said　the　Grand　Pensionary；　with　gloomy　bitterness。　〃I　have
  made　my　way　through　all　sorts　of　bystreets　and　alleys。〃
  〃You　hid　yourself；　John？〃
  〃I　wished　to　reach　you　without　loss　of　time；　and　I　did　what
  people　will　do　in　politics；　or　on　the　sea　when　the　wind　is
  against　them；　　I　tacked。〃
  At　this　moment　the　noise　in　the　square　below　was　heard　to
  roar　with　increasing　fury。　Tilly　was　parleying　with　the
  burghers。
  〃Well；　well；〃　said　Cornelius；　〃you　are　a　very　skilful　pilot；
  John；　but　I　doubt　whether　you　will　as　safely　guide　your
  brother　out　of　the　Buytenhof　in　the　midst　of　this　gale；　and
  through　the　raging　surf　of　popular　hatred；　as　you　did　the
  fleet　of　Van　Tromp　past　the　shoals　of　the　Scheldt　to
  Antwerp。〃
  〃With　the　help　of　God；　Cornelius；　we'll　at　least　try；〃
  answered　John；　〃but；　first　of　all；　a　word　with　you。〃
  〃Speak！〃
  The　shouts　began　anew。
  〃Hark；　hark！〃　continued　Cornelius；　〃how　angry　those　people
  are！　Is　it　against　you；　or　against　me？〃
  〃I　should　say　it　is　against　us　both；　Cornelius。　I　told　you；
  my　dear　brother；　that　the　Orange　party；　while　assailing　us
  with　their　absurd　calumnies；　have　also　made　it　a　reproach
  against　us　that　we　have　negotiated　with　France。〃
  〃What　blockheads　they　are！〃
  〃But；　indeed；　they　reproach　us　with　it。〃
  〃And　yet；　if　these　negotiations　had　been　successful；　they
  would　have　prevented　the　defeats　of　Rees；　Orsay；　Wesel；　and
  Rheinberg；　the　Rhine　would　not　have　been　crossed；　and
  Holland　might　still　consider　herself　invincible　in　the　midst
  of　her　marshes　and　canals。〃
  〃All　this　is　quite　true；　my　dear　Cornelius；　but　still　more
  certain　it　is；　that　if　at　this　moment　our　correspondence
  with　the　Marquis　de　Louvois　were　discovered；　skilful　pilot
  as　I　am；　I　should　not　be　able　to　save　the　frail　barque　which
  is　to　carry　the　brothers　De　Witt　and　their　fortunes　out　of
  Holland。　That　correspondence；　which　might　prove　to　honest
  people　how　dearly　I　love　my　country；　and　what　sacrifices　I
  have　offered　to　make　for　its　liberty　and　glory；　would　be
  ruin　to　us　if　it　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Orange　party。　I
  hope　you　have　burned　the　letters　before　you　left　Dort　to
  join　me　at　the　Hague。〃
  〃My　dear　brother；〃　Cornelius　answered；　〃your　correspondence
  with　M。　de　Louvois　affords　ample　proof　of　your　having　been
  of　late　the　greatest；　most　generous；　and　most　able　citizen
  of　the　Seven　United　Provinces。　I　rejoice　in　the　glory　of　my
  country；　and　particularly　do　I　rejoice　in　your　glory；　John。
  I　have　taken　good　care　not　to　burn　that　correspondence。〃
  〃Then　we　are　lost；　as　far　as　this　life　is　concerned；〃
  quietly　said　the　Grand　Pensionary；　approaching　the　window。
  〃No；　on　the　contrary；　John；　we　shall　at　the　same　time　save
  our　lives　and　regain　our　popularity。〃
  〃But　what　have　you　done　with　these　letters？〃
  〃I　have　intrusted　them　to　the　care　of　Cornelius　van　Baerle；
  my　godson；　whom　you　know；　and　who　lives　at　Dort。〃
  〃Poor　honest　Van　Baerle！　who　knows　so　much；　and　yet　thinks
  of　nothing　but　of　flowers　and　of　God　who　made　them。　You　have
  intrusted　him　with　this　fatal　secret；　it　will　be　his　ruin；
  poor　soul！〃
  〃His　ruin？〃
  〃Yes；　for　he　will　either　be　strong　or　he　will　be　weak。　If　he
  is　strong；　he　will；　when　he　hears　of　what　has　happened　to
  us；　boast　of　our　acquaintance；　if　he　is　weak；　he　will　be
  afraid　on　account　of　his　connection　with　us：　if　he　is
  strong；　he　will　betray　the　secret　by　his　boldness；　if　he　is
  weak；　he　will　allow　it　to　be　forced　from　him。　In　either　case
  he　is　lost；　and　so　are　we。　Let　us；　therefore；　fly；　fly；　as
  long　as　there　is　still　time。〃
  Cornelius　de　Witt；　raising　himself　on　his　couch；　and
  grasping　the　hand　of　his　brother；　who　shuddered　at　the　touch
  of　his　linen　bandages；　replied；
  〃Do　not　I　know　my　godson？　have　not　I　been　enabled　to　read
  every　thought　in　Van　Baerle's　mind；　and　every　sentiment　in
  his　heart？　You　ask　whether　he　is　strong　or　weak。　He　is
  neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　but　that　is　not　now　the
  question。　The　principal　point　is；　that　he　is　sure　not　to
  divulge　the　secret；　for　the　very　good　reason　that　he　does
  not　know　it　himself。〃
  John　turned　round　in　surprise。
  〃You　must　know；　my　dear　brother；　that　I　have　been　trained　in
  the　school　of　that　distinguished　politician　John　de　Witt；
  and　I　repeat　to　you；　that　Van　Baerle　is　not　aware　of　the
  nature　and　importance　of　the　deposit　which　I　have　intrusted
  to　him。〃
  〃Quick　then；〃　cried　John；　〃as　there　is　still　time；　let　us
  convey　to　him　directions　to　burn　the　parcel。〃
  〃Through　whom？〃
  〃Through　my　servant　Craeke；　who　was　to　have　accompanied　us
  on　horseback；　and　who　has　entered　the　prison　with　me；　to
  assist　you　downstairs。〃
  〃Consider　well　before　having　those　precious　documents　burnt；
  John！〃
  〃I　consider；　above　all　things；　that　the　brothers　De　Witt
  must　necessarily　save　their　lives；　to　be　able　to　save　their
  character。　If　we　are　dead；　who　will　defend　us？　Who　will　have
  fully　understood　our　intentions？〃
  〃You　expect；　then；　that　they　would　kill　us　if　those　papers
  were　found？〃
  John；　without　answering；　pointed　with　his　hand　to　the
  square；　whence；　at　that　very　moment；　fierce　shouts　and
  savage　yells　made　themselves　heard。
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Cornelius；　〃I　hear　these　shouts　very
  plainly；　but　what　is　their　meaning？〃
  John　opened　the　window。
  〃Death　to　the　traitors！〃　howled　the　populace。
  〃Do　you　hear　now；　Cornelius？〃
  〃To　the　traitors！　that　means　us！〃　said　the　prisoner；　raising
  his　eyes　to　heaven　and　shrugging　his　shoulders。
  〃Yes；　it　means　us；〃　repeated　John。
  〃Where　is　Craeke？〃
  〃At　the　door　of　your　cell；　I　suppose。〃
  〃Let　him　enter　then。〃
  John　opened　the　door；　the　faithful　servant　was　waiting　on
  the　threshold。
  〃Come　in；　Craeke；　and　mind　well　what　my　brother　will　tell
  you。〃
  〃No；　John；　it　will　not　suffice　to　send　a　verbal　message；
  unfortunately；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　write。〃
  〃And　why　that？〃
  〃Because　Van　Baerle　will　neither　give　up　the　parcel　nor　burn
  it　without　a　special　command　to　do　so。〃
  〃But　will　you　be　able　to　write；　poor　old　fellow？〃　John
  asked；　with　a　look　on　the　scorched　and　bruised　hands　of　the
  unfortunate　sufferer。
  〃If　I　had　pen　and　ink　you　would　soon　see；〃　said　Cornelius。
  〃Here　is　a　pencil；　at　any　rate。〃
  〃Have　you　any　paper？　for　they　have　left　me　nothing。〃
  〃Here；　take　this　Bible；　and　tear　out　the　fly…leaf。〃
  〃Very　well；　that　will　do。〃
  〃But　your　writing　will　be　illegible。〃
  〃Just　leave　me　alone　for　that；〃　said　Cornelius。　〃The
  executioners　have　indeed　pinched　me　badly　enough；　but　my
  hand　will　not　tremble　once　in　tracing　the　few　lines　which
  are　requisite。〃
  And　really　Cornelius　took　the　pencil　and　began　to　write；
  when　through　the　white　linen　bandages　drops　of　blood　oozed
  out　which　the　pressure　of　the　fingers　against　the　pencil
  squeezed　from　the　raw　flesh。
  A　cold　sweat　stood　on　the　brow　of　the　Grand　Pensionary。
  Cornelius　wrote：
  〃My　dear　Godson；
  〃Burn　the　parcel　which　I　have　intrusted　to　you。　Burn　it
  without　looking　at　it；　and　without　opening　it；　so　that　its
  contents　may　for　ever　remain　unknown　to　yourself。　Secrets　of
  this　description　are　death　to　those　with　whom　they　are
  deposited。　Burn　it；　and　you　will　have　saved　John　and
  Cornelius　de　Witt。
  〃Farewell；　and　love　me。
  〃Cornelius　de　Witt
  〃August　20th；　1672。〃
  John；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　wiped　off　a　drop　of　the　noble
  blood　which　had　soiled　the　leaf；　and；　after　having　handed
  the　despatch　to　Craeke　with　a　last　direction；　returned　to
  Cornelius；　who　seemed　overcome　by　intense　pain；　and　near
  fainting。
  〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃when　honest　Craeke　sounds　his　coxswain's
  whistle；　it　will　be　a　signal　of　his　being　clear　of　the
  crowd；　and　of　his　having　reached　the　other　side　of　the　pond。
  And　then　it　will　be　our　turn　to　depart。〃
  Five　minutes　had　not　elapsed；　before　a　long　and　shrill
  whistle　was　heard　through　the　din　and　noise　of　the　square　of
  the　Buytenhof。
  John　gratefully　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven。
  〃And　now；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　off；　Cornelius。〃
  Chapter　3
  The　Pupil　of　John　de　Witt
  Whilst　the　clamour　of　the　crowd　in　the　square　of　Buytenhof；
  which　grew　more　and　more　menacing　against　the　two　brothers；
  determined　John　de　Witt　to　hasten　the　departure　of　his
  brother　Cornelius；　a　deputation　of　burghers　had　gone　to　the
  Town…hall　to　demand　the　withdrawal　of　Tilly's　horse。
  It　was　not　far　from　the　Buytenhof　to　Hoogstraet　（High
  Street）；　and　a　stranger；　who　since　the　beginning　of　this
  scene　had　watched　all　its　incidents　with　intense　interest；
  was　seen　to　wend　his　way　with；　or　rather　in　the　wake　of；　the
  others　towards　the　Town…hall；　to　hear　as　soon　as　possible
  the　current　news　of　the　hour。
  This　stranger　was　a　very　young　man；　of　scarcely　twenty…two
  or　three；　with　nothing　about　him　that　bespoke　any　great
  energy。　He　evidently　had　his　good　reasons　for　not　making
  himself　known；　as　he　hid　his　face　in　a　handkerchief　of　fine
  Frisian　linen；　with　which　he　incessantly　wiped　his　brow　or
  his　burning　lips。
  With　an　eye　keen　as　that　of　a　bird　of　prey；　　with　a　long
  aquiline　nose；　a　finely　cut　mouth；　which　he　generally　kept
  open；　or　rath