Lysbeth, a Tale of the Dutch

by H. Rider Haggard

  So soon as Adrian had left her Lysbeth rose, robed herself, and took herway to the house of her cousin, van de Werff, now a successful citizenof middle age and the burgomaster-elect of Leyden.

  "You have heard the news?" she said.

  "Alas! cousin, I have," he answered, "and it is very terrible. Is ittrue that this treasure of Hendrik Brant's is at the bottom of it all?"

  She nodded, and answered, "I believe so."

  "Then could they not bargain for their lives by surrendering itssecret?"

  "Perhaps. That is, Foy and Martin might--Dirk does not know itswhereabouts--he refused to know, but they have sworn that they will diefirst."

  "Why, cousin?"

  "Because they promised as much to Hendrik Brant, who believed thatif his gold could be kept from the Spaniards it would do some mightyservice to his country in time to come, and who has persuaded them allthat is so."

  "Then God grant it may be true," said van de Werff with a sigh, "forotherwise it is sad to think that more lives should be sacrificed forthe sake of a heap of pelf."

  "I know it, cousin, but I come to you to save those lives."

  "How?"

  "How?" she answered fiercely. "Why, by raising the town; by attackingthe Gevangenhuis and rescuing them, by driving the Spaniards out ofLeyden----"

  "And thereby bringing upon ourselves the fate of Mons. Would you seethis place also given over to sack by the soldiers of Noircarmes and DonFrederic?"

  "I care not what I see so long as I save my son and my husband," sheanswered desperately.

  "There speaks the woman, not the patriot. It is better that three menshould die than a whole city full."

  "That is a strange argument to find in your mouth, cousin, the argumentof Caiaphas the Jew."

  "Nay, Lysbeth, be not wroth with me, for what can I say? The Spanishtroops in Leyden are not many, it is true, but more have been sent forfrom Haarlem and elsewhere after the troubles of yesterday arisingout of the capture of Foy and Martin, and in forty-eight hours at thelongest they will be here. This town is not provisioned for a siege,its citizens are not trained to arms, and we have little powder stored.Moreover, the city council is divided. For the killing of the Spanishsoldiers we may compound, but if we attack the Gevangenhuis, that isopen rebellion, and we shall bring the army of Don Frederic down uponus."

  "What matter, cousin? It will come sooner or later."

  "Then let it come later, when we are more prepared to beat it off. Oh!do not reproach me, for I can bear it ill, I who am working day andnight to make ready for the hour of trial. I love your husband and yourson, my heart bleeds for your sorrow and their doom, but at presentI can do nothing, nothing. You must bear your burden, they must beartheirs, I must bear mine; we must all wander through the night notknowing where we wander till God causes the dawn to break, the dawn offreedom and retribution."

  Lysbeth made no answer, only she rose and stumbled from the house, whilevan de Werff sat down groaning bitterly and praying for help and light.