*II*
It was dark when I came to my lodging, and learnt from my servant thatSir Francis Vere, some while before, had sent to seek me. I made hasteto attend the general, whom I found alone at his supper.
"Ha, Rudd," he cried to me in his great voice, "I am glad to see thee,lad." (He was but ten years my elder, but let that pass.) "How hastfared?"
I rehearsed very shortly the particulars of my excursion, and those fewmatters I had learnt of the Dutchman; but held my peace as touching thepaper Temple had given me, deeming that to be of no moment. Sir Francismade me compliments on my good hap in coming off with a whole skin, andthen, bidding me share his meal, pushed a letter over the table towardsme.
"Read that," said he, "and tell me your mind upon it."
The letter, I found, was from Prince Maurice himself, concerning Bargen,the place from before which I had even now returned. The Prince wastroubled in mind about its safety. It had been some two months besiegedby the Spaniards, and he was as yet unable to stir towards its relief,being himself menaced by a greater force, the which he believed to belooking for some movement on his part thitherward, with the intent tofall upon him as he marched. The city had hitherto made a good defence,but there had come to his ears rumours of a weak-kneed party in thecouncil, and he feared lest, as the labour and hardship of the defencewaxed greater, the tottering loyalty of these burghers should failutterly, and they deliver up their city into the enemy's hands. In thisstrait he besought the aid of Sir Francis, requesting him to use allendeavours to save the place, chiefly by strengthening the hands ofthose burghers among the council that were still trusty and faithful.
"A murrain on him!" cried Sir Francis, as I set the letter down. "Whydoes he sit still, this Prince Do-Nothing? Did he strike a blow I wouldgive him a mighty backing, but 'tis not in me to play the nurse, andcosset faint-hearts. He must seek another man for that job, one of hisown slow Dutchmen, pardy!"
But it flashed upon me in a moment that the Prince had shown wisdom anddiscretion in seeking an Englishman for this part. I had learnt alreadythat there was great jealousy between the several cities; each was in amanner a little republic; and the burghers of one city would be apt tolook with ill-favour upon any man from another who should offer to teachthem their duty. The like resentment would not be stirred up by anEnglishman, more especially if he were commended to them as one expertin war and cunning in counsel. In this I thought Prince Maurice haddone wisely, and so I told Sir Francis. He looked at me very sharply,fingering his beard, and then smote upon the table and cried with agreat laugh:
"By the Lord Harry, thou art the man!"
I stared at him, at the first not understanding his intent. He laughedagain, and said:
"Who so fit for this business as Master Christopher Rudd, expert in war,as witness his exploits with Henry of Navarre; cunning in counsel, aswitness his lecture and admonition at this very table! You shall gointo Bargen; you shall take in hand the instruction of the burghers; youshall strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees; a Danielcome to judgment!"
I did not relish his mockery, nor in any wise covet the office he wouldthrust upon me. But his laughter stung me to a great heat (though Ishowed it not), and, not counting the cost as an older man had done, Idetermined in my mind that I would do this thing, come of it what might.Whereupon, feigning to take him in merry mood, I smote upon the tablelikewise, declared 'twas a right royal jest, and vowed that on themorrow I would make my way privily through the enemy's lines intoBargen, and instal myself tutor among the mynheers. Sir Francisapplauded me, still in sport, not supposing that I had spoken soberlyand in earnest.
When I came to reflect upon it in my own chamber I questioned whether Iwere not clean witless, for the task I had taken upon myself was fitterfor a man well acquainted with these burghers than for a man raw anduntried. Nevertheless, having put the halter about my own neck, I couldblame none but myself if I was hanged withal, and from sheer pride ofsoul I was steadfast to my purpose.
Accordingly, the next day, without any more speech of Sir Francis, Iwent about quietly to get myself a trusty Dutchman who should guide meinto Bargen. By good fortune I lighted upon a man that not only knewEnglish, but had himself gone in and out of the city by a secret way, indespite of the Spaniards. In the dusk we set forth from the camp, withmy servant, and rode to a lonely mill some few miles from Bargen, halfruined and burnt in a foray the year before. There we left our horses,which the Dutchman engaged to lead back to the camp, and went down tothe river hard by, where, in a clump of rushes, we found his raftcunningly concealed.
It being now dark, we got upon the raft, and oared ourselves warily andin silence down the stream, until we came to a spit or nose of land thatwas at this season partly submerged and in winter-time wholly. Here westepped ashore, being within a short bowshot of the Spaniards' trenches.At this hour of the night none but the sentinels were stirring, and, asmy guide well knew, the guard hereabout was negligent and unwary.
We crept softly as foxes toward the wall, and as we crawled up theglacis a voice challenged us, and I heard the click of a firelock. Myguide made answer in a whisper, and immediately after two rope ladderswere let down from the wall, upon which we nimbly mounted to theparapet. There we were confronted by a posse of the burgher guard, armedat all points, and my Dutchman presented me to their captain, saying,according to my instruction, that I was come on business of great momentfrom Prince Maurice.
WE CREPT SOFTLY AS FOXES TOWARD THE WALL]
The Captain would have led me instantly to the presence of theBurgomaster, but on my assuring him that my errand was not so urgent asthat I should disturb that worthy gentleman's rest so unseasonably, heoffered to find me a comfortable lodging for the night. We wenttogether, my servant following, through the dark and silent streets, theCaptain telling me that I should lodge in the house of the widow of thelate Burgomaster, who had been slain in a skirmish the year before.When I said that I was loth to intrude upon the lady at so late an hour,the Captain declared that Meffrouw Verhoeff would deem it in no wise anintrusion; indeed, he said that I should find a table ready laid, myhostess having a son among the guard for whom she watched on all thosenights when he was abroad.
Within a little I found myself at the entrance of a house wherein a lampshone. At the Captain's knock the door was opened, and a voice asked,"Is it you, Jan?" the speaker not perceiving at the first who we were.The Captain presenting me as an envoy from Prince Maurice, and anEnglishman, a soft hand caught mine, and drew me into the house, and Imade my salutation to a little old lady, very comely and personable,with a widow's cap and snow-white ruff, who greeted me in English andbade me very heartily welcome. She would hear no excuses upon thelateness of the hour; but led me into her parlour, then left me whileshe bestowed my servant, and returning, entreated me to do honour to theviands with which her table was sparely spread.
Mistress Verhoeff entertained me as I ate with many particulars of thesiege. I was not long of discovering that her small body was the seatof a very fiery and unquenchable spirit; and in truth, while she spokeof the brave deeds done in defence of the city, her cheeks glowed andher eyes sparkled so that she seemed young again. There had been muchsuffering, she told me; but her folk had learnt to suffer, and of asurety could endure even more grievous afflictions than had yet befallenthem.
At these words methought there was trouble in her voice, and I wonderedwhether she was aware of the rumours whereof Prince Maurice had mademention in his letter to Sir Francis Vere.
She spoke of her dead husband, and of her living son, who was this nighton guard at the wall.
"Had his father but lived," she said, "my boy had beyond question heldgreat place, in the field or the council chamber; but now, alack! hetrails a pike among the common men."
While we were yet conversing, there was a step without, and a young manentered to us. He stood amazed to behold a stranger with his mother, butupon her maki
ng me known to him, he gave me a courteous salutation andsat himself at the board. Now I never lose the remembrance of a faceonce seen, and at the first glance I could have avouched that this youngman was the same that did me service two days before. Yet the form ofhis countenance was something changed, and his apparel was whollybettered, and when he made not the least sign that he knew me, I wastempted to doubt my memory had for once cozened me. We spoke ofindifferent matters, and then, with the intent to put him to the test, Isaid bluntly--
"Sir, have you knowledge or acquaintance of one Mynheer Van der Kloof?"
"I know no man living of that name," he answered me.
"I crave your pardon, sir," said I, "but truly I would fain meet thatsame mynheer again, that I might renew my thanks for a timely service herendered me."
"What was that, sir?" the lady asked; and her son seemed to wait upon mywords with mere curiosity.
I related my adventure of two days before, and my hostess averred thatMynheer Van der Kloof was no man of Bargen, seeing that neither wasthere any family of that name in the city, nor could any force ofburghers have been without the walls, the place having been straitlyinvested for two months past. This in my secret thought I took leave todoubt, but I could not in courtesy urge my opinion, and we left speakingof the matter. Shortly thereafter the lady herself conducted me to mychamber, where I was soon comfortably established between the sheets, aswhite and fragrant as ever I slept in.