Dogs -- Fiction; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Seafaring life -- Fiction
"Yes; but I must not explain; my departure is necessary for your safety;
I will take the whole upon myself, and you shall be saved."
"I really cannot understand you, my dear friend; but it appears to me as
if you were going to make some great sacrifice for my sake."
"I will not be questioned, Mynheer Krause; only this I say, that I am
resolved that you shall be proved innocent. It is my duty. But we have
no time to lose. Let your gold be ready at sunset: I will have
everything prepared."
"But my daughter must not remain here; she will be by herself at the
mercy of the mob."
"Be satisfied, Mynheer Krause, that is also cared for; your daughter
must leave this house, and be in a safe retreat before the officers come
in to seize you: I have arranged everything."
"Where do you propose sending her?"
"Not to any of your friends' houses, Mynheer Krause; no--no, but I'll
see her in safety before I leave, do not be afraid; it must depend upon
circumstances: but of that hereafter; you have no time to lose."
"God in heaven!" exclaimed Mynheer Krause, unlocking the door, "that I,
the syndic, the most loyal subject!--well, well, you may truly say, `put
not your trust in princes.'"
"Trust in me, Mynheer Krause," replied Ramsay, taking his hand.
"I do, I will, my good friend, and I will go to prison proudly, and like
an innocent and injured man."
And Mynheer Krause hastened down to his counting-house, to make the
proposed arrangements, Ramsay returning to Wilhelmina, to whom he
imparted what had taken place between him and her father, and which had
the effect of confirming her resolution.
We must now return to the widow Vandersloosh, who has arrived safely,
but melting with the heat of her journey, at the Palace of the Hague.
She immediately informed one of the domestics that she wished to speak
with his majesty upon important business.
"I cannot take your name in to his majesty, but if you will give it me,
I will speak to Lord Albemarle."
The widow wrote her name down upon a slip of paper, with which the
servant went away, and then the widow sat down upon a bench in the hall,
and cooled herself with her fan.
"Frau Vandersloosh," said Lord Albemarle, on reading the name.
"Let her come up. Why this," continued, he, turning to the Duke of.
Portland, who was sitting by him, "is the woman who is ordered to be
arrested this night, upon the evidence of Lieutenant Vanslyperken; we
shall learn something now, depend upon it."
The Frau Vandersloosh made her appearance, sailing into the room like a
Dutch man-of-war of that period, under full sail, high-pooped and
broad-sterned. Never having stood in the presence of great men, she was
not a little confused, so she fanned herself most furiously.
"You wish to speak with me?" said Lord Albemarle.
"Yes, your honour's honour, I've come to expose a snivelling traitor to
his majesty's crown. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see now,"
continued the widow, talking to herself, and fanning away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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