XIII. THE FANATICS 347 PART III I. THE CAMP OF THE CONQUEROR 361 II. THE TEMPTERS 375 III. THE ANSWER 389 IV. THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE 404 V. CORNELIUS DE WITT 417 VI. THE RESTORATION 429 VII. “I WILL MAINTAIN” 439 VIII. THE STADTHOLDER 455 IX. IN THE ASSEMBLY 466 X. THE VICTOR VANQUISHED 474 XI. THE FALLEN STATESMAN 482 XII. AUGUST 20, 1672 499 XIII. WILLIAM OF ORANGE 526 PART I JOHN DE WITT, REPUBLICAN “A man of unwearied industry, inflexible constancy, sound, clear, and deep understanding and untainted integrity; so that whenever he was blinded, it was by the passion that he had for that which he esteemed the good and interest of the State.”--SIR WILLIAM TEMPLE, _Observations on the United Provinces_, 1672. CHAPTER I THE IDEALS OF M. DE WITT “There is one subject that we seldom touch upon,” said Sir William. “And that is one upon which I am curious to hear you speak.” John de Witt looked up quickly. “Ah, sir,” he smiled faintly. “You are of a probing disposition--what is this subject?” “The Prince.” “The Prince--” repeated M. de Witt, and an intent expression that might have been trouble came into his full brown eyes. “What is there to say of His Highness?” he added. The English Ambassador laughed in the soft and pleasant way he had; he was standing by the long window, and, as he answered, glanced out at the wych elms and pale sunshine that filled the garden of M. de Witt. “The situation is piquant--between good friends you must allow it----” The Grand Pensionary rose. “Between good friends, Sir William, the situation is dangerous. I am aware of it--but the Prince--the Prince is only a child.” Sir William moved from the window with a little shiver. “Your Dutch weather!” he said. “I think the damp has got into my very bones----” “But you like the house?” asked de Witt “It hath a large garden for the children when they stay with me--and since it was not possible to remain where I was, I thought I could do no better.” Sir William answered gently, aware of the allusion, veiled under commonplace words, to the late death of Wendela de Witt. It seemed to him, composed and close observer as he was, even of his friends, that the Grand Pensionary had changed more than a little since he had lost his wife.