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John looked。 The whole mass of the populace from the
Buytenhof appeared at the extremity of the street along
which the carriage was to proceed； and its stream moved
roaring and rapid； as if lashed on by a hurricane。
〃Stop and get off；〃 said John to the coachman； 〃it is
useless to go any farther； we are lost！〃
〃Here they are！ here they are！〃 five hundred voices were
crying at the same time。
〃Yes； here they are； the traitors； the murderers； the
assassins！〃 answered the men who were running after the
carriage to the people who were coming to meet it。 The
former carried in their arms the bruised body of one of
their companions； who； trying to seize the reins of the
horses； had been trodden down by them。
This was the object over which the two brothers had felt
their carriage pass。
The coachman stopped； but； however strongly his master urged
him； he refused to get off and save himself。
In an instant the carriage was hemmed in between those who
followed and those who met it。 It rose above the mass of
moving heads like a floating island。 But in another instant
it came to a dead stop。 A blacksmith had with his hammer
struck down one of the horses； which fell in the traces。
At this moment； the shutter of a window opened； and
disclosed the sallow face and the dark eyes of the young
man； who with intense interest watched the scene which was
preparing。 Behind him appeared the head of the officer；
almost as pale as himself。
〃Good heavens； Monseigneur； what is going on there？〃
whispered the officer。
〃Something very terrible； to a certainty；〃 replied the
other。
〃Don't you see； Monseigneur； they are dragging the Grand
Pensionary from the carriage； they strike him； they tear him
to pieces！〃
〃Indeed； these people must certainly be prompted by a most
violent indignation；〃 said the young marl； with the same
impassible tone which he had preserved all along。
〃And here is Cornelius； whom they now likewise drag out of
the carriage； Cornelius； who is already quite broken and
mangled by the torture。 Only look； look！〃
〃Indeed； it is Cornelius； and no mistake。〃
The officer uttered a feeble cry； and turned his head away；
the brother of the Grand Pensionary； before having set foot
on the ground； whilst still on the bottom step of the
carriage； was struck down with an iron bar which broke his
skull。 He rose once more； but immediately fell again。
Some fellows then seized him by the feet； and dragged him
into the crowd； into the middle of which one might have
followed his bloody track； and he was soon closed in among
the savage yells of malignant exultation。
The young man a thing which would have been thought
impossible grew even paler than before； and his eyes were
for a moment veiled behind the lids。
The officer saw this sign of compassion； and； wishing to
avail himself of this softened tone of his feelings；
continued；
〃Come； come； Monseigneur； for here they are also going to
murder the Grand Pensionary。〃
But the young man had already opened his eyes again。
〃To be sure；〃 he said。 〃These people are really implacable。
It does no one good to offend them。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 said the officer； 〃may not one save this poor
man； who has been your Highness's instructor？ If there be
any means； name it； and if I should perish in the attempt
〃
William of Orange for he it was knit his brows in a
very forbidding manner； restrained the glance of gloomy
malice which glistened in his half…closed eye； and answered；
〃Captain Van Deken； I request you to go and look after my
troops； that they may be armed for any emergency。〃
〃But am I to leave your Highness here； alone； in the
presence of all these murderers？〃
〃Go； and don't you trouble yourself about me more than I do
myself；〃 the Prince gruffly replied。
The officer started off with a speed which was much less
owing to his sense of military obedience than to his
pleasure at being relieved from the necessity of witnessing
the shocking spectacle of the murder of the other brother。
He had scarcely left the room； when John who； with an
almost superhuman effort； had reached the stone steps of a
house nearly opposite that where his former pupil concealed
himself began to stagger under the blows which were
inflicted on him from all sides； calling out；
〃My brother！ where is my brother？〃
One of the ruffians knocked off his hat with a blow of his
clenched fist。
Another showed to him his bloody hands； for this fellow had
ripped open Cornelius and disembowelled him； and was now
hastening to the spot in order not to lose the opportunity
of serving the Grand Pensionary in the same manner； whilst
they were dragging the dead body of Cornelius to the gibbet。
John uttered a cry of agony and grief； and put one of his
hands before his eyes。
〃Oh； you close your eyes； do you？〃 said one of the soldiers
of the burgher guard； 〃well； I shall open them for you。〃
And saying this he stabbed him with his pike in the face；
and the blood spurted forth。
〃My brother！〃 cried John de Witt； trying to see through the
stream of blood which blinded him； what had become of
Cornelius； 〃my brother； my brother！〃
〃Go and run after him！〃 bellowed another murderer； putting
his musket to his temples and pulling the trigger。
But the gun did not go off。
The fellow then turned his musket round； and； taking it by
the barrel with both hands； struck John de Witt down with
the butt…end。 John staggered and fell down at his feet； but；
raising himself with a last effort； he once more called out；
〃My brother！〃 with a voice so full of anguish that the young
man opposite closed the shutter。
There remained little more to see； a third murderer fired a
pistol with the muzzle to his face； and this time the shot
took effect； blowing out his brains。 John de Witt fell to
rise no more。
On this； every one of the miscreants； emboldened by his
fall； wanted to fire his gun at him； or strike him with
blows of the sledge…hammer； or stab him with a knife or
swords； every one wanted to draw a drop of blood from the
fallen hero； and tear off a shred from his garments。
And after having mangled； and torn； and completely stripped
the two brothers； the mob dragged their naked and bloody
bodies to an extemporised gibbet； where amateur executioners
hung them up by the feet。
Then came the most dastardly scoundrels of all； who not
having dared to strike the living flesh； cut the dead in
pieces； and then went about the town selling small slices of
the bodies of John and Cornelius at ten sous a piece。
We cannot take upon ourselves to say whether； through the
almost imperceptible chink of the shutter； the young man
witnessed the conclusion of this shocking scene； but at the
very moment when they were hanging the two martyrs on the
gibbet he passed through the terrible mob； which was too
much absorbed in the task； so grateful to its taste； to take
any notice of him； and thus he reached unobserved the
Tol…Hek； which was still closed。
〃Ah！ sir；〃 said the gatekeeper； 〃do you bring me the key？〃
〃Yes； my man； here it is。〃
〃It is most unfortunate that you did not bring me that key
only one quarter of an hour sooner；〃 said the gatekeeper；
with a sigh。
〃And why that？〃 asked the other。
〃Because I might have opened the gate to Mynheers de Witt；
whereas； finding the gate locked； they were obliged to
retrace their steps。〃
〃Gate！ gate！〃 cried a voice which seemed to be that of a man
in a hurry。
The Prince； turning round； observed Captain Van Deken。
〃Is that you； Captain？〃 he said。 〃You are not yet out of the
Hague？ This is executing my orders very slowly。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 replied the Captain； 〃this is the third gate
at which I have presented myself； the other two were
closed。〃
〃Well； this good man will open this one for you； do it； my
friend。〃
The last words were addressed to the gatekeeper； who stood
quite thunderstruck on hearing Captain Van Deken addressing
by the title of Monseigneur this pale young man； to whom he
himself had spoken in such a familiar way。
As it were to make up for his fault； he hastened to open the
gate； which swung creaking on its hinges。
〃Will Monseigneur avail himself of my horse？〃 asked the
Captain。
〃I thank you； Captain； I shall use my own steed； which is
waiting for me close at hand。〃
And taking from his pocket a golden whistle； such as was
generally used at that time for summoning the servants； he
sounded it with a shrill and prolonged call； on which an
equerry on horseback speedily made his appearance； lead