Part 2 (2/2)
”And how many men under him has De la Marck, do you think?” asked the chief magistrate.
”It would be difficult for me to count them,” answered Peter, carelessly, ”considering I only saw some of their s.h.i.+ps; but there are probably some five thousand in all, more or less; but they are desperate fellows, and equal to twice the number of ordinary mortals.”
On hearing this, the magistrates made long faces at each other.
”It is clear that we cannot resist such a force,” observed one; ”but what shall we do? Shall we negotiate, or shall we fly?”
”In my opinion, it would be judicious to do both,” observed a sagacious old burgher. ”We should negotiate in order to gain time to run away.”
”But which two men will be found to proceed to the rebel fleet as our envoys?” asked another. ”It is an honourable post, is no one ready to fill it?”
There seemed a great likelihood of the negotiations breaking down for want of envoys to carry them on. At this juncture Caspar Gaill made his appearance in the court-house.
”I will go,” he said, ”on one condition: that the executions which were to take place this morning are suspended. If we put to death the fellow-religionists of these people, they are not likely to treat us with much mercy.”
The justice of Caspar's remark was at once seen; and in spite of the protestations of the Inquisitor and the other priests, that it would be impious to take their victims out of the hands of the Church, the magistracy decided that the criminals should be immediately respited.
”If we determine on fighting, and put the enemy to flight, you holy fathers may then execute due punishment on the heretics,” observed one of the magistrates; ”but, in the meantime, we prefer not to subject ourselves to the rage of these desperate freebooters.”
Caspar quickly persuaded another friend to accompany him on board the fleet, and, rowed by Peter, they proceeded on board the admiral's s.h.i.+p.
It was there the rivals met. Caspar, before entering the admiral's cabin, had just time to exchange a few words with Diedrich.
”I resign Gretchen to you,” he whispered; ”I am not worthy of her. I acted a vile and treacherous part, and was very nearly the cause of the destruction of her and her father. They are now, I trust, safe; unless those vile priests prove treacherous. At all events there is no time to be lost in hastening on sh.o.r.e, that they may be completely rescued from their power.”
As soon as the message of the magistrates was received, the sailors quickly leaped into their boats, and hastened on sh.o.r.e. The rovers were divided into two parties. One, under Treslong, made an attack upon the southern gates; while the other, commanded by the admiral, advanced upon the northern. The governor of the city, it appeared, had not agreed to the proposals of the magistrates, and had made preparations to resist their entrance. Hungry men, especially of the character of the sea-rovers, are not likely to be stopped by trifles. Treslong and his followers forthwith attacked the gates with great fury. Just at the moment that they forced an entrance, the governor of the city was endeavouring to take his departure. He was, however, arrested by the rovers. Meantime De la Marck and his men, lighting a huge fire at the northern gate, rigged a battering-ram, formed out of a s.h.i.+p's mast; and as the fire burned the wood of the gates, they commenced battering away with might and main. The gates quickly gave way; and, das.h.i.+ng the embers of the fire aside, the bold sailors, sword in hand, rushed into the town, and speedily found themselves masters of the place. Among those who had accompanied Treslong was Diedrich Meghem. Peter Kopplestock had kept by his side. A choice band of seamen had followed Diedrich.
”Follow me, lads,” he exclaimed, as soon as they were inside the gates; ”our first work must be to set the prisoners of the Inquisition free.”
He and Peter rushed on, followed by a party of seamen. The Inquisitors and monks endeavoured to prevent their entrance. The doors were very soon battered in. Gretchen, who expected every instant to be led forth to execution, was on her knees in her cell. She heard the noise, little suspecting the cause. At that moment the door opened, and a monk appeared. She looked up, and beheld the stern features of Father Quixada. There was a glance in his eye which made her tremble.
”Have you come to lead me to death?” she asked.
”No, I would give you your liberty; follow me.”
”No; I will not,” she exclaimed, regarding him with a look of horror.
He rushed forward, and seized her by the arm, and was dragging her along the pa.s.sage, when footsteps were heard approaching; and the ray of sunlight which streamed along the pa.s.sage fell on a party of men who were hurrying through it. Their leader was Diedrich Meghem. With a cry of joy, Gretchen, tearing herself from the grasp of the monk, darted forward towards another part of the prison. The patriot seamen soon discovered the cell in which the merchant Hopper was confined, and he and all the other prisoners were quickly liberated. A large number of the citizens had escaped; but several monks and priests who had remained in the convent were captured, as well as the governor and some other civil authorities. Admiral De la Marck took possession of the town in the name of the Prince of Orange. Thus the weary spirit of freedom, so long a fugitive over earth and sea, at length found a resting-place; and the foundation of the Dutch Republic was laid in the little city of Brill. No indignity was offered to the inhabitants of either s.e.x, and all those who remained were treated with consideration. The captors, however, took possession of the best houses, and very naturally made themselves at home. The inclination to plunder the churches, however, could not long be restrained. The altars and images were destroyed, while the rich furniture and the gorgeous vestments of the priests were appropriated by the rovers. Adam van Haren, who commanded one of the s.h.i.+ps, appeared on his vessel's deck attired in a magnificent high-ma.s.s chasuble; while his seamen dressed themselves up in the various other vestments which the Romish clergy had been wont to wear on their grand festivals. So great was the hatred of the admiral for everything connected with the Church of Rome, that thirteen unfortunate monks and priests, including Father Quixada, who had been taken prisoners, were, by his orders, a few days after the capture of the city, executed in the very way that they had intended to put to death the victims of the Inquisition. Caspar Gaill joined the fleet of De la Marck, and was soon afterwards killed in an action with some Spanish s.h.i.+ps. In spite of Duke Alva's attempt to retake Brill, the city remained ever afterwards faithful to the Prince of Orange. Diedrich and Gretchen were the first persons united according to the Protestant form in Brill, after its capture, and their descendants have ever been among its most respected inhabitants.
CHAPTER FIVE.
FRANK CARLTON--A STORY OF NIAGARA
NIAGARA--ITS GRANDEUR AND DANGERS--f.a.n.n.y REJECTS FRANK BECAUSE HE IS NOT A HERO--SCARCITY OF HEROES--f.a.n.n.y'S NEPHEWS GET INTO A BOAT--THEY DRIFT AWAY--NO HOPE--HELP AT THE LAST--A FEARFUL STRUGGLE--f.a.n.n.y FINDS FRANK IS A HERO AFTER ALL.
Niagara, the father of waters! The name is significant of something grand; words are inadequate to describe the mighty cataract. The waters which rush down from Lake Superior, pa.s.sing through Lake Huron and Lake Saint Clair, and onward across Lake Erie, finally force their course in a northern direction into Lake Ontario. On first leaving Lake Erie, they flow in a tranquil current, and divide, leaving an island in the centre, on which a thousand cattle save one are said to feed. Then the rapidity of the current increases, till those who voyage on its bosom see in front of them, raised high in the blue sky, a cloud of vapour.
This is said to be the crown of Niagara, the vapoury particles collecting from the boiling caldron below.
Proceeding onward, a roaring sound is heard, the current increases in rapidity, and ahead appears a line of foaming breakers. Those who once get within their power must give up all hope of life. No vessel built with mortal hands can live amidst those furious rapids. In the centre a rocky island appears, thickly covered with trees, and while one portion of the stream rushes directly on, and takes a leap downwards of 200 feet, the other and smaller portion, sweeping round Goat Island, finds its way into the lower level, over the cliff on the right bank of the river. The last-mentioned fall is known as the American fall, as the territory on that side of the river belongs to the United States.
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