In the meantime, there was a consultation between the widow and the corporal as to the best method of proceeding. That the corporal could expect nothing but the most determined hostility from Vanslyperken was certain; but for this the corporal cared little, as he had all the crew of the cutter on his side, and he was in his own person too high in rank to be at the mercy of Vanslyperken.
After many pros and cons, and at least a dozen bottles of beer —for the excitement on the part of the corporal, and the exertion of the widow, had made them both dry —it was resolved that the Frau Vandersloosh should demand an audience at the Hague the next morning, and should communicate the treasonable practices of Mr. Vanslyperken, calling upon the corporal as a witness to the receipt of the money from the Jesuit.
"Mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, striking his bull forehead as if a new thought had required being forced out, "but they will ask me how I came there myself, and what shall I say?"
"Say that the Jesuit-father had sent for you to try and seduce you to do his treason, but that you would not consent."
"Mein Gott! yes —that will do."
The corporal then returned on board, but did not think it worth while to report himself to Mr. Vanslyperken.
Mr. Vanslyperken had also been thinking over the matter, and in what way he should be able to escape from the toils prepared for him. That the widow would immediately inform the authorities he was convinced. How was he to get out of his scrape?
Upon mature reflection, he decided that it was to be done. He had copies of all Ramsay's letters, and those addressed to I and the last delivered were very important. Now, his best plan would be to set off for the Hague early the next morning —demand an interview with one of the ministers, or even his majesty himself —state that he had been offered money from the Jacobite party to carry their letters, and that, with a view to serve his majesty by finding out their secrets, he had consented to do it, and had taken the money to satisfy them that he was sincere. That he had opened the letters and copied them, and that now, as the contents were important, he had thought it right to make them immediately known to the Government, and at the same time to bring the money received for the service, to be placed at his majesty's disposal.
"Whether she is before or after me," thought Vanslyperken, "it will then be little matter, all I shall have to fear will be from Ramsay and his party; but the Government will be bound to protect me."
There certainly was much wisdom in this plan of Vanslyperken; it was the only one which could have been attended with success, or with any chance of it.
Mr. Vanslyperken was up at daylight, and dressed in his best uniform; he put in his pocket all the copies of the Jacobite correspondence, and went on shore —hired a calash, for he did not know how to ride, and set off for the Hague, where he arrived about ten o'clock. He sent up his name, and requested an audience of the Duke of Portland, as an officer commanding one of his majesty's vessels; he was immediately admitted.
"What is your pleasure, Mr. Vanslyperken?" said the duke, who was standing at the table, in company with Lord Albemarle.
Vanslyperken was a little confused —he muttered, and stammered about anxiety, and loyalty, and fidelity, and excess of zeal, &c.
No wonder he stammered, for he was talking of what he he knew nothing about; but these two noblemen recollecting his confusion when presented to his sovereign on board of the frigate, made allowances.
"I have at last," cried Vanslyperken, with more confidence, "been able to discover the plots of the Jacobites, your grace."
"Indeed! Mr. Vanslyperken," replied the duke, smiling incredulously, "and pray what may they be? you must be as expeditious as possible, for his majesty is waiting for us."
"These letters will take some time to read," replied Vanslyperken; "but their contents are most important."
"Indeed! letters —how have you possession of their letters?"
"It will be rather a long story, sir —my lord! I mean," replied Vanslyperken; "but they will amply repay an hour of your time, if you can spare it."
At this moment the door opened, and his majesty entered the room. At the sight of the king, Vanslyperken's confidence was again taking French leave.
"My lords, I am waiting for you," said the king, with a little asperity of manner.
"May it please your majesty, here is Lieutenant Vanslyperken, commanding one of your majesty's vessels, who states that he has important intelligence, and that he has possession of Jacobite papers."
"Indeed!" replied King William, who was always alive to Jacobite plotting, from which he had already run so much risk.
"What is it, Mr. Vanslyperken? speak boldly what you have to communicate."
"Your majesty, I beg your gracious pardon, but here are copies of the correspondence carried on by the traitors in England and this country. If your majesty will deign to have it read, you will then perceive how important it is. After your majesty has read it, I will have the honour to explain to you by what means it came into my possession."
King William was a man of business, and Vanslyperken had done wisely in making this proposal. His majesty at once sat down, with the Duke of Portland on one side, and Lord Albemarle on the other: the latter took the letters, which were arranged according to their dates, and read them in a clear, distinct voice.
As the reading went on, his majesty made memorandums and notes with his pencil on a sheet of paper, but did not interrupt during the whole progress of the lecture. When the last and most important was finished, the two noblemen looked at his majesty, with countenances full of meaning. For a few moments, his majesty drummed with the second and third finger of his left hand upon the table, and then said,—
"Pray, Mr. Vanslyperken, how did you obtain possession of these papers and letters, or make copies of these letters?"
Vanslyperken, who had been standing at the other side of the table during the time of the reading, had anxiously watched the countenance of his majesty and the two noblemen, and perceived that the intelligence which the letters contained had created a strong feeling, as he expected. With a certain degree of confidence, he commenced his explanation.
He stated that the crew of the cutter had been accustomed to frequent the Lust Haus of a certain widow Vandersloosh, and that he had made her acquaintance, by several times going there to look after his seamen.
That this widow had often hinted to him, and at last proposed to him, that he should take letters for some friends of hers —at last she had told him plainly that it was for the Jacobite party, and he pretended, to consent.
That he had been taken by her to the house of a Jesuit, 169, in the Bur Street, nearly opposite to her Lust Haus, and that the Jesuit had given him some letters and fifty guineas for his trouble.
He then stated that he had opened, copied, and re-sealed them: further, that he had brought over one of the confederates, who was now residing in the house of the syndic, Van Krause. That he should have made all this known before, only that he waited till it was more important. That the last letters appeared of such consequence, that he deemed it his duty no longer to delay.
"You have done well, Mr. Vanslyperken," replied his majesty.
"And played a bold game," observed Lord Albemarle, fixing his eyes upon Vanslyperken. "Suppose you had been found out co-operating with traitors, before you made this discovery?"
"I might have forfeited my life in my zeal," replied Mr. Vanslyperken, with adroitness; "but that is the duty of a king's officer."
"That is well said," observed the Duke of Portland.
"I have a few questions to put to you, Mr. Vanslyperken," observed his majesty.
"What is the cave they mention so often?"
"It is on the bank of the Isle of Wight, your majesty. I did not know of its existence but from the letters —but I once laid a whole night in the cove underneath it, to intercept the smugglers, upon information that I had received; but the alarm was given, and they escaped."
"Who is their agent at Portsmouth?"
"A Jew of the name of Lazarus, residing in Little Orange Street, at the back of the Point, your majesty."
"Do you know any of the names of the conspirators?"
"I do not, your majesty, except a woman, who is very active one Moggy Salisbury —her husband, not a month back, was the boatswain of the cutter, but by some interest or another, he has obtained his discharge."
"My Lord of Portland, take a memorandum to inquire who it was applied for the discharge of that man. Mr. Vanslyperken, you may retire —we will call you in by-and-bye —you will be secret as to what has passed."
"I have one more duty to perform," replied Vanslyperken, taking some rouleaus of gold out of his pocket; "this is the money received from the traitors —it is not for a king's officer to have it in his possession."
"You are right, Mr. Vanslyperken, but the gold of traitors is forfeited to the crown, and it is now mine; you will accept it as a present from your king."
Mr. Vanslyperken took the gold from the table, made a bow, and retired from the royal presence.
The reader will acknowledge that it was impossible to play his cards better than Mr. Vanslyperken had done in this interview, and that he deserved great credit for his astute conduct. With such diplomatic talents, he would have made a great prime minister.
"The council was ordered at twelve o'clock, my lords. These letters must [be] produced. That they are genuine appears to me beyond a doubt."
"That they are faithful copies, I doubt not," replied Lord Albemarle, "but—"
"But what, my Lord Albemarle?"
"I very much suspect the fidelity of the copier —there is something more, that has not been told, depend upon it."
"Why do you think so, my lord?"
"Because, your majesty, allowing that a man would act the part that Mr. Vanslyperken says that he has done to discover the conspiracy, still, would he not naturally, to avoid any risk to himself, have furnished Government with the first correspondence, and obtained their sanction for prosecuting his plans? This officer has been employed for the last two years or more in carrying the despatches to the Hague, and it must at once strike your majesty, that a person who can, with such dexterity, open the letters of others, can also open those of his own Government."
"That is true, my lord," replied his majesty, musing.
"Your majesty is well aware that suspicions were entertained of the fidelity of the syndic, suspicions which the evidence of this officer have verified. But why were these suspicions raised? Because he knew of the Government secrets, and it was supposed he obtained them from some one who is in our trust, but inimical to us and unworthy of the confidence reposed in him.
"Your majesty's acuteness will at once perceive that the secrets may have been obtained by Mynheer Krause by the same means as have been resorted to, to obtain the secrets of the conspirators. I may be in error, and if I do this officer wrong by my suspicions, may God forgive me, but there is something in his looks which tells me—"
"That he is a traitor to both parties, may it please your majesty."
"By the Lord, Albemarle, I think you have hit upon the truth," replied the Duke of Portland.
"Of that we shall soon have proof —at present, we have to decide whether it be advisable to employ him to discover more, or at once seize upon the parties he has denounced. But that had better be canvassed in the council-chamber. Come, my lords, they be waiting for us."
The affair was of too great importance not to absorb all other business, and it was decided that the house of Mynheer Krause, and of the Jesuit, and the widow Vandersloosh should be entered by the peace-officers, at midnight, and that they and any of the conspirators who might be found should be thrown into prison. That the cutter should be dispatched immediately to England, with orders to seize all the other parties informed against by Vanslyperken, and that a force should be sent to attack the cave, and secure those who might be found there, with directions to the admiral, that Mr. Vanslyperken should be employed both as a guide, and to give the assistance of the cutter and his crew.
These arrangements having been made, the council broke up, King William had a conference with his two favourites, and Vanslyperken was sent for.
"Lieutenant Vanslyperken, we feel much indebted to you for your important communications, and we shall not forget, in due time, to reward your zeal and loyalty as it deserves. At present, it is necessary that you sail for England as soon as our despatches are ready, which will be before midnight; you will then receive your orders from the admiral, at Portsmouth, and I have no doubt you will take the opportunity of affording us fresh proofs of your fidelity and attachment."
Mr. Vanslyperken bowed humbly and retired, delighted with the successful result of his manoeuvre, and with a gay heart he leaped into his calash, and drove off.
"Yes, yes," thought he, "Madam Vandersloosh, you would betray me. We shall see. Yes, yes, we shall see, Madam Vandersloosh."
And sure enough he did see Madam Vandersloosh, who in another calash was driving to the palace, and who met him face to face.
Vanslyperken turned up his nose at her as he passed by, and the widow, astonished at his presumption, thought, as she went on her way, "Well, well, Mr. Vanslyperken, we shall see: you may turn up your snivelling nose, but stop till your head's in the halter —yes, Mr. Vanslyperken, stop till your head's in the halter."
We must leave Mr. Vanslyperken to drive, and the widow Vandersloosh to drive, while we drive on ourselves. The subsequent events of this eventful day we will narrate in the following chapter.
