CHAPTER SIX.
The inhabitants of Leyden were already fearfully hard pressed for food.Their bread was entirely consumed; they had but a small supply of maltcake, with a few cows--kept as long as possible for their milk--besidesthese an equal number of horses and sheep; but every day theseprovisions were becoming more and more scanty, and unless they couldspeedily be relieved, starvation threatened them. The burgomaster andCouncil were assembled when a letter which had been sent in from Valdez,with a flag of truce, was received. The burgomaster read it aloud. Itoffered an amnesty to all Hollanders, except a few mentioned by name,provided they would return to their allegiance; it promised forgiveness,fortified by a Papal Bull which had been issued by Gregory theThirteenth to those Netherland sinners who duly repented and soughtabsolution for their sins, even though they sinned more than seven timesseven. Besides this public letter were received epistles despatched bythe "Glippers" from the camp to their rebellious acquaintances in thecity, exhorting them to submission, and imploring them to take pity upontheir poor old fathers, their daughters, and their wives.
"What say you, my friends?" exclaimed the burgomaster, who read theseletters aloud. "The Spanish general offers us free pardon for defendingour hearths and homes as we have hitherto done, and by God's grace wewill continue to do. The same plausible offers Don Frederic made to thecitizens of Haarlem. And what happened? The slaughter which overtookold and young alike, their city plundered, their homes ruined, cantestify as to the value of such offers. Shall we share their fate, orshall we hold out like men until the relief, which assuredly will come,arrives, although we have only malt cake to live upon, and but little ofthat, and a few cows, horses, goats, and dogs; and as to the remark ofthese `Glippers,' the best pity we can show our poor old fathers,daughters, and wives is to keep them from the clutches of the Spanishsoldiery."
"We will fight to the last! We will fight to the last!" was theunanimous response taken up by all the citizens in the streets. It wasagreed that no answer should be sent to the Spanish general; indeed someproposed hanging the herald, who was glad to make his escape with asingle line in Latin, on a sheet of paper, handed to him--
"When the trapper seeks to lure his bird, he softly plays his pipe."
Good care was taken that the herald should see nothing going on withinthe walls, or be able to report a word about the haggard countenances ofthe defenders. From their frowning looks and taunting expressions hewas probably glad to escape with his life. Meantime the condition ofthe inhabitants became worse and worse.
Jaqueline, with other maidens and matrons of rank, had formed themselvesinto a band to carry such relief as they could obtain for the sufferers.Day after day they nobly prosecuted their self-imposed duties, and manyby their means were aided who might otherwise have perished. Returningone evening to her tower to attend her remaining pigeons, which as yetshe had not allowed to be killed in the hopes that they might serve someuseful purpose, after feeding them as was her wont, she was seated atthe window, inhaling the pure air which the lower part of the city hadfailed to afford, when she observed a white spot in the sky glitteringin the rays of the setting sun. Nearer and nearer it came till sheperceived that it was a bird. It soon flew in at the window andalighted in her arms. It was one of her own pigeons; beneath its wingshe discovered, securely fastened by a silken thread, a small foldedpaper. Quickly untieing and releasing her bird, which she placed withits companions, she hurried down with the document to her father. Itwas, as she hoped, from Captain Van der Elst, written by the directionsof the Prince. He assured the citizens that he was already preparingthe promised aid, and that he hoped all difficulties would soon beovercome. He again reminded the garrison of Leyden that the fate oftheir country depended on their holding out. The captain did not say,what was really the case, that the Prince himself was lying ill of afever at Rotterdam, and that unforeseen delays had occurred. As may besupposed he added a few words of his own to be read only by Jaqueline,who would, he trusted, receive the epistle. The burgomaster lost notime in communicating the contents of the letter to the bravecommandant. The despatch served to revive the drooping spirits of thegarrison; still there was a further delay. Again the Spaniards attackedthe walls and were once more repulsed, but the numbers of the garrisonwere slowly though surely decreasing, yet neither the burgomaster norJohn Van der Does entertained a thought of submission. As only one ofthe pigeons had returned, Jaqueline hoped that another might soon appearbringing more certain news of relief. She paid, as may be supposed,frequent visits to her tower, gazing in the direction when she hoped herwinged messenger would appear. Her numerous duties compelled herfrequently to be absent, but each time she returned home she hurriedthere, as often to be disappointed. She had risen one morning ratherlater than usual from her couch, when going to the tower she perceivedthat the number of her pigeons was increased, quickly searching out thenew arrival she discovered, as she had expected, a letter below itswing, it was longer than the previous one. As the burgomaster, to whomshe carried it, read the news it contained his eyes brightened. It wasfrom the Prince himself; it said that the sluices at Rotterdam andSchiedam had been opened, that the dykes were all pierced, that thewater was rising upon the Land-Scheiding, the great outer barrier whichseparated the city from the sea; that he had a fleet of two-hundredvessels in readiness stored with provisions, under the command ofAdmiral Boisot, and that as soon as there was sufficient depth of water,the fleet would fight its way to the walls of Leyden and bring thecitizens relief.
"This is indeed joyous news!" exclaimed the burgomaster. He at oncedirected Berthold to summon the city musicians to meet him, with theirinstruments, in the market-place, to which, accompanied by Jaqueline, heimmediately repaired. He knew that many of the chief citizens wouldsoon collect there. Taking the letter, he read it publicly, when thebands of music striking up, marched through the streets playing livelymelodies and martial airs. The bells rang out merry tunes, and salvosof cannon were fired not at the foe but at brief intervals, to giveindubitable signs that the city was rejoicing.
"These scenes will astonish our enemies, who will at first be unable tocomprehend their import, but I've an idea they will soon find out, andmay deem it wise to decamp," exclaimed Berthold. Albert proposed makinga sortie to attack the Spaniards before they had recovered from theirastonishment at hearing the joyful sounds from the city, and seeing thewaters flowing over the land.
"No! no!" answered the commandant. "Many valuable lives might besacrificed, and the ocean will ere long fight for us far moreeffectually than our swords."
The burgomaster, generally accompanied by Jaqueline, paid frequentvisits to Hengist Tower.
Already from its summit the waters could be seen covering spaces whichhad hitherto been dry land, the canals having in many places risen teninches and were overflowing their banks, though the great dyke fivemiles off still prevented the flood from reaching the Spanish camp. Thehad one evening gone there with Berthold and Albert, who were especiallyeager in watching the rise of the flood. Already in the far distancethe rays of the sun glittered on the rising waters, where hitherto onlygreen fields and orchards had been seen, but between that shiningexpanse and the city lay about five miles off the Land-Scheiding, astrong dyke which had been spoken of, and within it were also severalcircumvallations thrown up to defend the city from the encroachments ofthe ocean. These all had to be passed before the fleet could reach thewalls. Though there were canals navigable at all times by vessels ofsmall burden, the Land-Scheiding was still a foot and a half above thewater, forming an impassable barrier, besides which in the intermediatespace were numerous villages held by the king's troops. While the twolads were standing somewhat apart from the burgomaster and Jaquelinethey observed a person approaching the tower. "It is that fellow VanArenberg," whispered Albert. "I wonder he has ventured to remain solong in the city, he might all this time have been with the Spaniards,whom he is so constantly praising and advising the people to confide i
n.When the fighting is going on he is never to be seen on the ramparts,and though he receives his rations I suspect that it is only amake-believe, and that he has a secret store of provisions in his ownhouse."
"It would not do to say that to the burgomaster," observed Berthold."He still believes him to be honest, though wanting in spirit, andwould, I suspect, even now let Jaqueline marry him if he were to presshis suit and she were to consent."
"That is not very likely to happen," said Albert. "She would be moreready to marry Captain Van der Elst."
"I do not know," answered Berthold. "During our journey he never, thatI recollect, once spoke to me about her; but here comes the baron, wehad better keep out of his way, for if I meet him I shall be inclined tosay something he won't like."
The baron, who certainly seemed to have suffered less than most of theinhabitants of Leyden from scanty food and constant watching, nowreaching the top of the tower approached the burgomaster and Jaqueline.Having in his usual courteous and polished manner paid his respects tothe Lily and her father, he pointed southward.
"You are looking out there, I conclude, for the appearance of admiralBoisot and his Sea Beggars, but I fear that we shall look in vain; hisflotilla may reach the Land-Scheiding, but beyond that no mortal powercan enable his ships to advance; even should they pierce it, as thePrince expects, it is impossible that they can pass all those otherbarriers with the victorious troops of Valdez opposing them andgarrisoning every village and fort."
"God can make a way if man cannot," answered the burgomaster.
"But He may not think fit to make one for those daring outlaws to reachLeyden," said the baron. "Would that I could hope that relief waslikely to come, but I have long despaired, as you know, of obtaining it,and I have sought you, Burgomaster, to entreat you that even should youconsider it your duty to remain you will allow me to escort your fairdaughter to some place where she may escape the unspeakable miserieswhich are gathering round the inhabitants of this unhappy city. I can,through some influential friends, obtain a safe pass from Valdez, andcan also through their means arrange for her secret departure from thecity, so that whatever happens she will at all events be preserved."
"Even should she wish it, my duty to my fellow-citizens will prevent mefrom permitting her to go," answered the burgomaster. "Her departurewould tend to dishearten those who have already sufficient to try them;but you may ask her."
Jaqueline had, while the baron was speaking to her father, withdrawnfrom his side, and was about to join her cousin and Albert when theyoung noble approached her. In carefully measured words he spoke of hislove and devotion, and offering his hand and heart, entreated her atonce to become his wife that he might be able to rescue her from thedangers by which she was surrounded.
"I have your father's permission," he added, "and whatever opinion hemay consider it his duty to express publicly I cannot but believe thathis mind will be greatly relieved when he knows that you are beyond thereach of harm."
"It may be that you have my father's permission to speak to me," sheanswered, "but he would never counsel me to play a dastard's part anddishearten my fellow-citizens, whom I am bound to encourage.Understand, Ernst Van Arenberg, sooner would I remain among those whoare stricken down every day by famine and pestilence, and share theirfate, if God so wills it, than wed one who traitorously counselssubmission to the foe."
As she spoke she fixed her clear blue eyes on him with a look themeaning of which he could not misinterpret, for it showed the scorn hisproposal had inspired. He might have seen that his cause was hopeless,yet he could not even now abandon her, and was again about to speak whenBerthold and Albert came up with an independent air, the formerexclaiming--
"Look out there, Jaqueline! Look out, your eyes are keen enough to seethe sun shining on some score of white sails far away to the southward;they form, I doubt not, the vanguard of a relieving fleet, and beforelong the Spaniards, the `Glippers,' and their friends will be scamperingoff to escape being overwhelmed by the rising tide."
"It is high time for you, Baron, to go and give the Spaniards warning ifyou wish to serve them a good turn," said Albert.
The baron frowned at the lad, who looked so unconscious of having saidanything disagreeable that he did not venture to reply. At length theburgomaster, addressing Jaqueline, proposed to return home, and desiredhis nephew and Albert to follow him, but a word from Jaqueline preventedhim from inviting the baron, as he might otherwise have done, to hishouse. Van Arenberg descended the steps close behind them, butreceiving no intimation that he might accompany them from Jaqueline orher father, he was compelled to lift his beaver, which he did with asomewhat haughty air, and without taking the slightest notice of thelads, walked away in an opposite direction. The burgomaster, who hadoverheard some of the boy's remarks, chided them for speaking so rudelyto the baron.
"Though the opinion you have formed of him is, I fear, right, it becomesyou not thus to address a person so much your senior in age as well asin rank," he said.
Jaqueline, however, interfered, and told her father that she wasthankful to them for coming so opportunely to her assistance, andpreventing her from uttering expressions which the baron might havedeemed far more severe than anything her cousin and Albert could say.