"The lieutenant of the cutter has taken copies of all your correspondence, and betrayed you. You must fly immediately, as at midnight you and all of you will he seized. In justice to Mynheer Krause, leave documents to clear him.
"The cutter will sail this evening —with orders to secure your friends at Portsmouth and the cave."
"Now, by the holy cross of our Saviour! I will have revenge upon that dastard; there is no time to lose; five minutes for reflection, and then to act," thought Ramsay, as he twisted up this timely notice, which, it must be evident to the reader, must have been sent by one who had been summoned to the council. Ramsay's plans were soon formed; he dispatched a trusty messenger to the Jesuit's, desiring him to communicate immediately with the others, and upon what plan to proceed. He then wrote a note to Vanslyperken, requesting his immediate presence, and hastened to the morning apartment of Wilhelmina. In a few words, he told her that he had received timely notice that it was the intention of the Government to seize her father and him as suspected traitors, and throw them that very night into prison.
"For your father, my dearest girl, there is no fear: he will be fully acquitted; but I, Wilhelmina, must part immediately, or my life is forfeited."
"Leave me, Edward?" replied Wilhelmina.
"No, you must go with me, Wilhelmina, for more than one reason; the Government have ordered the seizure of the persons to be made in the night, to avoid a disturbance; but that they will not be able to prevent; the mob are but too happy to prove their loyalty, when they can do so by rapine and plunder, and depend upon it that this house will be sacked and levelled to the ground before to-morrow evening. You cannot go to prison with your father; you cannot remain here, to be at the mercy of an infuriated and lawless mob. You must go with me, Wilhelmina: trust to me, not only for my sake, but for your father's."
"My father's, Edward, it is that only I am thinking of; how can I leave my father at such a time?"
"You will save your father by so doing. Your departure with me will substantiate his innocence; decide, my dearest girl! decide at once; you must either fly with me, or we must part for ever."
"Oh no, that must not be, Edward," cried Wilhelmina, bursting into tears.
After some further persuasions on the part of Ramsay, and fresh tears from the attached maiden, it was agreed that she should act upon his suggestions, and with a throbbing heart she went to her chamber to make the necessary preparations, while Ramsay requested Mynheer Krause would give him a few minutes of his company in his room above.
The syndic soon made his appearance. "Well, Mynheer Ramsay, you have some news to tell me, I am sure:" for Mynheer Krause, notwithstanding his rebuff from the king, could not divest himself of his failing of fetching and carrying reports. Ramsay went to the door and turned the key.
"I have, indeed, most important news, Mynheer Krause, and, I am sorry to say, very unpleasant also."
"Indeed," replied the syndic, with alarm.
"Yes; I find from a notice given me by one of his majesty's council, assembled this morning at the Hague, that you are suspected of treasonable practices."
"God in heaven!" exclaimed the syndic.
"And that this very night you are to be seized and thrown into prison!"
"I, the syndic of the town! I, who put everybody else into prison!"
"Even so; such is the gratitude of King William for your long and faithful services, Mynheer Krause! I have now sent for you that we may consult as to what had best be done. Will you fly? I have the means for your escape."
"Fly, Mynheer Ramsay? the syndic of Amsterdam fly? Never! they may accuse me falsely; they may condemn me and take off my head before the Stadt House, but I will not fly."
"I expected this answer; and you are right, Mynheer Krause; but there are other considerations worthy of your attention. When the populace know that you are in prison for treason, they will level this house to the ground."
"Well and so they ought, if they suppose me guilty; I care little for that."
"I am aware of that; but still your property will be lost; it will be but a matter of prudence to save all you can: you have already a large sum of gold collected."
"I have four thousand guilders, at least."
"You must think of your daughter, Mynheer Krause. This gold must not find its way into the pockets of the mob. Now, observe, the king's cutter sails to-night, and I propose that your gold be embarked, and. I will take it over for you and keep it safe. Then, let what will happen, your daughter will not be left to beggary."
"True, true, my dear sir, there is no saying how this will end: it may end well; but, as you say, if the house is plundered, the gold is gone for ever. Your advice is good, and I will give you, before you go, orders for all the monies in the hands of my agents at Hamburgh and Frankfort and other places. I have taken your advice, my young friend, and, though I have property to the amount of some hundred thousand guilders, with the exception of this house, they will hold little of it which belongs to Mynheer Krause. And my poor daughter, Mynheer Ramsay?"
"Should any accident happen to you, you may trust to me, I swear it to you, Mynheer Krause, on my hope of salvation."
Here the old man sat down much affected, and covered his face.
"Oh! my dear young friend, what a world is this! where they cannot distinguish a true and a loyal subject from a traitor. But why could you not stay here, —protect my house from the mob, —demand the civic guard?"
"I stay here, my dear sir! why, I am included in the warrant of treason."
"Yes; and there would be no chance of my escaping from my enemies; they detest me too much. But cheer up, sir, I think that, by my means, you may be cleared of all suspicions."
"Yes; but I must not explain; my departure is necessary for your safety; I will take the whole upon myself, and you shall be saved."
"I really cannot understand you, my dear friend; but it appears to me as if you were going to make some great sacrifice for my sake."
"I will not be questioned, Mynheer Krause; only this I say, that I am resolved that you shall be proved innocent. It is my duty. But we have no time to lose. Let your gold be ready at sunset: I will have everything prepared."
"But my daughter must not remain here; she will be by herself at the mercy of the mob."
"Be satisfied, Mynheer Krause, that is also cared for; your daughter must leave this house, and be in a safe retreat before the officers come in to seize you: I have arranged everything."
"Where do you propose sending her?"
"Not to any of your friends' houses, Mynheer Krause; no —no, but I'll see her in safety before I leave, do not be afraid; it must depend upon circumstances: but of that hereafter; you have no time to lose."
"God in heaven!" exclaimed Mynheer Krause, unlocking the door, "that I, the syndic, the most loyal subject! —well, well, you may truly say, 'put not your trust in princes.'"
"Trust in me, Mynheer Krause," replied Ramsay, taking his hand.
"I do, I will, my good friend, and I will go to prison proudly, and like an innocent and injured man."
And Mynheer Krause hastened down to his counting-house, to make the proposed arrangements, Ramsay returning to Wilhelmina, to whom he imparted what had taken place between him and her father, and which had the effect of confirming her resolution.
We must now return to the widow Vandersloosh, who has arrived safely, but melting with the heat of her journey, at the Palace of the Hague. She immediately informed one of the domestics that she wished to speak with his majesty upon important business.
"I cannot take your name in to his majesty, but if you will give it me, I will speak to Lord Albemarle."
The widow wrote her name down upon a slip of paper, with which the servant went away, and then the widow sat down upon a bench in the hall, and cooled herself with her fan.
"Frau Vandersloosh," said Lord Albemarle, on reading the name.
"Let her come up. Why this," continued, he, turning to the Duke of. Portland, who was sitting by him, "is the woman who is ordered to be arrested this night, upon the evidence of Lieutenant Vanslyperken; we shall learn something now, depend upon it."
The Frau Vandersloosh made her appearance, sailing into the room like a Dutch man-of-war of that period, under full sail, high-pooped and broad-sterned. Never having stood in the presence of great men, she was not a little confused, so she fanned herself most furiously.
"You wish to speak with me?" said Lord Albemarle.
"Yes, your honour's honour, I've come to expose a snivelling traitor to his majesty's crown. Yes, yes, Mr. Vanslyperken, we shall see now," continued the widow, talking to herself, and fanning away.
"We are all attentive, madam."
Mistress Vandersloosh then began, out of breath, and continued out of breath till she had told the whole of her story, which, as the reader must be aware, only corroborated all Vanslyperken had already stated, with the exception that he had denounced the widow. Lord Albemarle allowed her to proceed without interruption; he had a great insight into character, and the story of the widow confirmed him in his opinion of Vanslyperken.
"But, my good woman," said Lord Albemarle, "are you aware that Mr. Vanslyperken has already been here?"
"Yes, your honour, I met him going back, and he turned his nose up at me, and then I said, 'Well, well, Mr. Vanslyperken, we shall see; wait a little, Mr. Vanslyperken.'"
"And," continued Lord Albemarle, "that he has denounced you as being a party to all these treasonable practices?"
"Me —denounced me —he —O Lord, O Lord, only let me meet him face to face —let him say it then, if he dares, the snivelling —cowardly —murdering wretch."
Thereupon Mrs. Vandersloosh commenced the history of Vanslyperken's wooing, of his cur Snarleyyow, of her fancy for the corporal, of his finding her with the corporal the day before, of her beating him off with the brooms, and of her threats to expose his treason. "And so, now, when he finds that he was to be exposed, he comes up first himself; that's now the truth of it, or my name's not Vandersloosh, your honour;" and the widow walked up and down with the march of an elephant, fanning herself violently, her bosom heaving with agitation, and her face as red as a boiled lobster.
"Mistress Vandersloosh," said Lord Albemarle, "let the affair rest as it is for the present, but I shall not forget what you have told me. I think now that you had better go home."
At this dismissal the widow turned round.
"Thank your worship kindly," said she, "I'm ready to come whenever I'm wanted. Yes, yes, Mr. Vanslyperken," resumed the widow, as she walked to the door, quite forgetting the respect due to the two noblemen, "we shall see; yes, yes, we shall see."
"Well, my lord, what think you of this?" said Lord Albemarle to the duke, as the widow closed the door.
"Upon my soul I think she is honest; she is too fat for a traitor."
"I am of your opinion. The episode of the corporal was delightful, and has thrown much light upon the lieutenant's conduct, who is a traitor in my opinion, if ever there was one; but he must be allowed to fulfil his task, and then we will soon find out the traitor; but if I mistake not, that man was born to be hung."
We must now return to Mr. Vanslyperken, who received the note from Ramsay, just as he was going down to the boat. As he did not know what steps were to be taken by Government, he determined to go up to Ramsay, and inform him of his order for immediately sailing.
He might gain further information from his letters, and also remove the suspicion of his having betrayed him. Ramsay received Mr. Vanslyperken with an air of confidence.
"Sit down, Mr. Vanslyperken, I wish to know whether there is any chance of your sailing."
"I was about to come up to you to state that I have orders to sail this evening."
"That is fortunate, as I intended to take a passage with you, and what is more, Mr. Vanslyperken, I have a large sum in specie, which we must contrive to get on board. Cannot we contrive it? I cannot go without it."
"A large sum in specie!" Vanslyperken reflected. Yes, he would secure Ramsay as a prisoner, and possess himself of the specie if he could. His entrapping Ramsay on board would be another proof of his fidelity and dexterity. But then Vanslyperken thought of the defection of the corporal; but that was of no great consequence. The crew of the cutter dare not disobey him, when they were ordered to seize a traitor.
While Vanslyperken was meditating this, Ramsay fixed his eyes upon him, waiting for his reply.
"It will be difficult," observed Vanslyperken, "to get the specie on board without being seen."
"I'm afraid so too; but I have a proposition to make. Suppose you get under way, and heave-to a mile outside, I will then come off in the syndic's barge. I can have the use of it. Then nothing will be discovered."
Vanslyperken appeared to reflect again.
"I shall still run a great risk, Mr. Ramsay."
"You will run some little, perhaps, but you will be well paid for it, I promise you."
"Well, sir, I consent," replied Vanslyperken. "At what hour do you propose to embark?"
"About eleven, or a little earlier. You will have a light over the stern; hail the boat when you see it coming, and I shall answer, 'King's messenger, with despatches;' that will be a blind to your crew —they supposed me a king's messenger before."
"Yes, that will be prudent," replied Vanslyperken, who then took his leave with great apparent cordiality.
"Villain!" muttered Ramsay, as Vanslyperken shut the door, "I know your thoughts."
We must pass over the remainder of this eventful day. Wilhelmina had procured the dress of a boy, in which disguise she proposed to elope with Ramsay, and all her preparations were made long before the time. Mynheer Krause was also occupied in getting his specie ready for embarkation, and Ramsay in writing letters. The despatches from the Hague came down about nine o'clock, and Vanslyperken received them on board. About ten he weighed and made sail, and hove-to about a mile outside, with a light shown as agreed. About the time arranged, a large boat appeared pulling up to the cutter, "Boat, a-hoy!" "King's messenger with despatches," was the reply. "All's right," said Vanslyperken; "get a rope there, from forward."
The boat darted alongside of the cutter. She pulled ten oars; but, as soon as she was alongside, a number of armed men sprang from her on the decks, and beat the crew below, while Ramsay, with pistols in his belt, and his sword in his hand, went aft to Vanslyperken.
"What is all this?" exclaimed the terrified lieutenant.
"Nothing, sir, but common prudence on my part," replied Ramsay. "I have an account to settle with you."
Vanslyperken perceived that his treachery was discovered, and he fell upon his knees. Ramsay turned away to give orders, and Vanslyperken darted down the hatchway, and gained the lower deck.
"Never mind," said Ramsay, "he'll not escape me; come, my lads, hand up the boxes as fast as you can."
Ramsay then went to the boat, and brought up Wilhelmina, who had remained there, and conducted her down into the cabin. The boxes were also handed down, the boat made fast, and the conspirators remained in possession of the deck. The helm was taken by one of them; sail again made on the cutter, and the boat with a boat-keeper towed astern.
