*VII*
On the night of Saturday, a device came into my mind whereby I mightbring the truth to light in a manner that could not be gainsaid. It washigh time, for a great assembly of the citizens had been holden thatday, whereat sundry burghers of good standing openly advised that termsshould be made with the enemy. There wanted but three days of theperiod set by Volmar for the surrender of the city, and on the Mondaymorning Jan Verhoeff was to die. At this assembly, when I essayed tospeak to the people, there arose a great uproar in one quarter of thesquare, where I perceived certain of Volmar's creatures to be gathered.Amid the clamour I heard cries of "Spy!" "Traitor!" and sundry otherscandalous appellatives; and a stone being cast at me, the Burgomastercommanded me to withdraw out of the throng, lest a general riot shouldensue. Therefore, I say, it was high time I did somewhat, and a devicecame in happy hour into my mind.
To perform it I must needs make an accomplice, albeit unwitting, of theCaptain of the Guard. He was a man of a most steadfast courage, diligentin his duty, a staunch friend to me, and one that would never yield tothe enemy save at the uttermost extremity: a pattern of that loyalty andstubborn valour whereby his nation has won liberty and immortal fame; aman withal simple of soul, as witness his belief in the astrologicalfoolery whereof I have made mention. I resolved to turn this verysimplicity to account.
I repaired to his house, where he was supping after the fatigues of theday, and after reminding him that the next day was Sunday, I declaredthat I had discovered a flaw in Mynheer Volmar's talisman. I affectedto have a certain skill in reading the stars, and my study of theheavens had shown me that the customary Sunday truce could only beassured 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 achild. "We must acquaint Mynheer Volmar withal; for there is but littletime 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 thequartility of Saturn with Venus, I apprehend that the imparting of thismatter to any wight whatsoever save only yourself will let loose upon usand the city a myriad evil influences, and all the good we may have ofit will be utterly undone."
This I enforced with a long discourse in which I mingled the jargon ofthe 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 goforthwith and cast a silver ball in the armoury. I will employ theretosome of my own plate; nothing of all my goods would I withhold from theservice of the city."
We went at once about this task, and the ball having been cast, theCaptain of the Guard took it home with him, promising to bring it forthat the due moment on the morrow.
"We must be ready to encounter some opposition from Mynheer Volmar," Isaid on leaving him. "He is like to take ill aught that may seem tobring in question his reading of the stars."
"Beshrew that," answered the captain. "All that pertains to the defenceof 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, evenstout resistance on the part of Mynheer Volmar, and I know not what illconsequence may ensue if he has his way."
And so I wrought the simple captain to a strong resolution to defyVolmar, and bear down any opposition he might make.
On the morrow I set forth betimes for the ramparts. Among the concourseof people going afoot to witness the firing of the Sunday shot I espiedthe Burgomaster and his daughter, and accosted them with a civilsalutation. The Burgomaster looked exceeding ill at ease, shunned myeye, and presently turned me a cold shoulder, conversing with aneighbour. Thereupon Mistress Jacqueline lightly touched my sleeve, andI fell back a pace with her. I observed that her face was very wan andhaggard, 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 fathertalking with--you know whom. To-morrow the order will be given to theCaptain of the Guard to arrest you."
"TO-MORROW THE ORDER WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CAPTAIN OF THEGUARD TO ARREST YOU"]
"So ho!" I said under my breath. "I thank you, mistress. Time willshow."
We said no more, but went on among the others.
When we came to the ramparts, Volmar's man was even then bringing a shotfrom the storehouse, and Volmar himself stood waiting by the culverin.But the Captain of the Guard, so soon as he saw me, stepped forth withthe silver shot in his hand, and entered upon a discourse with Volmar,acquainting him with his purpose and the reason thereof, but not namingme as the author. While they conversed a dark and wrathful look loweredupon Volmar's swarthy countenance, and he protested stoutly against anymeddling with the course indicated by the stars; but when the Captain ofthe Guard showed himself resolute, Volmar shrugged his shoulders with anair of disdain and stood aside, as one that disavows all part and lot inan act of folly. Seeing his man standing there still holding the ironshot, he bade him set it down, and smiled upon the gaping throng thatgazed as upon some high and mystic rite.
Now it was necessary to my purpose that nothing should start a suspicionin Volmar's mind or render him in any way uneasy; for which reason I hadup to this present held myself backward among the press. But it wasalso necessary that I should possess myself of Volmar's shot; wherefore,while all eyes were intent upon the Captain of the Guard ramming thesilver shot into the culverin, I whispered my servant to go privily andscratch a double cross upon the iron ball where it lay, the which heaccomplished without being observed.
The Captain of the Guard, doing all things with a portentous gravity ofdemeanour, had now charged the culverin, and, to the great wonderment ofthe populace, he beckoned me forward and placed the burning match in myhands and bade me fire the gun. I had no skill in artillery work, but Iaccepted the task with becoming modesty, and trained the piece as nearas I could upon a flag that waved on the Spanish trenches. Then puttingthe match to the touch-hole, I stood back, the shot flew forth, and thesight of all was obscured by the thick smoke. But a moment after a greatshout broke from the assembled multitude, and looking to see whatoccasioned it, I beheld with amazement that the flag no longer flauntedit 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 thefolk that stood around looked on me somewhat more kindly, taking thefall of the flag as an omen of good. Volmar darted upon me a look ofvenom, and then glanced in the manner of one fearful and uneasy towardshis own shot; but seeing it lie where the man had placed it, he had nomore qualms or misgiving. Then the good folk departed cheerfully tochurch, and Volmar, bidding his man carry the iron shot back to thestorehouse, joined himself to the throng and walked by the side ofMistress Jacqueline, who cast down her eyes and said no word in answerto his soft speeches.
I went beside the Captain of the Guard, and entered the church among therearmost; but during the singing of the psalm I slipped away quietly tothe storehouse, found the shot by means of the mark that my servant hadmade upon it, and conveyed it to my lodging. Upon opening it, Idiscovered a small roll of paper, with this writing--
"_The Burgomaster is come to a reasonable frame of mind. To-morrow theEnglishman will be arrested; on the next day in the Council I shalldeclare that our scarcity of victuals and munition forbids a longerresistance; and a trusty friend will make formal proposition that weyield the city._"
Having now the game in my hands, I ate my meagre dinner with a goodrelish, and immediately thereafter set forth to visit Mynheer CosmoVolmar. He had just risen from his meal, very comfortably replete, fornotwithstanding the general shortness of provisions he had contrived toprocure himself a suffic
iency of good food and wine. Secure in hisapproaching triumph, he smiled in his beard when I was ushered in, andbade me seat myself with a courtesy that he had never shown meheretofore.
"Mynheer," I said gravely, "the city is in parlous case. The Prince istardy in coming to our succour, and I fear we can scarce hold outanother week."
"Why, sir," said he, "are you become chicken-hearted?--you that camehither expressly to encourage and sustain us! Little you know thespirit 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 Icould well believe that, but for the malign presence and pestilentcontriving of traitors, they would endure even yet."
"Ah! Traitors!" said he. "Well, we hang a traitor to-morrow, and hisfate 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 uponhim. "Will you lend me your ear while I relate a story? It chancedthat some few weeks ago, being set upon in the country yonder by a troopof Spaniards, I and my little company were only saved by the timely helpof certain peasants, whereby we put the enemy to rout. But a man of myparty, pursuing them, overtook and slew one of them, and possessedhimself of a paper that he carried in his doublet."
Here I made a pause.
"Proceed, sir," said he, smiling. "I protest the beginning is verywell."
"That paper," I continued, with measured gravity, "I hold now in mypocket, together with two others, the which have come into my possessionin strange wise since I entered your city; and most strange, they arewrit in the selfsame hand as the first. Moreover, they are one and allof the same tenor, to wit, dwelling on the dire straits whereinto thiscity has fallen, and furnishing hints concerning a party within thewalls--a party of one or mayhap two or three--that is plotting to renderup the city into the hands of the enemy." While I spoke I fastened myeyes intently upon him, and I saw the fashion of his countenance suffera change, and in his eyes a look of hate and terror commingled. I wenton:--"Sir, they are simple souls that believe the stars order our livesand destinies, and it were easy to persuade such that a shot, whether itbe of silver or of iron, fired under planetary influence, should cast asit were a spell even upon a ruthless foe. Yet methinks their simplicitywould suffer a rude shock did they know that a round shot may carry amessage, not from the heavens, mystically, but----"
And here my speech had a sudden end, for Volmar, his face livid withrage and fear, leapt from his seat, whipped out his sword, and flew uponme with the ferocity of a wild beast. But that a stool stood betweenus, a stumbling block to him in his fury, I had peradventure beenpierced to the heart or ever I could draw my own weapon. That obstaclegave me a bare respite. My sword was out and met his clashing, and forthe space of five minutes we thrust and lunged, parried and riposted, inthe middle of the floor, over the table, by the mantel, in the corners,as the stress of combat carried us. I had always the advantage of himin that I was calm and master of myself, whereas he was drunken withrage, maddened by hate, and desperately fearful of the gallows he hadset up for Jan Verhoeff. In mere swordsmanship he was not far from beingmy equal; had he been in truth my equal, his skill might have prevailedeven over his fury. Suffice it to say that after a hot bout of some fiveminutes I struck his sword from his hand, and pinning him down upon achair, with my blade at his throat, I bade him sternly give heed tocertain conditions on which I would spare his vile and wretched life.
PINNING HIM DOWN UPON A CHAIR, I BADE HIM STERNLY GIVEHEED TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS ON WHICH I WOULD SPARE HIS LIFE]
These were, first, that he should write, at my dictation, a fullconfession of his guilt and treasons, such as should at the same timeclear Jan Verhoeff from the accusation made against him. Second, that heshould quit the city that night by seven of the clock, and until thenkeep within doors. The clemency of these conditions wondrouslyastonished him; and perceiving that he was utterly at my mercy, heaccepted them without demur. Within an hour I had his confession,sealed, in my pocket, together with the other papers in his hand.
You may wonder that I showed mercy to so heinous a villain: hear myreasons. I might have slain him; but then I should have had noconfession, such as I needed to right Jan Verhoeff. I might haveextorted the confession from him, and then delivered him to the councilfor formal trial and meet punishment; but then many things would havecome to light that it were best to keep hidden, especially thequestionable part played by the Burgomaster, the which for the sake ofthe city, and more also for the sake of Mistress Jacqueline, I wouldfain leave enshrouded. Furthermore, I had now the hold upon goodmanBurgomaster that I needed to assure the happiness of two young souls.
Leaving Volmar a shrunken heap in his chair, and being fully assuredthat Bargen would be no more troubled with him, I made my way to MynheerWarmond's house. As I came to the door, there issued forth the Captainof the Guard, whose countenance put on a most sorrowful look when hebeheld me. He halted upon the threshold, heaved a sigh, then took me bythe sleeve and said--
"Sir, I hold a warrant for your arrest under the hand and seal of theBurgomaster, and to be executed at seven of the clock to-morrowmorning."
"Let not that trouble you," said I, and had he been my own countryman,in my gaiety of heart I should have poked him in the ribs; such apleasantry is inexpedient with a Dutch burgher. "Come for me here withina half hour, and I avouch your warrant will be annulled."
He left me, wondering.
I entered to the Burgomaster, who fell a-trembling when he saw me, anddemanded with a stammering tongue what my business was with him upon theSabbath. I told him very shortly, and never in my life have I seen sopiteous a spectacle as that little round rubicund man at the hearing ofmy story. His conscience pricked him sore, in that he had harkened toill counsels and dallied with the thought of surrendering. His lipsquivered, his limbs shook as with palsy, and with the back of his handhe brushed away the tears that coursed down his fat cheeks. He besoughtme very earnestly to advise him what he must do, mingling together inlamentable outcry his good name and his daughter that loved him.
I TOLD HIM VERY SHORTLY, AND NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I SEENSO PITEOUS A SPECTACLE AS THAT LITTLE ROUND RUBICUND MAN AT THE HEARINGOF MY STORY]
"Mynheer," said I, "there are two things you may do. The first is, tokeep silence. This unhappy business is known wholly to none but you,Cosmo Volmar, and myself--and in part to my servant and Jan Verhoeff,who have their reasons for holding their peace. The second is, to undothe wrong you have done your daughter and her promised husband. Thusyou will both preserve the reputation for courage you won at the pointof the ham bone"--(I could not withhold this quip)--"and win a newrenown for fatherly indulgence and magnanimity of soul."
Upon this the Burgomaster looked somewhat more cheerfully; but again hisface fell, and he turned away his eyes, as with a faltering voice hetold me that he had ordered my arrest.
"And here is the Captain of the Guard," said I, as I heard his clankingstep without, "come for the cancelment of your warrant."
The Burgomaster was overcome with humiliation when aware that I knewalready of the warrant. He tore the paper passionately across, and wepthot tears when he placed the captain's hand in mine and bade him cherishme as an honest man. There was ever something of the play actor aboutgoodman Burgomaster.
And now I have told my story. You may like to know that the city didnot yield to the Spaniards, but held out for a good month beyond, andwas then relieved by Prince Maurice, who advanced through a fiercerainstorm at the head of a large and well-furnished army. I waspresented to him on his entrance by Sir Francis Vere, who with a gravecountenance related how he had chosen me, as one expert in war andcunning in counsel, to assist the burghers in their extremity. When thePrince had thanked me in the name of the United States of theNetherlands, and invited me to continue in his service, Sir Francis drewme aside and said in my ear--
"Thou'rt a cunning rascal, and be ha
nged to thee."
But I leave you to say whether 'twas cunning that served me best.
The praises and blessings heaped upon me by the two ladies, the motherand the sweetheart of Jan Verhoeff, were dearer to me even than thecommendation of Prince Maurice. Methinks it is better to make two orthree happy than to take a fenced city. In the spring of the next yearJan wrote me word that he had been made councillor and town clerk ofBargen, and was now the husband of pretty Mistress Jacqueline.
I had almost forgot to say that such pricks of conscience as beset mefor permitting Volmar to escape a traitor's doom were stilled but a fewdays after he in secret quitted the city. His dead body was thendiscovered in the moat. Whether he was drowned in swimming, or removed(as he would have said) by the Spaniards for that he had failed them, Iknow not; only I believe in my heart that justice was done.
tailpiece to Third Part]