Chapter XLV
In which Mr Vanslyperken proves his loyalty and his fidelity to KingWilliam.
Mr Vanslyperken hastened from his inglorious conflict, maddened withrage and disappointment. He returned on board, went down into his cabin,and threw himself on his bed. His hopes and calculations had been sobrilliant--rid of his enemy Smallbones--with gold in possession, andmore in prospect, to be so cruelly deceived by the widow--thecockatrice! Then by one to whom he fully confided, and who knew too manyof his secrets already--Corporal Van Spitter--he too!--and to dare toaspire to the widow--it was madness--and then their knowledge of histreason--the corporal having witnessed his receiving the gold--with suchbitter enemies what could he expect but a halter--he felt it even nowround his neck, and Vanslyperken groaned in the bitterness ofhis spirit.
In the meantime, there was a consultation between the widow and thecorporal as to the best method of proceeding. That the corporal couldexpect nothing but the most determined hostility from Vanslyperken wascertain; but for this the corporal cared little, as he had all the crewof the cutter on his side, and he was in his own person too high in rankto be at the mercy of Vanslyperken.
After many pros and cons, and at least a dozen bottles of beer--for theexcitement on the part of the corporal, and the exertion of the widow,had made them both dry--it was resolved that the Frau Vanderslooshshould demand an audience at the Hague the next morning, and shouldcommunicate the treasonable practices of Mr Vanslyperken, calling uponthe corporal as a witness to the receipt of the money from the Jesuit.
"Mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, striking his bull forehead as if anew thought had required being forced out, "but they will ask me how Icame there myself, and what shall I say?"
"Say that the Jesuit father had sent for you to try and seduce you to dohis 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 toreport himself to Mr Vanslyperken.
Mr Vanslyperken had also been thinking over the matter, and in what wayhe should be able to escape from the toils prepared for him. That thewidow would immediately inform the authorities he was convinced. How washe to get out of his scrape?
Upon mature reflection, he decided that it was to be done. He had copiesof all Ramsay's letters, and those addressed to Ramsay, and the lastdelivered were very important. Now, his best plan would be to set offfor the Hague early the next morning--demand an interview with one ofthe ministers, or even his Majesty himself--state that he had beenoffered money from the Jacobite party to carry their letters, and that,with a view to serve his Majesty by finding out their secrets, he hadconsented to do it, and had taken the money to satisfy them that he wassincere. That he had opened the letters and copied them, and that now asthe contents were important, he had thought it right to make themimmediately known to the government, and at the same time to bring themoney received for the service, to be placed at his Majesty's disposal.
"Whether she is before or after me," thought Vanslyperken, "it will thenbe little matter, all I shall have to fear will be from Ramsay and hisparty, but the government will be bound to protect me."
There certainly was much wisdom in this plan of Vanslyperken, it was theonly one which could have been attended with success, or with anychance of it.
Mr Vanslyperken was up at daylight, and dressed in his best uniform; heput in his pocket all the copies of the Jacobite correspondence, andwent on shore--hired a calash, for he did not know how to ride, and setoff for the Hague, where he arrived about ten o'clock. He sent up hisname, and requested an audience with the Duke of Portland, as an officercommanding one of his Majesty's vessels: he was immediately admitted.
"What is your pleasure, Mr Vanslyperken?" said the duke, who wasstanding at the table, in company with Lord Albemarle.
Vanslyperken was a little confused--he muttered, and stammered aboutanxiety, and loyalty, and fidelity, and excess of zeal, &c.--
No wonder he stammered, for he was talking of what he knew nothingabout--but these two noblemen recollecting his confusion when presentedto his sovereign on board of the frigate, made allowances.
"I have at last," cried Vanslyperken, with more confidence, "been ableto discover the plots of the Jacobites, your grace."
"Indeed! Mr Vanslyperken," replied the duke, smiling incredulously, "andpray what may they be? you must be as expeditious as possible, for hisMajesty is waiting for us."
"These letters will take some time to read," replied Vanslyperken; "buttheir 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," repliedVanslyperken; "but they will amply repay an hour of your time, if youcan spare it."
At this moment, the door opened and his Majesty entered the room. At thesight of the king, Vanslyperken's confidence was again takingFrench leave.
"My lords, I am waiting for you," said the king, with a little asperityof manner.
"May it please your Majesty, here is Lieutenant Vanslyperken, commandingone of your Majesty's vessels, who states that he has importantintelligence, and that he has possession of Jacobite papers."
"Indeed!" replied King William, who was always alive to Jacobiteplotting, from which he had already run so much risk.
"What is it, Mr Vanslyperken? speak boldly what you have tocommunicate."
"Your Majesty, I beg your gracious pardon, but here are copies of thecorrespondence carried on by the traitors in England and this country.If your Majesty will deign to have it read, you will then perceive howimportant it is--after your Majesty has read it, I will have the honourto explain to you by what means it came into my possession."
King William was a man of business, and Vanslyperken had done wisely inmaking this proposal. His Majesty at once sat down, with the Duke ofPortland on the one side and Lord Albemarle on the other: the lattertook the letters which were arranged according to their dates, and readthem in a clear distinct voice.
As the reading went on, his Majesty made memorandums and notes with hispencil on a sheet of paper, but did not interrupt during the wholeprogress of the lecture. When the last and most important was finished,the two noblemen looked at his Majesty with countenances full ofmeaning. For a few moments his Majesty drummed with the second and thirdfinger of his left hand upon the table, and then said--
"Pray, Mr Vanslyperken, how did you obtain possession of these papersand letters, or make copies of these letters?"
Vanslyperken, who had been standing at the other side of the tableduring the time of the reading, had anxiously watched the countenance ofhis Majesty and the two noblemen, and perceived that the intelligencewhich the letters contained, had created a strong feeling, as heexpected. With a certain degree of confidence, he commenced hisexplanation.
He stated that the crew of the cutter had been accustomed to frequentthe Lust Haus of a certain widow Vandersloosh, and that he had made heracquaintance, 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 hadtold him plainly that it was for the Jacobite party, and he pretendedto consent.
That he had been taken by her to the house of a Jesuit, 169, in the Burstreet, nearly opposite to her Lust Haus, and that the Jesuit had givenhim some letters and fifty guineas for his trouble.
He then stated, that he had opened, copied, and resealed them; further,that he had brought over one of the confederates, who was now residingin the house of the syndic, Van Krause. That he should have made allthis known before, only that he waited till it was more important. Thatthe last letters appeared of such consequence, that he deemed it hisduty no longer to delay.
"You have done well, Mr Vanslyperken," replied his Majesty.
"And played a bold game," observed Lord Albemarle, fixing his eyes uponVanslyperken. "Suppose you had be
en found out co-operating withtraitors, 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 hisMajesty.
"What is the cave they mention so often?"
"It is on the bank of the Isle of Wight, your Majesty. I did not know ofits existence, but from the letters--but I once laid a whole night inthe cove underneath it, to intercept the smugglers, upon informationthat 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 theback of the Point, your Majesty!"
"Do you know of any of the names of the conspirators?"
"I do not, your Majesty, except a woman, who is very active, one MoggySalisbury--her husband not a month back, was the boatswain of thecutter, but by some interest or another, he has obtained his discharge."
"My Lord of Portland, take a memorandum to inquire who it was appliedfor the discharge of that man. Mr Vanslyperken you may retire--we willcall you in by-and-bye--you will be secret as to what has passed."
"I have one more duty to perform," replied Vanslyperken, taking somerouleaus of gold out of his pocket; "this is the money received from thetraitors--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 forfeitedto the crown, and it is now mine, you will accept it as a present fromyour king."
Mr Vanslyperken took the gold from the table, made a bow, and retiredfrom the royal presence.
The reader will acknowledge that it was impossible to play his cardsbetter than Mr Vanslyperken had done in this interview, and that hedeserved great credit for his astute conduct. With such diplomatictalents, he would have made a great prime minister.
"The council was ordered at twelve o'clock, my lords. These letters mustbe 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 morethat 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 MrVanslyperken says that he has done to discover the conspiracy, still,would he not naturally, to avoid any risk to himself, have furnishedgovernment with the first correspondence, and obtained their sanctionfor prosecuting his plans? This officer has been employed for the lasttwo years or more in carrying the despatches to the Hague, and it mustat 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 thefidelity of the syndic, suspicions which the evidence of this officerhave verified. But why were these suspicions raised? Because he knew ofthe government secrets, and it was supposed he obtained them from someone who is in our trust, but inimical to us and unworthy of theconfidence reposed in him.
"Your Majesty's acuteness will at once perceive that the secrets mayhave been obtained by Mynheer Krause, by the same means as have beenresorted to, to obtain the secrets of the conspirators. I may be inerror, and if I do this officer wrong by my suspicions, may God forgiveme, but there is something in his looks which tells me----"
"What, my lord?"
"That he is a traitor to both parties. May it please your Majesty."
"By the Lord, Albermarle, I think you have hit upon the truth," repliedthe Duke of Portland.
"Of that we shall soon have proof--at present, we have to decide whetherit be advisable to employ him to discover more, or at once to seize uponthe parties he has denounced. But that had better be canvassed in thecouncil-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, atmidnight, and that they and any of the conspirators who might be foundshould be thrown into prison. That the cutter should be despatchedimmediately to England, with orders to seize all the other partiesinformed against by Vanslyperken, and that a force should be sent toattack the cave, and secure those who might be found there, withdirections to the admiral, that Mr Vanslyperken should be employed bothas a guide, and to give the assistance of the cutter and his crew.
These arrangements having been made, the council broke up, King Williamhad a conference with his two favourites, and Vanslyperken was sent for.
"Lieutenant Vanslyperken, we feel much indebted to you for yourimportant communications, and we shall not forget, in due time, toreward your zeal and loyalty as it deserves. At present, it is necessarythat you sail for England as soon as our despatches are ready, whichwill be before midnight; you will then receive your orders from theadmiral, at Portsmouth, and I have no doubt you will take theopportunity of affording us fresh proofs of your fidelity andattachment."
Mr Vanslyperken bowed humbly and retired, delighted with the successfulresult of his manoeuvre, and, with a gay heart he leaped into hiscalash, and drove off.
"Yes, yes," thought he, "Madam Vandersloosh, you would betray me. Weshall see. Yes, yes, we shall see, Madam Vandersloosh."
And sure enough he did see Madam Vandersloosh, who in another calash wasdriving to the palace, and who met him face to face.
Vanslyperken turned up his nose at her as he passed by, and the widowastonished at his presumption, thought as she went on her way, "Well,well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see, you may turn up your snivellingnose, 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 todrive, while we drive on ourselves.
The subsequent events of this eventful day we will narrate in thefollowing chapter.