A Gentleman-at-Arms: Being Passages in the Life of Sir Christopher Rudd, Knight

  *III*

  On the morrow, very early, I was waited upon by a sergeant come expressto conduct me to the Burgomaster, whom the Captain of the Guard hadinformed of my arrival. I must acknowledge that in the cold and soberlight of morning I felt myself to be in something of a pickle. I hadannounced myself as an emissary from Prince Maurice, but I had no letterof commendation in his hand, nor, in truth, had I so much as set eyes onhim. Furthermore, I was a stranger to all in the city, and being littlemore than a boy,--my years were twenty-two, though, like Portia in WillShakespeare's play, I was elder than my looks--being little more than aboy, I say, I doubted of the reception I should meet with among thegrave and solemn burghers of the city council. I could but trust to abold front and mother wit to carry me through my enterprise, and I tooksome comfort from the reflection that Hollanders were said to besomewhat dull and heavy. Accordingly, having trimmed myself withexceeding care, and donned the fresh and sumptuous apparel, meet for anambassador, which my servant had brought, I set forth with assured mienand measured gait, looking neither to the right hand nor to the leftupon the gaping onlookers that had gathered in the streets.

  Being ushered with much solemnity by the sergeant into thecouncil-chamber, I found myself in presence of a round dozen burghersclad in brave attire, and seated at their table in order of precedency,as I judged. I cast a swift look round as I gave them salutation, atthe first taking particular note of none but the Burgomaster at the headof the table, whose aspect tickled me with secret merriment. He was around pursy little man, clean shaven, with double chins resting on hischain of office, and moist and vagrant eyes that did not meet my gazesteadily. I judged him to be pompous and self-conceited, withal oflittle stability of mind, and, as we say in our homely way, fussy. Withhem and haw he addressed me in French, his voice being thick, andspeaking as there were a pebble in his mouth.

  "Sir, you come from the illustrious Prince Maurice of Nassau?" he said.

  "SIR, YOU COME FROM THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE MAURICE OFNASSAU?"]

  For answer I bowed.

  "You bring a letter under his hand and seal?" he proceeded.

  I hold that to speak truth is ever the best course; wherefore, attuningmy voice to a confident serenity, I replied--

  "Sir, I bear no letter, but I will in a few words explain to theworshipful council my presence in your city. His illustrious Highness,tendering your welfare, and moved by your stout and manful resistance tothe Spaniard, hath writ to my General, Sir Francis Vere, requiring himto send to you one of his captains, both as a witness of his Highness'satisfaction, and with the intent to lend you aid and support. Thechoice fell upon me, Christopher Rudd, unworthy though I be, by reasonof some slight knowledge in warfare gained in the service of His Majestyof France. Such small skill as I am master of, therefore, is yours todispose of, albeit the measures you have taken up to this present are soaptly conceived and so doughtily executed that I deem my part to be thatof admirer rather than counsellor."

  This pretty speech appeared to give the burghers some satisfaction, butI perceived that the Burgomaster's right-hand neighbour, a lankbeetle-browed fellow of swarthy hue and Castilian cast of feature, shotme a keen and questioning glance out of his narrow eyes. "This fellowis worth the watching," I thought; but I let not my eyes dwell upon himbeyond the moment.

  After some further debate I was made partaker in their deliberations.From one and another I gathered information about the course of thesiege and the measures of defence they had concerted, and I was not longof discovering, by hint and suggestion, the rift that Prince Maurice hadsuspected. The most part of the council were true men, bold and stoutof heart; but there were two or three that let fall doubts and waggedtheir heads, with sighs and doleful looks. And I began to perceive acertain method in this despondency, more especially on the part of thelank man aforesaid, for which reason I found myself intently observingall that he spake. He was most bitter and vehement in denouncing theSpaniards, and prated very big about withstanding them to the lastbreath; yet these heroical counsels of his were ever accompanied with acroak and quaver, as that famine was a fouler enemy than the sword, andthat all those that escaped from the one or the other would surely behanged by the Spaniards. By this means, I perceived, he at oncecunningly magnified his own steadfastness and resolution, and instilleddire apprehension and dismal foreboding into the minds of his weakerbrethren.

  While I thus noted the strange policy of this man, I took a certainamusement from the mien and conduct of the worthy Burgomaster. Now hewas at the top of resolution, now in the depth of black despair; nowbreathing out fire and fury, now lamenting the scant provision ofvictuals and munitions, and questioning whether any man's life was wortha doit. The change from one mood to the other was so sudden, as thedeliberations of the council swayed this way and that under thedexterous handling of the lank man, that I set the Burgomaster down as aweakling, a reed shaken in the wind, and made some question in my mindwhether the destinies of the town were safe under his governance.

  Upon the breaking up of the council, I was conducted by the Burgomasterand the Captain of the Guard around the defences of the city, beingaccompanied also by the lean and black-browed councillor of whom I havespoken. When I had taken note of all, it was dinner time, and theBurgomaster bid me make that meal with him in his own house. This I wasvery willing to do, since I found the little man a continualentertainment. The lank fellow and the Captain of the Guard were mytable-mates, and we fared as handsomely as you could expect in abeleaguered city. In truth, it was not a sumptuous repast; but themeagreness of the fare was in some sort countervailed by the bewitchingpresence of the Burgomaster's daughter. Remember, I was but young; abright eye and a rosy cheek, when matched with a gracious mien and asweet and tuneable voice, cast a spell upon me; and the fair beauty ofMistress Jacqueline had made amends for meaner fare, even for dry breadand indifferent water.

  I perceived that the Burgomaster's lanky friend bent an amorous eye uponthe damsel, spoke her fair and softly, and sought every way to renderhimself pleasing in her sight; and that the Burgomaster watched thisunderplay with great contentment. But I perceived also--and I own itgave me a joy quite beyond reason--that Mistress Jacqueline receivedthese attentions with a serene indifference, which I told myself wouldhave been a positive coldness and scorn but for dread of her father'sdispleasure.

  We walked away together, the Captain of the Guard and I, and as we wentI informed myself discreetly on sundry matters whereon I had somecuriosity. The lean lank rascal--so I called him already--was namedMynheer Cosmo Volmar, a Spaniard on his mother's side, president of thegild of locksmiths in the city, and keeper of the stores. He was knownto be paying his court to Mistress Jacqueline, and had her father's goodwill. The lady had, however, been betrothed aforetime to Jan Verhoeff,son of the late Burgomaster and of the widow lady, my hostess, and thematch had been broken off by her father when it was discovered, on thedeath of Mynheer Verhoeff, that he had left but a paltry heritage. Ofall the burgher families in Bargen, the Verhoeffs had suffered the mostgrievous loss during the war; yet the exceeding smallness of the lateBurgomaster's estate was a cause of wonderment in the city. The younglovers bore their parting very hardly; and though Mynheer Volmar's suitwas approved and furthered by her father Mynheer Warmond, the presentBurgomaster, Mistress Jacqueline had as yet looked upon it but frostily.

  These particulars were pleasing to me, for I saw that I had come into acoil wherein affairs of state and domestic matters were closeinterwoven. I was never so well pleased as when I had a tangle tounravel; and the enterprise I had taken upon myself in merry sport badefair to give me unlooked-for entertainment.