, and was soon
out of sight. Wonderingly she brought the scrap of paper to the
candle-light and read its contents.
"Juffrouw Jacqueline, (it ran):--
"If thou wouldst hear news of thy brother, and dost also desire a
chance to rescue him, I beg thee to come to the end of the
Wirtemstrasse at once. Do not waste a moment, for the opportunity
is but brief. The messenger there can only wait fifteen minutes.
Thy brother sends his love.
"One who is thy friend."
Jacqueline flushed with joy and then turned deathly pale. Hope, doubt
and distrust reigned equally in her mind. News of Gysbert!--a chance to
rescue him!--she would go to the end of the world for that! But why had
not the writer of the note signed his name? Why had the little boy who
brought it run away so quickly? Oh, if Jan or Dr. de Witt were only here
to advise her! Oh, if there were but more time! She glanced at the note
again. It said--"Come immediately. The messenger has but fifteen minutes
to wait." Fifteen minutes! _One_ had gone already, while it would take
at least ten to reach the appointed spot. Only four minutes in which to
decide! But she had been forbidden to go out alone, especially at
night. That she concluded would not interfere if they knew that
Gysbert's welfare hung upon it. The girl was on a positive rack of
torturing doubt, but the note again conquered. "Thy brother sends his
love." Gysbert was then at least alive and safe, and was thinking of
her? "One who is thy friend."--Surely, no one who wished her evil could
subscribe that signature! If it were a _friend_ she need fear no harm.
Then and there she formed her determination to risk all and obey this
summons. God would surely watch over her!
Catching up a light wrap she opened and closed the door softly, and sped
down the dark street. The night was starless and chilly; the few people
she met were hurrying in the opposite direction to witness the
conflagration at Nord Aa from Hengist Hill. Her way lay in the direction
of the city wall between the Cow Gate and the Tower of Burgundy. It was
a deserted section, and approaching it, she recognized it as the scene
of Gysbert's adventure in the canal. A shudder of apprehension shook her
but she hurried on. It was do or die now, and nothing could have induced
her to turn back.
Reaching the end of the Wirtemstrasse, she found herself at the bend of
the canal described by Gysbert. A meadow stretched out before her, and
beyond that rose a section of the grim wall of Leyden. There was not a
soul in sight, and the girl began to think that in some way she had been
deceived. Concluding, however, that she might possibly be a little ahead
of time, she leaned over the rail of the stone bridge that crossed the
canal, and waited.
[Illustration: Dirk Willumhoog seizes Jacqueline]
Suddenly, without a warning sound, she felt herself seized from behind.
Before she could even cry out, a bandage was clapped over her mouth and
fastened at the back of her head. Instantly another was bound over her
eyes and her hands were tied behind her in spite of her desperate
struggles. In all this time she had not caught one glimpse of her
captor, but she heard a rough voice mutter: "Ah!--I have thee at last! I
have waited long enough for a chance to find thee unguarded by those two
watchdogs!" And she knew it to be the voice of Dirk Willumhoog!
"Now walk with me and do exactly as I tell thee, if thou dost not wish
to be knocked in the head!" the voice commanded in a low key. In utter
despair Jacqueline was forced to obey, there being obviously no other
course to pursue. The man grasped her by one arm and pulled her along
after him. She could tell by the feeling of the ground that they were
crossing the meadow, and anticipating what was to come, she trembled
till her knees almost refused to support her. Presently she stepped up
to her ankles in a pool of water.
"Draw a long breath and hold it!" commanded the voice. She tried to do
as she was told, when with a sudden plunge she was immersed head and
all, for what seemed an interminable length of time. At last she felt
her head raised above the surface. "Keep it up--so!" was the order. The
icy current more than once forced her from her feet, causing her to slip
under, and the atmosphere of the place struck a chill to her very
marrow. Once again the ground gave way beneath her, and she felt the
man's strong arm pulling her after him, while he swam in water too deep
for wading.
But the girl's senses could no longer stand the strain of cold, fatigue
and terror, and at this point she suddenly became unconscious. How the
rest of the journey was accomplished she could never imagine, for she
knew no more till she came to herself in what seemed to be some sort of
narrow hallway. A door was opened and she was rudely thrust inside with
the exclamation: "There!--at length!--I thought I should never get thee
here!" Then the door was slammed to, and loudly bolted.
REUNITED