By Pike and Dyke: a Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER VIII

  IN THE HANDS OF THE BLOOD COUNCIL

  "You are an evil looking pair of scoundrels," Ned said to himselfas he looked after the retreating figures of the two men. "Themaster I truly know by name as one of the worst instruments of thetyrant; as to the man, knave is written on his face. He is as thinas a scarecrow--he has a villainous squint and an evil smileon his face. If I had been bent on any other errand I would havegiven very different answers, and taken my chance of holding my ownwith this good stick of mine. At any rate I told them no absolutelies. The councillor will not have a chance of asking me any morequestions this evening, and I only hope that he will be too busyto think any more about it. I will take the road through Ghent; itmatters little which way I go, for the two roads seem to me to beof nearly equal distance."

  He therefore at once left the road he was following, and struckacross the fields northward until he came upon the road to Ghent,at which town he arrived soon after noon, having walked two orthree and twenty miles. Fearing to be questioned he passed throughthe town without stopping, crossed the Scheldt and continued his wayfor another five miles, when he stopped at the village of Gontere.He entered a small inn.

  "I wish to stop here for the night," he said, "if you have room?"

  "Room enough and to spare," the host replied. "There is no scarcityof rooms, though there is of good fare; a party of soldiers fromGhent paid a visit to us yesterday, and have scarce left a thingto eat in the village. However, I suppose we ought to feel thankfulthat they did not take our lives also."

  "Peter," a shrill voice cried from inside the house, "how often haveI told you not to be gossiping on public affairs with strangers?Your tongue will cost you your head presently, as I have told youa score of times."

  "Near a hundred I should say, wife," the innkeeper replied. "I amspeaking no treason, but am only explaining why our larder is empty,save some black bread, and some pig's flesh we bought an hour ago;besides, this youth is scarce likely to be one of the duke's spies."

  "There you are again," the woman cried angrily. "You want to leaveme a widow, and your children fatherless, Peter Grantz. Was a womanever tormented with such a man?"

  "I am not so sure that it is not the other way," the man grumbledin an undertone. "Why, wife," he went on, raising his voice, "whois there to say anything against us. Don't I go regularly to mass,and send our good priest a fine fish or the best cut off the jointtwo or three times a week? What can I do more? Anyone would thinkto hear you talk that I was a heretic."

  "I think you are more fool than heretic," his wife said angrily;"and that is the best hope for us. But come in, boy, and sit down;my husband will keep you gossiping at the door for the next hourif you would listen to him."

  "I shall not be sorry to sit down, mistress," Ned said enteringthe low roofed room. "I have walked from Axel since morning."

  "That is a good long walk truly;" the woman said. "Are you goingon to Brussels? If so, your nearest way would have been by Antwerp."

  "I took the wrong road," Ned said; "and as they told me that therewas but a mile or two difference between them, I thought I mightas well keep on the one I had first taken."

  "You are from Holland, are you not, by your speech?" the womanasked.

  "Yes; I have come from Holland," Ned replied.

  "And is it true what they say, that the people there have thrownoff the authority of the duke, and are going to venture themselvesagainst all the strength of Spain?"

  "Some have risen and some have not," Ned replied. "None can saywhat will come of it."

  "You had best not say much about your coming from Holland," thewoman said; "for they say that well nigh all from that province areheretics, and to be even suspected of being a heretic in Brabantis enough to cost anyone his life."

  "I am not one to talk," Ned replied; "but I thank you for yourcaution, mistress. I have been questioned already by Philip VonAert, and he said he would see me again; but in truth I have nointention of further intruding on him."

  "He is one of the Council of Blood," the woman said, dropping hervoice and looking round anxiously; "and one of the most cruel ofthem. Beware, my lad, how you fall into his hands, for be assuredhe will show you no mercy, if he has reason to suspect, but inthe slightest, that you are not a good Catholic and loyal to theSpaniards. Rich or poor, gentle or simple, woman or child, it isnought to him. There is no mercy for heretics, whomsoever they maybe; and unless you can satisfy him thoroughly your best plan is togo back at once to Axel, and to cross to Holland. You do not knowwhat they are. There are spies in every town and village, and wereit known what I have said to you now, little though that be, itwould go hard with me. Women have been burned or strangled for farless."

  "I will be careful," Ned said. "I have business which takes me toBrussels, but when that is discharged I shall betake me back toHolland as soon as I can."

  By this time the woman, who had been standing over the fire whileshe was talking, had roasted two or three slices of pork, and these,with a piece of black bread and a jug of ale, she placed beforeNed.

  Her husband, who had been standing at the door, now came in.

  "You are no wiser than I am, wife, with all your scolding. I havebeen listening to your talk; you have scolded me whenever I openmy lips, and there you yourself say things ten times as dangerous."

  "I say them inside the house, Peter Grantz," she retorted, "anddon't stand talking at the door so that all the village may hearme. The lad is honest, as I can see by his face, and if I could doaught for him I would do so."

  "I should be glad if you could tell me of some little place whereI could put up in Brussels; some place where I could stay whilelooking out for work, without anyone troubling themselves asto whence I came or where I am going, or what are my views as toreligion or politics."

  "That were a difficult matter," the woman replied. "It is not thatthe landlords care what party those who visit their house belongto, but that for aught they know there may be spies in their ownhousehold; and in these days it is dangerous even to give shelterto one of the new religion. Therefore, although landlords may carenothing who frequent their houses, they are in a way forced todo so lest they themselves should be denounced as harbourers ofheretics. Brussels has a strong party opposed to the duke; for youknow that it is not those of the new religion only who would gladlysee the last of the Spaniards. There are but few heretics in Brabantnow, the Inquisition and the Council of Blood have made an end ofmost, others have fled either to France, or England, or Holland,some have outwardly conformed to the rites of the Church, andthere are few indeed who remain openly separated from her, thoughin their hearts they may remain heretics as before.

  "Still there are great numbers who long to see the old Constitutionrestored--to see persecution abolished, the German and Spanishtroops sent packing, and to be ruled by our own laws under theviceroy of the King of Spain. Therefore in Brussels you are notlikely to be very closely questioned. There are great numbers ofofficials, a small garrison, and a good many spies; all of theseare for the duke, the rest of the population would rise tomorrowdid they see a chance of success. I should say that you are morelikely, being a stranger, of being suspected of being a spy thanof being a heretic--that is if you are one, which I do not askand do not want to know. The people of Brussels are not given totumults as are those of Antwerp and Ghent, but are a quiet peoplegoing their own way. Being the capital there are more strangersresort there than to other places, and therefore people come and gowithout inquiry; still were I you I would, if you have any goodreason for avoiding notice, prefer to lodge outside the city,entering the gates of a morning, doing what business you may haveduring the day, and leaving again before sunset. That way you wouldaltogether avoid questionings, and will attract no more attentionthan other country people going in to sell their goods."

  "Thank you, I will follow your advice," Ned said. "I have no wishto get into trouble, and being a stranger there I should havedifficulty in proving that my story is a true one
were I questioned."

  The next morning Ned set out at daybreak, and arrived at Brusselsearly in the afternoon. He had determined to adopt the advice givenhim the evening before; and also that he would not endeavour toget a lodging in any of the villages.

  "It will not take me more than a day, or at most two days, todeliver my letters," he thought to himself, "and there will be nohardship in sleeping in the fields or under a tree for a couple ofnights. In that way I shall escape all notice, for people talk invillages even more than they do in towns." He had decided that hewould not that day endeavour to deliver any of the letters, butwould content himself with walking about the town and learningthe names of the streets, so that he could set about deliveringthe letters without the necessity for asking many questions. Whenwithin half a mile of the town he left the road, and cutting openthe lining of his jerkin took out the letters. Then he cut up asquare piece of turf with his knife, scooped out a little earth,inserted the packet of letters, and then stamped down the sodabove it. In another hole close to it he buried the money hidden inhis boot, and then returning to the road walked on into Brussels,feeling much more comfortable now that he had for a time got rid ofdocuments that would cost him his life, were they found upon him.

  Passing through the gates, he wandered about for some hours throughthe streets, interested in the stir and bustle that prevailed.Mingled with the grave citizens were Spanish and German soldiers,nobles with their trains of pages and followers, deputies from othertowns of Brabant and Artois, monks and priests, country people whohad brought in their produce, councillors and statesmen, Spanishnobles and whining mendicants. He learnt the names of many of thestreets, and marked the houses of those for whom he had letters.Some of these were nobles, others citizens of Brussels. He boughtsome bread and cheese in the marketplace, and ate them sittingon a doorstep; and having tied some food in a bundle to serve forsupper, he left the town well satisfied with his discoveries.

  He slept under the shelter of a haystack, and in the morning dug upthe packet, sewed it up in its hiding place again, and re-enteredthe city as soon as the gates were opened, going in with a numberof market people who had congregated there awaiting the opening ofthe gates. In a very short time the shops were all opened; for ifthe people went to bed early, they were also astir early in thosedays. He went first towards the house of one of the burghers, andwatched until he saw the man himself appear at the doorway of hisshop; then he walked across the street.

  "The weather is clear," he said, "but the sun is nigh hidden withclouds."

  The burgher gave a slight start; then Ned went on:

  "I have brought you tidings from the farm."

  "Come in," the burgher said in loud tones, so that he could beheard by his two assistants in the shop. "My wife will be glad tohear tidings of her old nurse, who was ill when she last heard fromher. You can reassure her in that respect, I hope?"

  "Yes, she is mending fast," Ned replied, as he followed the burgherthrough the shop.

  The man led the way upstairs, and then into a small sitting room.He closed the door behind him.

  "Now," he asked, "what message do you bring from Holland?"

  "I bring a letter," Ned replied; and taking out his knife againhe cut the threads of the lining and produced the packet. The silkthat bound it, and which was fastened by the prince's seal, wasso arranged that it could be slipped off, and so enable the packetto be opened without breaking the seal. Ned took out the letters;and after examining the marks on the corners, handed one to theburgher. The latter opened and read the contents.

  "I am told," he said when he had finished, "not to give you ananswer in writing, but to deliver it by word of mouth. Tell theprince that I have sounded many of my guild, and that certainlythe greater part of the weavers will rise and join in expellingthe Spaniards whenever a general rising has been determined upon;and it is certain that all the other chief towns will join in themovement. Unless it is general, I fear that nothing can be done.So great is the consternation that has been caused by the sack ofMechlin, the slaughter of thousands of the citizens, and the horribleatrocities upon the women, that no city alone will dare to provokethe vengeance of Alva. All must rise or none will do so. I am convincedthat Brussels will do her part, if others do theirs; although, asthe capital, it is upon her the first brunt of the Spanish attackwill fall. In regard to money, tell him that at present none canbe collected. In the first place, we are all well nigh ruined bythe exactions of the Spanish; and in the next, however well disposedwe may be, there are few who would commit themselves by subscribingfor the cause until the revolt is general and successful. Then, Idoubt not, that the councillors would vote as large a subsidy asthe city could afford to pay. Four at least of the members of thecouncil of our guild can be thoroughly relied upon, and the princecan safely communicate with them. These are Gunther, Barneveldt,Hasselaer, and Buys."

  "Please, repeat them again," Ned said, "in order that I may be sureto remember them rightly."

  "As to general toleration," the burgher went on, after repeating thenames, "in matters of religion, although there are many differencesof opinion, I think that the prince's commands on this head willbe complied with, and that it would be agreed that Lutherans,Calvinists, and other sects will be allowed to assemble for worshipwithout hindrance; but the Catholic feeling is very strong, especiallyamong the nobles, and the numbers of those secretly inclined to thenew religion has decreased greatly in the past few years, just asthey have increased in Holland and Zeeland, where, as I hear, thepeople are now well nigh all Protestants. Please assure the princeof my devotion to him personally, and that I shall do my best tofurther his plans, and can promise him that the Guild of Weaverswill be among the first to rise against the tyranny of the Spaniards."

  Ned, as he left the house, decided that the man he had visited wasnot one of those who would be of any great use in an emergency. Hewas evidently well enough disposed to the cause, but was not oneto take any great risks, or to join openly in the movement unlessconvinced that success was assured for it. He was walking along,thinking the matter over, when he was suddenly and roughly accosted.Looking up he saw the Councillor Von Aert and his clerk; the formerwith an angry look on his face, the latter, who was close besidehis master, and who had evidently drawn his attention to him, witha malicious grin of satisfaction.

  "Hullo, sirrah," the councillor said angrily, "did I not tell youto call upon me at Antwerp?"

  Ned took off his hat, and said humbly, "I should of course haveobeyed your worship's order had I passed through Antwerp; but Iafterwards remembered that I had cause to pass through Ghent, andtherefore took that road, knowing well that one so insignificant asmyself could have nothing to tell your worship that should occupyyour valuable time."

  "That we will see about," the councillor said grimly. "Genet, layyour hand upon this young fellow's collar. We will lodge him insafe keeping, and inquire into the matter when we have leisure. Idoubt not that you were right when you told me that you suspectedhe was other than he seemed."

  Ned glanced round; a group of Spanish soldiers were standing closeby, and he saw that an attempt at escape would be hopeless. Hetherefore walked quietly along by the side of the clerk's horse,determining to wrest himself from the man's hold and run for itthe instant he saw an opportunity. Unfortunately, however, he wasunaware that they were at the moment within fifty yards of theprison. Several bystanders who had heard the conversation followedto see the result; and other passersby, seeing Ned led by the collarbehind the dreaded councillor, speedily gathered around with looksexpressing no goodwill to Von Aert.

  The Spanish soldiers, however, accustomed to frays with thetownspeople, at once drew their weapons and closed round the clerkand his captive, and two minutes later they arrived at the door ofthe prison, and Ned, completely taken by surprise, found himselfthrust in and the door closed behind him before he had time todecide upon his best course.

  "You will place this prisoner in a secure place," the councillorsaid. "It is a case
of grave suspicion; and I will myself questionhim later on. Keep an eye upon him until I come again."

  Ned was handed over to two warders, who conducted him to a chamberin the third storey. Here, to his dismay, one of his jailers tookup his post, while the other retired, locking the door behind him.Thus the intention Ned had formed as he ascended the stairs ofdestroying the documents as soon as he was alone, was frustrated.The warder took his place at the window, which looked into aninner court of the prison, and putting his head out entered intoconversation with some of his comrades in the yard below.

  Ned regretted now that he had, before leaving the burgher, againsewn up the letters in his doublet. Had he carried them looselyabout him, he could have chewed them up one by one and swallowedthem; but he dared not attempt to get at them now, as his wardermight at any moment look round. The latter was relieved twice duringthe course of the day. None of the men paid any attention to theprisoner. The succession of victims who entered the walls of theprison only to quit them for the gallows was so rapid that theyhad no time to concern themselves with their affairs.

  Probably the boy was a heretic; but whether or not, if he hadincurred the enmity of Councillor Von Aert, his doom was sealed.

  It was late in the evening before a warder appeared at the door,and said that the councillor was below, and that the prisoner wasto be brought before him. Ned was led by the two men to a chamberon the ground floor. Here Von Aert, with two of his colleagues,was seated at a table, the former's clerk standing behind him.

  "This is a prisoner I myself made this morning," Von Aert said tohis companions. "I overtook him two miles this side of Axel, andquestioned him. He admitted that he came from Holland; and hisanswers were so unsatisfactory that I ordered him strictly to callupon me at Antwerp, not having time at that moment to question himfurther. Instead of obeying, he struck off from the road and tookthat through Ghent; and I should have heard no more of him, had Inot by chance encountered him this morning in the street here. Hashe been searched?" he asked the warder.

  "No, your excellency. You gave no orders that he should be examined."

  "Fools!" the councillor said angrily; "this is the way you do yourduty. Had he been the bearer of important correspondence he mighthave destroyed it by now."

  "We have not left him, your excellency. He has never been alone fora moment, and had no opportunity whatever for destroying anything."

  "Well, search that bundle first," the councillor said.

  The bundle was found to contain nothing suspicious.

  "Now, take off his doublet and boots and examine them carefully.Let not a seam or corner escape you."

  Accustomed to the work, one of the warders had scarcely taken thedoublet in his hand when he proclaimed that there was a parcel sewnup in the lining.

  "I thought so!" Von Aert exclaimed, beaming with satisfaction athis own perspicacity. "I thought there was something suspiciousabout the fellow. I believe I can almost smell out a heretic or atraitor."

  The councillor's colleagues murmured their admiration at hisacuteness.

  "What have we here?" Von Aert went on, as he examined the packet."A sealed parcel addressed 'To the Blue Cap in the South Corner ofthe Market Square of Brussels.' What think you of that, my friends,for mystery and treason? Now, let us see the contents. Ah, tenletters without addresses! But I see there are marks different fromeach other on the corners. Ah!" he went on with growing excitement,as he tore one open and glanced at the contents, "from the archtraitor himself to conspirators here in Brussels. This is an importantcapture indeed. Now, sirrah, what have you to say to this? For whomare these letters intended?"

  "I know nothing of the contents of the letters, worshipful sir,"Ned said, falling on his knees and assuming an appearance of abjectterror. "They were delivered to me at Haarlem, and I was told thatI should have five nobles if I carried them to Brussels and deliveredthem safely to a man who would meet me in the south corner of theMarket Square of Brussels. I was to hold the packet in my hand andsling my bundle upon my stick, so that he might know me. He was tohave a blue cap on, and was to touch me on the shoulder and ask me'How blows the wind in Holland?' and that, worshipful sir, is allI know about it. I could not tell that there was any treason in thebusiness, else not for fifty nobles would I have undertaken it."

  "You lie, you young villain!" the councillor shouted. "Do youtry to persuade me that the Prince of Orange would have intrusteddocuments of such importance to the first boy he met in the street?In the first place you must be a heretic."

  "I don't know about heretics," Ned said, rising to his feet andspeaking stubbornly. "I am of the religion my father taught me,and I would not pretend that I was a Catholic, not to save my life."

  "There you are, you see," the councillor said triumphantly to hiscolleagues. "Look at the obstinacy and insolence of these Hollanders.Even this brat of a boy dares to tell us that he is not a Catholic.Take him away," he said to the warder, "and see that he is securelykept. We may want to question him again; but in any case he willgo to the gallows tomorrow or next day."

  Ned was at once led away.

  "What think you?" Von Aert asked his colleagues as the door closedbehind the prisoner. "Is it worth while to apply the torture to himat once to obtain from him the names of those for whom these letterswere intended? It is most important for us to know. Look at thisletter; it is from the prince himself, and refers to preparationsmaking for a general rising."

  "I should hardly think the boy would have been intrusted with soimportant a secret," one of the other councillors said; "for itwould be well known he would be forced by torture to reveal it ifthese letters were to be found upon him. I think that the story hetells us is a true one, and that it is more likely they would begiven him to deliver to some person who would possess the key tothese marks on the letters."

  "Well, at any rate no harm can be done by applying the screws," thecouncillor said. "If he knows they will make him speak, I warrantyou."

  The other two agreed.

  "If you will allow me to suggest, your excellency," Genet saidhumbly, "that it might be the better way to try first if any suchas this Blue Cap exists. The boy might be promised his life if hecould prove that the story was true. Doubtless there is some fixedhour at which he was to meet this Blue Cap. We might let him go tomeet him, keeping of course a strict watch over him. Then if anysuch man appears and speaks to him we could pounce upon him at onceand wring from him the key to these marks. If no such man appearswe should then know that the story was but a device to deceive,and could then obtain by some means the truth from him."

  The suggestion met with approval.

  "That is a very good plan, and shall be carried out. Send for theprisoner again."

  Ned was brought down again.

  "We see that you are young," Von Aert said, "and you have doubtlessbeen misled in this matter, and knew not that you were carryingtreasonable correspondence. We therefore are disposed to treatyou leniently. At what time were you to meet this Blue Cap in themarket?"

  "Within an hour of sunset," Ned replied. "I am to be there at sunsetand to wait for an hour; and was told that he would not fail tocome in that time, but that if he did I was to come again the nextday."

  "It is to be hoped that he will not fail you," Von Aert said grimly,"for we shall not be disposed to wait his pleasure. Tomorrow eveningyou will go with a packet and deliver it to the man when he comesto you. Beware that you do not try to trick us, for you will beclosely watched, and it will be the worse for you if you attempttreachery. If the man comes those who are there will know how todeal with him."

  "And shall I be at liberty to depart?" Ned asked doubtfully.

  "Of course you will," Von Aert replied; "we should then have nofurther occasion for you, and you would have proved to us that yourstory was a true one, and that you were really in ignorance thatthere was any harm in carrying the packet hither."

  Ned was perfectly well aware that the councillor was lying, and thateven had he met the man in t
he blue cap he would be dragged backto prison and put to death, and that the promise meant absolutelynothing--the Spaniards having no hesitation in breaking themost solemn oaths made to heretics. He had, indeed, only asked thequestion because he thought that to assent too willingly to theproposal might arouse suspicion. It was the very thing he had beenhoping for, and which offered the sole prospect of escape from adeath by torture, for it would at least give him the chance of adash for freedom.

  He had named an hour after sunset partly because it was the hourwhich would have been probably chosen by those who wished that themeeting should take place unobserved, but still more because hischances of escape would be vastly greater were the attempt madeafter dark. The three councillors sat for some time talking overthe matter after Ned had been removed. The letters had all beenread. They had been carefully written, so as to give no informationif they should fall into the wrong hands, and none of them containedany allusion whatever to past letters or previous negotiations.

  "It is clear," Von Aert said, "that this is a conspiracy, and thatthose to whom these letters are sent are deeply concerned in it,and yet these letters do not prove it. Suppose that we either seizethis Blue Cap or get from the boy the names of those for whom theletters are intended, they could swear on the other hand that theyknew nothing whatever about them, and had been falsely accused. Nodoubt many of these people are nobles and citizens of good position,and if it is merely their word against the word of a boy, and thatwrung from him by torture, our case would not be a strong one."

  "Our case is not always strong," one of the other councillors said;"but that does not often make much difference."

  "It makes none with the lower class of the people," Von Aert agreed;"but when we have to deal with people who have influential friendsit is always best to be able to prove a case completely. I thinkthat if we get the names of those for whom the letters are meant wecan utilize the boy again. We will send him to deliver the lettersin person, as I believe he was intended to do. He may receiveanswers to take back to Holland; but even if he does not the factthat these people should have received such letters without at oncedenouncing the bearer and communicating the contents to us, willbe quite sufficient proof of their guilt."

  "In that case," one of the others remarked, "the boy must not becrippled with the torture."

  "There will be no occasion for that," Von Aert said contemptuously."A couple of turns with the thumbscrew will suffice to get out ofa boy of that age everything he knows. Well, my friends, we willmeet here tomorrow evening. I shall go round to the Market Squarewith Genet to see the result of this affair, in which I own Iam deeply interested; not only because it is most important, butbecause it is due to the fact that I myself entertained a suspicionof the boy that the discovery of the plot has been made. I willtake charge of these letters, which are for the time useless tous, but which are likely to bring ten men's heads to the block."

  As Ned sat alone in his cell during the long hours of the followingday he longed for the time to come when his fate was to be settled.He was determined that if it lay with him he would not be capturedalive. He would mount to the top story of a house and throw himselfout of a window, or snatch a dagger from one of his guards andstab himself, if he saw no mode of escape. A thousand times betterto die so than to expire on a gibbet after suffering atrocioustortures, which would, he knew, wring from him the names of thosefor whom the letters were intended.

  He could bear pain as well as another; but flesh and blood could notresist the terrible agonies inflicted by the torture, and sooneror later the truth would be wrung from the most reluctant lips.Still he thought that he had a fair chance of escape. It was clearthat he could not be closely surrounded by a guard, for in thatcase Blue Cap would not venture near him. He must, therefore, beallowed a considerable amount of liberty; and, however many menmight be on watch a short distance off, he ought to be able by asudden rush to make his way through them. There would at that hourbe numbers of people in the street, and this would add to his chanceof evading his pursuers.

  He ate heartily of a meal that was brought him at midday, and whenjust at sunset the warder entered the cell and told him to followhim, he felt equal to any exertion. When he came down into thecourtyard, a dozen men were gathered there, together with Von Aertand his clerk.

  "Now," the councillor said sternly, "you see these men. They willbe round you on all sides, and I warn you that if you attempt toescape or to give any warning sign to this Blue Cap, or to try anytricks with us of any sort, you shall be put to death with suchtortures as you never dreamt of. Upon the other hand, if you carryout my orders faithfully, and hand over this packet to the manwho meets you, you will be at liberty to go straight away, and toreturn home without molestation."

  "I understand," Ned replied; "and as I cannot help myself, will doyour bidding. Where are my stick and bundle? He will not know meunless I have them. I am to carry them on my shoulder."

  "Ah! I forgot," the councillor said, and giving the order to oneof the warders Ned's bundle and stick were brought him.

  "You will stroll leisurely along," Von Aert said, "and appear naturaland unconcerned. We shall be close to you, and you will be seizedin an instant if we observe anything suspicious in your movements."Von Aert then took a packet from his doublet and handed it toNed, who placed it in his belt. The prison door was opened; threeor four of the men went out, and Ned followed. It was a curiousfeeling to him as he walked down the street. Round him were numbersof people laughing and chatting as they went, while he, thoughapparently as free as they, was a prisoner with a dozen pair ofeyes watching him, and his life in deadly peril.