utterly broken with grief and shame. She had never a doubt of his
innocency, and besought me with many tears and supplications to save
him. I had much ado to refrain from giving her positive assurance that
her son should not die; but I deemed it better for my purpose that she
should suffer ten days of suspense and anguish than that we should come
under any suspicion by reason of her serenity and ease of mind. I put
her off, therefore, with unsubstantial words of comfort. But my policy
was undone that same evening, for about the hour of supper there came to
the house a female figure close enshrouded in hood and cloak; and asking
speech with me, she was admitted to the chamber wherein I sat with the
widow lady, and casting off her hood revealed the wan, sorrowful face of
Mistress Jacqueline, the Burgomaster's daughter.
"Oh, sir," she cried, flinging herself upon her knees and clasping her
hands piteously, "oh, sir, save my lover! My father condemned him, but
he is, I know, the cat's-paw of wicked men. Sir, I beseech you, save my
lover!"
I raised her up, and my resolution utterly melted away. I did for the
sweetheart what I had refused to do for the mother, assuring her that
Jan Verhoeff should not die, I myself would prevent it; but it was
necessary, for the due punishment of those that conspired against him,
that none should so much as guess at anything being adventured on his
behalf. At this the women were mightily cheered, but the widow bore me
a grudge in that I had before withheld this solace from her; and I
cannot say but that I deserved it.
I had no certain plan for establishing the treason of Mynheer Volmar;
but I was resolved to keep a close watch upon him, deeming it likely
that in mere self-confidence he would take a false step. While with
exceeding care I held myself in the background, I contrived to learn all
that was requisite about his doings. On Sunday I made one of the throng
of spectators that witnessed his discharge of a single shot upon the
Spanish lines, the which, as the Captain of the Guard had told me, was
the charm whereby the city was protected for that day. I observed that
the shot was brought from the store by Volmar's own servant; Volmar
himself loaded the culverin, trained it, and set the match to the
touch-hole. The burghers, with their wives and children, looked on as
at a mystery, and when the shot fell upon some loose earth near the
trenches, casting up a cloud of dust, they nodded and smiled, and some
clapped their hands; and then they all went forthwith to church, Volmar
leading the way.
I was on the point of following them, thinking no little scorn of such
mummery as I had just witnessed, when, on casting my eye over the
parapet, I observed a Spaniard move slowly towards the spot where the
ball had fallen. He stood for a brief space as if contemplating the
effect wrought thereby, and then returned within the camp.
Now there was something in the Spaniard's mien that bred a certain doubt
in my mind. He had moved slowly, in the manner of a loiterer; and if
this was the true measure of his interest, why, I questioned within
myself, had he issued from the trenches at all, to observe the spot
where a ball had fallen harmlessly, as one had fallen many a Sunday
before? His demeanour was not that of a man truly curious. I sought in
my mind for some likely explanation of his strange action, and the more
I thought upon it, the more puzzled and suspicious I became. But there
was nothing to be done on the instant, so I spoke to the sentinel on the
parapet, bidding him acquaint me if he saw any further movement among
the Spaniards, and then I found the Captain of the Guard, whom I asked
to issue the same command to the men that should keep watch in turn for
the rest of the day.
At eventide, nothing having been reported to me, I resolved to go forth
myself so soon as it became dark and examine the place where the shot
had struck. It was an enterprise, I knew, that stood me in some danger,
for I might be captured by the Spaniards, or by the burgher guard on my
return, and this would bring me under suspicion, and was like to land me
in the selfsame nobble as that wherein Jan Verhoeff already lay. I
thought for a while of securing myself by acquainting the Captain of the
Guard aforehand with my purpose, but seeing that I could have given him
no reason for it save by making a clean breast of my suspicions, the
which I was loth to do, I held my peace, resolving to take my risk.
Jan Verhoeff had disclosed to me, when I spoke with him in the bailey,
the means whereby he had left the city. In the repairs that had been
made hastily in the wall battered by the enemy, timber had been
employed, and at one place there were two massy logs with a narrow space
between, through which he had squeezed himself, and so come within a few
spans of the moat. Thither I made my way by a roundabout course as soon
as it was dark, and, choosing a moment when no sentinel was within
hearing, I slipped into the moat, having left my boots at the foot of
the wall, and swam across as quietly as an otter might have done.
On coming to the other side I bent my body low, and crept towards the
Spanish lines, holding my dagger in my right hand. I had observed that
the shot fell within a short space of the end of a garden wall which had
been almost razed to the ground by the burghers' shots in the first hot
days of the leaguer. To the right of this stood the stump of a tree.
These were my landmarks, for the shot had come to earth somewhere
between the tree and the end of the wall. In the darkness I could not
hope to see the pit that the shot had made, but must find it by the
touch of my feet.
I crept along by the wall, noiseless in my stockings, and coming to the
end of it, bent myself yet lower and groped towards the tree. This I
attained without having made any discovery, whereupon I turned about and
went back, taking a course somewhat nearer to the moat, and so came
again to the wall, having discovered nothing. Yet once more I sought
the tree, now choosing a course nearer to the trenches, in which
direction I heard the dull murmur of voices, yet not so near as to cause
me any present disquietude; and so I groped along the ground until I
came to a little hollow, where I halted, thinking it a likely place.
There I dug away the earth with my hands, making no more noise than a
mouse, and anon my fingers struck upon something hard and cold and
round, the which, after a little more digging with hands and dagger, I
unearthed, and found to be a round shot, as I had hoped. With this in
my hands I stole along towards the shelter of the wall.
Hardly had I come there when I heard voices, somewhat louder than those
I had heard before, and immediately after footsteps, coming towards me.
I dare go no farther, but crouched behind the brickwork, which was no
more than three spans high, holding my breath, and peering over the
jagged edge of the wall. And I beheld three men as black blots moving
in the darkness towards the very spot I had lately left. One of the
three held a dark lantern, by whose light, turned from the city, the
others began to search the ground. I heard them utter words of
satisfaction when they came to the hole, and then I could not forbear
chuckling, for the men, probing with their pikes, and finding nothing,
let forth cries of astonishment, together with an oath or two. They
consulted one with another, and one proposed that they should search
around; but this the man that held the lantern scouted, declaring that
he had no manner of doubt the place where they then stood was the end of
their quest. Nevertheless his comrades prowled and probed, now to the
right, anon to the left, and once came so near me that I gripped my
dagger tight, ready to buy my safety with good steel. But they
withdrew, and stood for some while talking together of this strange
thing, and presently gat them back to their trenches, in marvellous
puzzlement.
[Illustration: I BEHELD THREE MEN AS BLACK BLOTS MOVING IN THE DARKNESS]
Thereupon I crept back to the moat, carrying the shot, and having swum
across and recovered my boots, the which I could not pull over my wet
stockings, I clambered up between the balks of timber, looked about to
certify myself the coast was clear, and hastened by the same circuit to
the widow's house.
There my servant was in wait for me, according to my bidding. I took
him to my room, and setting the round shot before him, commanded him to
examine it. He was a handy fellow, and had the rudiments of more trades
than one. It was not long before he discovered, in the surface of the
iron, a knob or boss, exceeding small, the which being touched, a narrow
channel was revealed, wherein lay a short tube of the thickness of a
finger.
"'Tis good locksmith's work, sir," he said with admiration, putting the
tube into my hand. I looked therein, and discovered a small roll of
paper, the which, upon my spreading it out, I saw was covered with
writing in the Spanish tongue, and in the very hand of Volmar, but with
no name either at head or at foot. I read the writing with a vast
curiosity and eagerness, and what I read was this--
"_The victuals will last but one week longer. One of my foes will be
hanged; the Englishman I go about to remove. Attack the wall over
against the market. I vouch that in ten days the city will yield._"
Here was proof of as pretty a piece of villainy as the mind of man could
conceive. Verhoeff was to be hanged; I myself to be removed; the wall
over against the market was that which the Burgomaster had in charge,
and the attack was to be directed thereupon with the intent to harass
him and bring him to a frame of mind meet for surrender. A pretty plot
indeed, and one that I rejoiced to have the means of circumventing.
I dismissed my servant and sat myself down to consider my ways. 'Twas
necessary to my purpose that Volmar should be utterly confounded. I
could brook no chance of his wriggling out of the full exposure of his
guilt. Wherefore it seemed to me inexpedient that I should at once carry
the traitorous letter to the council, for he had many friends therein,
whom he might easily persuade that the writing was but a cunning
imitation of his own, done by myself out of the despite and enmity I
bore him; nor indeed could I explain how I had come by the paper, but by
owning that I had gone from the city without authority, a thing he would
find means to twist to my disadvantage. The end of my cogitation was
that I resolved still to bide my time, not doubting that within the week
something would happen to point my road clearly.
When I went abroad next day I perceived that black care had seized upon
the people. The scarcity of victuals was known of all, and as the
meaner folk felt the pinch of hunger more dearly they broke forth into
murmurs and complaints. Dark looks were cast upon me as I took my way
to the council chamber, and still darker met me there. Mindful of
Volmar's intent to have me removed, I looked for some instant charge to
be brought against me, as though I were a Jonah in the city; but nought
was said openly, and I concluded that I must be on my guard against some
secret machination--a knife in my back, or a stray bullet did I but show
myself upon the ramparts. I was heedful, therefore, that day and the
days succeeding, to go only in the middle of the street, and to keep
within the house after nightfall, not deeming it any mark of valour to
jeopardize the happiness of three good folk and the safety of the city
by running into any needless danger.
As day followed day, I became aware that the people's discontent and
queasiness was being fomented by the agents of Volmar, though that
two-faced villain was most fervent, at the meetings of the council, in
admonishing the burghers to endure to the end. Day after day the
Spaniards plied their artillery upon the walls, chiefly upon that
portion where the Burgomaster was in charge of the defences. The
masonry was sore battered, many of the burghers were slain or maimed,
and the Burgomaster himself, who endeavoured still to sustain the
reputation he had achieved in that night sally, was struck upon the
elbow by a fragment of stone, whereby the little man was afflicted more
heavily in mind than in body. In his one ear, so to speak, Volmar
whispered counsels of despair under a mask of encouragement; in the
other I spoke words of comfort and good cheer, assuring him that, could
he but resist a little longer, Prince Maurice would come to his succour,
as he had promised. My influence, I knew, was sapped by Volmar's
guileful insinuations, and I could not doubt that finally I should be
worsted unless I could prove Volmar to be the traitor he was.
As the straits of the citizens waxed more grievous, secret messengers
were sent forth, to implore aid of Sir Francis Vere and of Prince
Maurice; but these men never delivered their messages, as was afterwards
discovered, and doubtless Volmar had found means to acquaint the
Spaniards with their errand, albeit by means that never came to light.
Though I kept as good a watch upon him as I could, and my servant did
likewise, we could not find him out in aught that would give us a handle
against him, and with the passing of time I grew discomfortable in mind,
fearing lest Jan Verhoeff's ten days' respite should slip away before I
had my proofs ready. And I was the more uneasy because I perceived that
the ill-will of the burghers towards me increased and spread day by day.
Their good favour, which I had at the first procured by my diligence in
assisting the defence, had now given place to mistrust and malignity,
fostered by Volmar's minions; and I knew that this canker was eating
ever more deeply into the souls of the populace.
*VII*
On the night of Saturday, a device came into my mind whereby I might
bring the truth to light in a manner that could not be gainsaid. It was
high time, for a great assembly of the citizens had been holden that
day, whereat sundry burghers of good standing openly advised that terms
should be made with the enemy. There wanted but three days of the
period set by Volmar for the surrender of the city, and on the Monday
morning Jan Verhoeff was to die. At this assembly, when I essayed to
speak to the people, there arose a great uproar in one quarter of the
square, where I perceived certain of Volmar's creatures to be gathered.
Amid the clamour I heard cries of "Spy!" "Traitor!" and sundry other
scandalous appellatives; and a stone being cast at me, the Burgomaster
commanded me to withdraw out of the throng, lest a general riot should
ensue. Therefore, I say, it was high time I did somewhat, and a device
came in happy hour into my mind.
To perform it I must needs make an accomplice, albeit unwitting, of the
Captain of the Guard. He was a man of a most steadfast courage, diligent
in his duty, a staunch friend to me, and one that would never yield to
the enemy save at the uttermost extremity: a pattern of that loyalty and
stubborn valour whereby his nation has won liberty and immortal fame; a
man withal simple of soul, as witness his belief in the astrological
foolery whereof I have made mention. I resolved to turn this very
simplicity to account.
I repaired to his house, where he was supping after the fatigues of the
day, and after reminding him that the next day was Sunday, I declared
that I had discovered a flaw in Mynheer Volmar's talisman. I affected
to have a certain skill in reading the stars, and my study of the
heavens had shown me that the customary Sunday truce could only be
assured by firing a shot of silver, instead of an iron ball as was wont.
"I thank you, sir," said he, accepting my statement with the faith of a
child. "We must acquaint Mynheer Volmar withal; for there is but little
time to make the silver shot before the Sabbath breaks."
"By your good favour, sir," said I, "this matter must be held a secret
'twixt us two. By the opposition of Jupiter with Mars, and the
quartility of Saturn with Venus, I apprehend that the imparting of this
matter to any wight whatsoever save only yourself will let loose upon us
and the city a myriad evil influences, and all the good we may have of
it will be utterly undone."
This I enforced with a long discourse in which I mingled the jargon of
the astrologers with a noble array of tags from my Latin grammar,
knowing that the captain had no skill in that tongue.
"We will keep it close," he said, having heard me gravely. "Let us go
forthwith and cast a silver ball in the armoury. I will employ thereto
some of my own plate; nothing of all my goods would I withhold from the
service of the city."
We went at once about this task, and the ball having been cast, the
Captain of the Guard took it home with him, promising to bring it forth
at the due moment on the morrow.
"We must be ready to encounter some opposition from Mynheer Volmar," I
said on leaving him. "He is like to take ill aught that may seem to
bring in question his reading of the stars."
"Beshrew that," answered the captain. "All that pertains to the defence
of the city is in my charge, and things must be done as I command."
"Without doubt, sir," said I. "Yet you must look for wrath, yea, even
stout resistance on the part of Mynheer Volmar, and I know not what ill
consequence may ensue if he has his way."
And so I wrought the simple captain to a strong resolution to defy
Volmar, and bear down any opposition he might make.
On the morrow I set forth betimes for the ramparts. Among the concourse
of people going afoot to witness the firing of the Sunday shot I espied
the Burgomaster and his daughter, and accosted them with a civil
salutation. The Burgomaster looked exceeding ill at ease, shunned my
eye, and presently turned me a cold shoulder, conversing with a
neighbour. Thereupon Mistress Jacqueline lightly touched my sleeve, and
I fell back a pace with her. I observed that her face was very wan and
haggard, and was moved to pity her.
"Sir," she said in a whisper, "shall Jan die to-morrow?"
"Courage!" I said, in her tone. "All will yet be well."
"I have a thing to say," she proceeded. "Last night I heard my father
talking with--you know whom. To-morrow the order will be given to the
Captain of the Guard to arrest you."
[Illustration: "TO-MORROW THE ORDER WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CAPTAIN OF THE
GUARD TO ARREST YOU"]
"So ho!" I said under my breath. "I thank you, mistress. Time will
show."
We said no more, but went on among the others.
When we came to the ramparts, Volmar's man was even then bringing a shot
from the storehouse, and Volmar himself stood waiting by the culverin.
But the Captain of the Guard, so soon as he saw me, stepped forth with
the silver shot in his hand, and entered upon a discourse with Volmar,
acquainting him with his purpose and the reason thereof, but not naming
me as the author. While they conversed a dark and wrathful look lowered
upon Volmar's swarthy countenance, and he protested stoutly against any
meddling with the course indicated by the stars; but when the Captain of
the Guard showed himself resolute, Volmar shrugged his shoulders with an
air of disdain and stood aside, as one that disavows all part and lot in
an act of folly. Seeing his man standing there still holding the iron
shot, he bade him set it down, and smiled upon the gaping throng that
gazed as upon some high and mystic rite.
Now it was necessary to my purpose that nothing should start a suspicion
in Volmar's mind or render him in any way uneasy; for which reason I had
up to this present held myself backward among the press. But it was
also necessary that I should possess myself of Volmar's shot; wherefore,
while all eyes were intent upon the Captain of the Guard ramming the
silver shot into the culverin, I whispered my servant to go privily and
scratch a double cross upon the iron ball where it lay, the which he
accomplished without being observed.
The Captain of the Guard, doing all things with a portentous gravity of
demeanour, had now charged the culverin, and, to the great wonderment of
the populace, he beckoned me forward and placed the burning match in my
hands and bade me fire the gun. I had no skill in artillery work, but I
accepted the task with becoming modesty, and trained the piece as near
as I could upon a flag that waved on the Spanish trenches. Then putting
the match to the touch-hole, I stood back, the shot flew forth, and the
sight of all was obscured by the thick smoke. But a moment after a great
shout broke from the assembled multitude, and looking to see what
occasioned it, I beheld with amazement that the flag no longer flaunted
it upon the trench. My shot, fired at a venture, had, I suppose,
stricken the flagstaff in two.
The Captain of the Guard made me many compliments on my skill, and the
folk that stood around looked on me somewhat more kindly, taking the
fall of the flag as an omen of good. Volmar darted upon me a look of
venom, and then glanced in the manner of one fearful and uneasy towards
his own shot; but seeing it lie where the man had placed it, he had no
more qualms or misgiving. Then the good folk departed cheerfully to
church, and Volmar, bidding his man carry the iron shot back to the
storehouse, joined himself to the throng and walked by the side of
Mistress Jacqueline, who cast down her eyes and said no word in answer
to his soft speeches.
I went beside the Captain of the Guard, and entered the church among the
rearmost; but during the singing of the psalm I slipped away quietly to
the storehouse, found the shot by means of the mark that my servant had
made upon it, and conveyed it to my lodging. Upon opening it, I
discovered a small roll of paper, with this writing--
"_The Burgomaster is come to a reasonable frame of mind. To-morrow the
Englishman will be arrested; on the next day in the Council I shall
declare that our scarcity of victuals and munition forbids a longer
resistance; and a trusty friend will make formal proposition that we
yield the city._"
Having now the game in my hands, I ate my meagre dinner with a good
relish, and immediately thereafter set forth to visit Mynheer Cosmo
Volmar. He had just risen from his meal, very comfortably replete, for
notwithstanding the general shortness of provisions he had contrived to
procure himself a sufficiency of good food and wine. Secure in his
approaching triumph, he smiled in his beard when I was ushered in, and
bade me seat myself with a courtesy that he had never shown me
heretofore.
"Mynheer," I said gravely, "the city is in parlous case. The Prince is
tardy in coming to our succour, and I fear we can scarce hold out
another week."
"Why, sir," said he, "are you become chicken-hearted?--you that came
hither expressly to encourage and sustain us! Little you know the
spirit of our burghers if you suppose that, even in this darksome hour,
they will yield up the city."
"Truly the spirit of the most of them is undaunted," I said; "and I
could well believe that, but for the malign presence and pestilent
contriving of traitors, they would endure even yet."
"Ah! Traitors!" said he. "Well, we hang a traitor to-morrow, and his
fate will teach a wholesome lesson to any that be like-minded."
"It may be that others will hang with him," said I, fixing my eyes upon
him. "Will you lend me your ear while I relate a story? It chanced
that some few weeks ago, being set upon in the country yonder by a troop
of Spaniards, I and my little company were only saved by the timely help
of certain peasants, whereby we put the enemy to rout. But a man of my
party, pursuing them, overtook and slew one of them, and possessed
himself of a paper that he carried in his doublet."
Here I made a pause.
"Proceed, sir," said he, smiling. "I protest the beginning is very
well."
"That paper," I continued, with measured gravity, "I hold now in my
pocket, together with two others, the which have come into my possession
in strange wise since I entered your city; and most strange, they are
writ in the selfsame hand as the first. Moreover, they are one and all
of the same tenor, to wit, dwelling on the dire straits whereinto this
city has fallen, and furnishing hints concerning a party within the
walls--a party of one or mayhap two or three--that is plotting to render
up the city into the hands of the enemy." While I spoke I fastened my
eyes intently upon him, and I saw the fashion of his countenance suffer
a change, and in his eyes a look of hate and terror commingled. I went
on:--"Sir, they are simple souls that believe the stars order our lives
and destinies, and it were easy to persuade such that a shot, whether it
be of silver or of iron, fired under planetary influence, should cast as
it were a spell even upon a ruthless foe. Yet methinks their simplicity
would suffer a rude shock did they know that a round shot may carry a
message, not from the heavens, mystically, but----"