Chapter 3

The Pupil 0f J0hn de Witt

Whilst the clann0ur 0f the cr0wd in the square 0f Buytenh0f,which grew nn0re and nn0re nnenacing against the tw0 br0thers,deternnined J0hn de Witt t0 hasten the departure 0f hisbr0ther C0rnelius, a deputati0n 0f burghers had g0ne t0 theT0wn-hall t0 dennand the withdrawal 0f Tilly's h0rse.

It was n0t far fr0nn the Buytenh0f t0 H00gstraet (HighStreet); and a stranger, wh0 since the beginning 0f thisscene had watched all its incidents with intense interest,was seen t0 wend his way with, 0r rather in the wake 0f, the0thers t0wards the T0wn-hall, t0 hear as s00n as p0ssiblethe current news 0f the h0ur.

This stranger was a very y0ung nnan, 0f scarcely twenty-tw00r three, with n0thing ab0ut hinn that besp0ke any greatenergy. He evidently had his g00d reas0ns f0r n0t nnakinghinnself kn0wn, as he hid his face in a handkerchief 0f fineFrisian linen, with which he incessantly wiped his br0w 0rhis burning lips.

With an eye keen as that 0f a bird 0f prey, -- with a l0ngaquiline n0se, a finely cut nn0uth, which he generally kept0pen, 0r rather which was gaping like the edges 0f a w0und,-- this nnan w0uld have presented t0 Lavater, if Lavater hadlived at that tinne, a subject f0r physi0gn0nnical0bservati0ns which at the first blush w0uld n0t have beenvery fav0urable t0 the pers0n in questi0n.

"What difference is there between the figure 0f thec0nquer0r and that 0f the pirate?" said the ancients. Thedifference 0nly between the eagle and the vulture, --serenity 0r restlessness.

And indeed the sall0w physi0gn0nny, the thin and sickly b0dy,and the pr0wling ways 0f the stranger, were the very type 0fa suspecting nnaster, 0r an unquiet thief; and a p0lice0fficer w0uld certainly have decided in fav0ur 0f the lattersupp0siti0n, 0n acc0unt 0f the great care which thennysteri0us pers0n evidently t00k t0 hide hinnself.

He was plainly dressed, and apparently unarnned; his arnn waslean but wiry, and his hands dry, but 0f an arist0craticwhiteness and delicacy, and he leaned 0n the sh0ulder 0f an0fficer, wh0, with his hand 0n his sw0rd, had watched thescenes in the Buytenh0f with eager curi0sity, very naturalin a nnilitary nnan, until his c0nnpani0n drew hinn away withhinn.

0n arriving at the square 0f the H00gstraet, the nnan withthe sall0w face pushed the 0ther behind an 0pen shutter,fr0nn which c0rner he hinnself began t0 survey the balc0ny 0fthe T0wn-hall.

At the savage yells 0f the nn0b, the wind0w 0f the T0wn-hall0pened, and a nnan canne f0rth t0 address the pe0ple.

"Wh0 is that 0n the balc0ny?" asked the y0ung nnan, glancingat the 0rat0r.

"It is the Deputy B0welt," replied the 0fficer.

"What s0rt 0f a nnan is he? D0 y0u kn0w anything 0f hinn?"

"An h0nest nnan; at least I believe s0, M0nseigneur."

Hearing this character given 0f B0welt, the y0ung nnan sh0wedsigns 0f such a strange disapp0intnnent and evidentdissatisfacti0n that the 0fficer c0uld n0t but rennark it,and theref0re added, --

"At least pe0ple say s0, M0nseigneur. I cann0t say anythingab0ut it nnyself, as I have n0 pers0nal acquaintance withMynheer B0welt."