by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER IX
IN HIDING
After five minutes' walking Ned arrived at the market square andpassed steadily down towards the south corner. The market was longsince over, and the market folk had returned to their farms andvillages, but there were a large number of people walking about. Itwas already growing dusk, and in another half hour would be dark.Ned turned when he got near the corner, strolled a short distanceback and then turned again. He carefully abstained from seemingto stare about. The councillor and his clerk kept within a shortdistance of him, the former wrapped up in a cloak with a high collarthat almost concealed his face.
As to the others watching him, Ned could only guess at them. Fourmen he noticed, who turned whenever he did; the others he guessedwere keeping somewhat further off, or were perhaps stationed atthe streets leading out of the square so as to cut him off shouldhe escape from those close to him. A few oil lamps were suspendedfrom posts at various points in the square, and at the ends of thestreets leading from it. These were lighted soon after he arrivedin the square. He decided that it would not do to make for thestreet leading out of the south corner, as this was the one that hewould be suspected of aiming for; and, moreover, men would surelybe placed there to cut off Blue Cap on his entry. He, therefore,determined to make for a somewhat narrow street, about halfwaybetween the south and west corners.
He had followed this on the day he entered Brussels, as one of thepersons to whom the letters were addressed lived in it. He knewthat there were many lanes running into it, and that at the lowerend several streets, branching off in various directions, met inthe small square in which it terminated. Half an hour passed. Itwas now quite dark, and he felt that he had better delay no longer.He walked half along his beat towards the south corner, then witha sudden spring darted off. The two men walking on that side of himwere some ten paces distant, and he ran straight at them. Taken bysurprise, before they had time to throw back their cloaks and drawtheir rapiers, he was upon them.
With a blow from his leaded stick, delivered with all his strength,he struck one man to the ground, and then turning to the otherstruck him on the wrist as he was in the act of drawing his sword.The man uttered a loud cry of pain and rage, and Ned ran at thetop of his speed towards the street. He knew that he need fearno pursuit from the two men he had encountered, that those on theother side of him were some distance behind, and that as so manypeople intervened his pursuers would probably soon lose sight ofhim. Threading his way between the groups of people, who had arrestedtheir walk at the sound of loud and sudden shouting, he approachedthe end of the street.
By the light of the lamp there he saw two men standing with drawnswords. Breaking suddenly into a walk he made for the house next tothe street, and then turned so that he came upon the men sidewaysinstead of from the front, at which they were expecting him. Therewas a sudden exclamation from the man nearest to him; but Ned waswithin two yards of him before he perceived him, and before he wason guard the loaded stick fell with the full sweep of Ned's armupon his ankle, and in an instant he was prostrate, and Ned dartedat full speed down the street with the other man in pursuit a fewpaces behind him.
Before he had run far Ned found that he could gain but little uponhis pursuer, and that he must rid himself of him if he were to havea chance of escaping. He slackened his speed a little, and allowedthe man to gain slightly upon him. Thinking that the fugitive waswithin his grasp the warder exerted himself to his utmost. SuddenlyNed sprang into a doorway; the man, unable to check himself, rushedpast. In a moment Ned was out again, and before the fellow couldarrest his steps and turn, gave him a violent shove behind, whichhurled him on his face with a tremendous crash, and Ned continuedhis way. There was a great shouting, but it was full fifty yardsaway, and he felt his hopes rise. His pursuers were now all behindhim, and he felt sure that in the darkness and the narrow streetshe should be able to evade them.
He took the first turning he came to, turned again and again, andpresently slackened his pace to a walk, convinced that for a timehis pursuers must be at fault. He was now among narrow streetsinhabited by the poorer classes. There were no lamps burning here,and he began to wonder which way he had better take, and where heshould pass the night. It was absolutely necessary to obtain someother disguise, for he was sure that the gates would be so carefullywatched in the morning there would be no chance whatever of hisgetting safely out in his present attire. Presently, through acasement on the ground floor, he heard the sound of low singing ina woman's voice. He stopped at once and listened. It was the airof a Lutheran hymn he had frequently heard in Holland. Withouthesitation he knocked at the door, and lifting the latch entered.A woman and girl were sitting at work inside; they looked up insurprise at seeing a stranger.
"Pardon me," he said, "but I am a Protestant, and am hunted by Alva'sbloodhounds. I have evaded them and I am safe for the present; butI know not where to go, or where to obtain a disguise. As I passedthe window I heard the air of a Lutheran hymn, and knew that therewere within those who would, if they could, aid me."
The woman looked reprovingly at the girl.
"How imprudent of you, Gertrude!" she said. "Not that it is yourfault more than mine. I ought to have stopped you, but I did notthink your voice would be heard through that thick curtain. Who areyou, sir, and where do you come from?" she asked, turning to Ned.
"I come from Holland," he said, "and was the bearer of importantletters from the Prince of Orange."
The woman hesitated. "I would not doubt you," she said; "but inthese days one has to be suspicious of one's shadow. However, asafter what you have heard our lives are in your hands, I would faintrust you; though it seems to me strange that an important missionshould be intrusted to one of your age and station."
"My age was all in my favour," Ned replied. "As to my station, itis not quite what it seems; for I am a gentleman volunteer in thehousehold of the prince, and he accepted my services thinking thatI might succeed when a man would be suspected."
"I will give you shelter," the woman said quietly; "though I knowthat I risk my life and my daughter's in doing so. But the Lord holdsus in His hands, and unless it be His will we shall not perish."So saying, she got up and barred the door.
"Now, tell me more as to how you came to fall into this peril,"she said.
Ned related his adventure, and the manner in which he had effectedhis escape from the hands of his captors.
"You have, indeed, had an escape," the woman said. "There are fewupon whom Councillor Von Aert lays his hand who ever escape fromit. You have indeed shown both skill and courage in thus freeingyourself."
"There is no great courage in running away when you know that ifyou stay torture and death are before you," Ned replied.
"And now, what are your plans?" the woman asked.
"My only plan is to obtain a disguise in which to escape from thecity. My mission is unfortunately ended by the loss of my papers,and I shall have but a sorry story to tell to the prince if Isucceed in making my way back to Holland, of the utter failure Ihave made of the mission with which he was good enough to intrustme."
He took from his belt the packet that Von Aert had given him, andwas about to throw it in the fire when his eye fell upon it. Heopened it hastily, and exclaimed with delight, "Why, here are theletters! That scoundrel must have had them in his doublet, as wellas the packet made up for me to carry, and he has inadvertently givenme the wrong parcel. See, madam, these are the letters I told youof, and these are the marks in the corners whose meaning Von Aertwas so anxious to discover. Now, if I can but obtain a good disguiseI will deliver these letters before I start on my way back."
The girl, who was about fourteen years of age, spoke a few wordsin a low voice to her mother. The latter glanced at Ned.
"My daughter suggests that you should disguise yourself as a woman,"she said. "And indeed in point of height you might pass well, seeingthat you are but little taller than myself. But I fear that youare far too widely built across the shoulders to wear
my clothes."
"Yes, indeed," Ned agreed, smiling; "but you are tall and slight.I could pass well enough for one of these Flemish peasant girls,for they are sometimes near as broad as they are long. Yes, indeed,if I could get a dress such as these girls wear I could pass easilyenough. I am well provided with money, but unfortunately it ishidden in the ground a mile outside the gates. I only carry withme a small sum for daily use, and that of course was taken from meby my jailers."
"Be not uneasy about money," the woman said. "Like yourself, weare not exactly what we look. I am the Countess Von Harp."
Ned made a movement of surprise. The name was perfectly known tohim, being that of a noble in Friesland who had been executed atBrussels a few months before by the orders of the Council of Blood.
"When my husband was murdered," the Countess Von Harp went on,"I received a warning from a friend that I and my daughter, beingknown to be members of the Reformed Church, would be seized. Formyself I cared little; but for my daughter's sake I resolved toendeavour to escape. I knew that I should be nowhere safe in theNetherlands, and that there was little chance of a woman and girlbeing able to escape from the country, when upon every road weshould meet with disorderly soldiery, and every town we should passthrough swarmed with Alva's agents. I resolved, therefore, to stayhere. An old servant took this house for me, and here I have livedever since in the disguise you see. My servant still lives withus, and goes abroad and makes our purchases. Our neighbours are allartisans and attend to their own business. It is supposed amongthem that I am one who has been ruined in the troubles, and nowsupport myself by embroidery; but in fact I am well supplied withmoney. When I came here I brought all my jewels with me; besides,I have several good friends who know my secret, and through whom,from time to time, money has been transmitted to me from my stewardin Friesland. Our estates in Brabant have of course been confiscated,and for a time those in Friesland were also seized. But when thepeople rose four months ago they turned out the man who had seizedthem, and as he was a member of the Council of Blood he was luckyin escaping with his life. So that, you see, the cost of a peasantwoman's dress is a matter that need give you no concern."
There was now a knock at the door. It was repeated.
"It is my servant," the countess said. Ned at once unbarred andopened the door. The old woman gave an exclamation of astonishmentat seeing a stranger.
"Come in, Magdalene," the countess said; "it is a friend. You arelater than I expected."
"It is not my fault, madam," the old servant said. "I have beenstopped four or five times, and questioned and made game of, byGerman soldiers posted at the ends of the streets; the quarter isfull of them. I was going through the market place when a suddentumult arose, and they say a prisoner of great importance has madehis escape. Councillor Von Aert was there, shouting like a madman.But he had better have held his tongue; for as soon as he wasrecognized the crowd hustled and beat him, and went nigh killinghim, when some men with drawn swords rescued him from their hands,and with great difficulty escorted him to the town hall. He is hatedin Brussels, and it was rash of him to venture out after dark."
"This is the escaped prisoner, Magdalene." The old woman lookedwith surprise at Ned.
"You are pleased to joke with me, madam. This is but a boy."
"That is true, Magdalene; but he is, nevertheless, the prisonerwhose escaped angered the councillor so terribly, and for whom theguard you speak of are now in search."
The old servant shook her head. "Ah, madam, are you not running risksenough of detection here without adding to them that of concealinga fugitive?"
"You are right," Ned said; "and it was selfish and wrong of me tointrude myself here."
"God willed it so," the countess said. "My daughter's voice wasthe instrument that directed your steps here. It is strange thatshe should have sung that hymn just as you were passing, and thatI should have heard her without checking her. The hand of Godis in all these things; therefore, do not make yourself uneasy onour account. Magdalene, we have settled that he shall assume thedisguise of a young peasant girl, and tomorrow you shall purchasethe necessary garments."
"Yes, he might pass as a girl," the old servant agreed. "But, I prayyou, let him not stay an instant in this garb. I do not think theywill search the houses, for the artisans of Brussels are tenaciousof their rights, and an attempt would bring them out like a swarmof bees. Still it is better that he should not remain as he is foran hour. Come with me, young sir; I will furnish you with clothesat once. I am not so tall as I was, but there were few taller womenin Friesland than I was when I was the countess' nurse."
Ned could well imagine that; for Magdalene, although now some sixtyyears old, was a tall, large framed woman. He followed her to achamber upstairs, and was furnished by her with all the necessaryarticles of dress; and in these, as soon as, having placed an oillamp on the table, she retired, he proceeded to array himself, andpresently descended the stairs, feeling very strange and awkwardin this new attire. Gertrude Von Harp burst into a fit of merrylaughter, and even the countess smiled.
"That will do very well, indeed," she said, "when you have got onthe Flemish headdress, which conceals the hair."
"I have it here, madam," Magdalene said; "but it was useless toleave it up there for him, for he would have no idea how to foldit rightly. Now sit down on that stool, sir, and I will put it onfor you."
When this was done the metamorphosis was complete, and Ned couldhave passed anywhere without exciting suspicion that he was otherthan he seemed.
"That will do all very well for the present," Magdalene said; "butthe first thing tomorrow I will go out and get him a gown at theclothes mart. His face is far too young for that dress. Moreoverthe headgear is not suited to the attire; he needs, too, a longplait of hair to hang down behind. That I can also buy for him,and a necklace or two of bright coloured beads. However, he couldpass now as my niece should any one chance to come in. Now I willgo upstairs and fetch down his clothes and burn them. If a searchshould be made they will assuredly excite suspicion if found in ahouse occupied only by women."
"You had best not do that, Magdalene. Hide them in a bed or upone of the chimneys. When he leaves this and gets into the countryhe will want them again. In these times a young woman unprotectedcould not walk the road by herself, and dressed as a woman it wouldbe strange for him to be purchasing male attire."
"That is true enough, madam; as you say, it will be better to hidethem until he can leave, which I hope will be very shortly."
"I wish we could leave too," the countess sighed. "I am weary ofthis long confinement here, and it is bad for Gertrude never goingout except for a short walk with you after dark."
"It would not do to attempt it," the old woman said. "The Spanishsoldiers are plundering all round Ghent; the Germans are no betterat Antwerp. You know what stories are reported of their doings."
"No, we could not go in that direction," the countess agreed; "butI have thought often, Magdalene, that we may possibly make our waydown to Ostend. Things are much quieter on that line."
"I should be glad to give you what escort I could, madam," Ned said."But, indeed, the times are bad for travelling and as you are safehere as it seems for the present, I would not say a word to induceyou to leave and to encounter such dangers as you might meet by theway. In a short time, I believe, the greater part of the Spaniardsand Germans will march against Holland, and Brabant will then befree from the knaves for awhile, and the journey might be undertakenwith greater safety."
"You are right," the countess said. "It was but a passing thought,and now we have waited here so long we may well wait a little longer.Now, tell us more about yourself. You speak Dutch perfectly, andyet it seems to me at times that there is some slight accent inyour tones."
"I am only half Dutch," Ned replied; "my father is English." Hethen related the whole history of his parentage, and of the eventswhich led him to take service with the Prince of Orange. When hehad concluded the countess said:
"Your story accounts for matters which surprised me somewhat inwhat you first told me. The men of our Low Countries are patientand somewhat slow of action, as is shown by the way in which theyso long submitted to the cruel tyranny of the Spaniards. Now theyhave once taken up their arms, they will, I doubt not, defendthemselves, and will fight to the death, however hopeless thechances may seem against them; but they are not prompt and quickto action. Therefore the manner of your escape from the hands ofthose who were watching you appeared to me wonderful; but now I knowthat you are English, and a sailor too, I can the better understandit, for I have heard that your countrymen are quick in theirdecisions and prompt in action.
"They say that many of them are coming over to fight in Holland;being content to serve without pay, and venturing their lives inour cause, solely because our religion is the same and they havehatred of oppression, having long been free from exactions on thepart of their sovereigns. Many of our people have taken refuge there,and I have more than once thought that if the Spaniards continuedto lord it in the Netherlands I would pass across the seas withGertrude. My jewels would sell for enough to enable us to livequietly there."
"If you should go to England, madam," Ned said earnestly, "I prayyou in the first place to inquire for Mistress Martin at Rotherhithe,which is close by the city. I can warrant you she will do all inher power to assist you, and that her house will be at your disposaluntil you can find a more suitable lodgment. She will know fromme, if I should escape from these dangers, from how great a perilyou have saved me, and if it should be that I do not return home,she will welcome you equally when she learns from your lips thatyou took me in here when I was pursued by the minions of the Councilof Blood, and that you furnished me with a disguise to enable meto escape from them."
"Should I go to England," the countess replied, "I will assuredlyvisit your mother, were it only to learn whether you escaped fromall the dangers of your journey; but, indeed, I would gladly doso on my own account, for it is no slight comfort on arriving asstrangers in an unknown country to meet with one of one's own nationto give us advice and assistance."
For another two hours they sat and talked of England, the countessbeing glad, for once, to think of another subject than the sadcondition of her country. Then when the clock sounded nine theyretired, Magdalene insisting upon Ned occupying her chamber, whileshe lay down upon a settle in the room in which they were sitting.Ned slept long and heavily; he had had but little rest during thetwo previous nights, and the sun was high when he awoke. As soonas he began to move about there was a knock at his door, and theold servant entered.
"I need not ask if you have slept well," she remarked "for the clockshave sounded nine, and I have been back an hour from market. Hereare all your things, and I warrant me that when you are dressed inthem you will pass anywhere as a buxom peasant girl."
Indeed, when Ned came downstairs in the short petticoats, trimmedbodice, and bright kerchief pinned across the bosom, and two rowsof large blue beads round his neck, his disguise was perfect, saveas to his head. This Magdalene again arranged for him. "Yes, youwill do very well now," she said, surveying him critically. "I havebought a basket, too, full of eggs; and with that on your arm youcan go boldly out and fear no detection, and can walk straightthrough the city gates."
"I hope I don't look as awkward as I feel?" Ned asked, smiling.
"No, you do not look awkward at all. You had best join a party asyou go out, and separate from them when once you are well beyondthe walls."
"He must return here this evening, Magdalene," the countess said."He has a mission to perform, and cannot leave until he does."
"I will set about it at once, countess, and shall get it finishedbefore the gates are closed. I will not on any account bring uponyou the risk of another night's stay here."
"I think there will be no risk in it," the countess said firmly;"and for today at least there is sure to be a vigilant watch keptat the gates. It were best, too, that you left before noon, for bythat time most of the people from the villages round are returning.If you are not recognized in the streets there is no risk whateverwhile you are in here; besides, we shall be anxious to know howyou have got through the day. And another reason why you had betterstay the night is that by starting in the morning you will havethe day before you to get well away, whereas if you go at nightyou may well miss your road, especially if there is no moon, andyou do not know the country. Therefore I pray you urgently to comeback here for tonight. It is a pleasure to us to have a visitorhere, and does us good to have a fresh subject for our thoughts.Gertrude has been doing nothing but talk about England ever sinceshe woke."
Although Ned saw that the old servant was very reluctant that heshould, as she considered, imperil her charges' safety by a longerstay, he could not refuse the invitation so warmly given. Breakfastwas now placed on the table. As soon as the meal was over he preparedto start, receiving many directions from Magdalene to be sure andnot take long strides, or to swing his arms too much, or to stareabout, but to carry himself discreetly, as was becoming a youngwoman in a town full of rough foreign men.
"How do you mean to see the people to whom you have letters?" thecountess asked. "Some of them, you tell me, are nobles, and it willnot be easy for a peasant girl to come into their presence."
"I am told to send up the message that a person from the village ofBeerholt is desirous of speaking to them, countess," Ned replied."I believe there is no such village, but it is a sort of password;and I have another with which to address them when they see me."
"I will start with you," the servant said, "and walk with youuntil you are past the guards. There are many soldiers about inthe quarter this morning, and I hear they are questioning everyone whether they have seen aught of a country lad."
"I thank you," Ned replied, "but I would rather go alone. If I amdetected harm would only come to myself, but if you were with meyou would assuredly all be involved in my misfortune. I would farrather go alone. I do not feel that there is any danger of my beingsuspected; and if I am alone I can bandy jokes with the soldiers ifthey speak to me. There is no fear that either Spanish or Germanswill notice that I speak Dutch rather than Flemish. What is theprice at which I ought to offer my eggs?"
Magdalene told him the price she generally paid to the market women."Of course you must ask a little more than that, and let peoplebeat you down to that figure."
"Now I am off, then," he said, taking up the basket.
"May God keep you in His hands!" the countess said solemnly. "Itis not only your own life that is at stake, but the interests ofour country."
"Turn round and let me take a last look at you," Magdalene said,"and be sure that everything is right. Yes, you will pass; butremember what I told you about your walk."
Ned walked briskly along until he came within sight of two soldiersstanding at a point where the street branched. He now walked moreslowly, stopping here and there and offering his eggs to womenstanding at their doors or going in and out. As he thought it betterto effect a sale he asked rather lower prices than those Magdalenehad given him, and disposed of three or four dozen before hereached the soldiers. They made no remark as he passed. He feltmore confident now, and began to enter into the spirit of his part;and when one of a group of soldiers in front of a wine shop madesome laughing remark to him he answered him pertly, and turned thelaugh of the man's comrades against him.
On nearing the centre of the town he began his task of deliveringthe letters, choosing first those who resided in comparatively quietstreets, so as to get rid of as many of them as possible before heentered the more crowded thoroughfares, where his risk of detectionwould be greater. The only persons he was really afraid of meetingwere Von Aert and his clerk. The first might not detect him, buthe felt sure that if the eyes of the latter fell upon him he wouldrecognize him. With the various burghers he had little trouble.If they were in their shops he walked boldly in, and said to them,"I am the young woman from the village of Beerholt, whom you wereexpecting to see;"
and in each case the burgher said at once,"It is my wife who has business with you," and led the way intothe interior of the house. Ned's next question: "How is the windblowing in Holland?" was answered by his being taken into a quietroom. The letter was then produced, and in each case an answer moreor less satisfactory was given.
Ned found that there were a large number of men in Brussels ripe fora revolt, but that there was no great chance of the rising takingplace until the Prince of Orange had gained some marked success,such as would encourage hopes that the struggle might in the endbe successful. In three or four cases there were favourable answersto the appeals for funds, one burgher saying that he and his friendshad subscribed between them a hundred thousand gulden, which theywould forward by the first opportunity to a banker at Leyden. Onesaid that he found that the prince's proclamations of absolutetoleration of all religions produced a bad effect upon many of hisfriends, for that in Brabant they were as attached as ever to theCatholic religion, and would be loath to see Lutheran and Calvinistchurches opened.
"I know that the prince is desirous of wounding no one's conscience,"Ned said. "But how can it be expected the Protestants of Hollandand Zeeland will allow the Catholics to have churches, with priestsand processions, in their midst, if their fellow religionists arenot suffered to worship in their way in Brabant? The prince hasalready proclaimed that every province may, as at present, makeits own rules. And doubtless in the provinces where the Catholicreligion is dominant it will still remain so. Only he claims thatno man shall be persecuted for his religion."
"It is a pity that we cannot all be of one mind," the man saiddoubtfully. "Were there no religious questions between the provincesthey would be as one."
"That may be," Ned replied. "But in religion as in all other things,men will differ just as they do about the meats they eat and thewines they drink."
"Well, I shall do my best," the burgher said. "But I fear thesereligious differences will forever stand in the way of any unitedaction on the part of the provinces."
"I fear that it will," Ned agreed, "so long as people think it moreimportant to enforce their neighbours' consciences than to obtainfreedom for themselves."
The two last letters that Ned had to deliver were to nobles, whosemansions were situated in the Grand Square. It was not easy toobtain access here. The lackeys would probably laugh in his facedid he ask them to take his message to their master. And indeedthe disguise he now wore, although excellent as protection fromdanger, was the worst possible as regarded his chance of obtainingan interview. By this time he had sold the greater part of his eggs,and he sat down, as if fatigued, on a doorstep at a short distancefrom one of the mansions, and waited in the hope that he mightpresently see the noble with whom he had to do issue out.
In half an hour two mounted lackeys rode up to the door, one ofthem leading a horse. A short time afterwards a gentleman came outand mounted. He heard a bystander say to another, "There is theCount of Sluys." Ned got up, took his basket, and as the countcame along crossed the road hurriedly just in front of his horse.As he did so he stumbled and fell, and a number of his eggs rolledout on the ground. There was a laugh among the bystanders, and thecount reigned in his horse.
"What possessed you to run like that under my horse's feet, my poorgirl?" he asked, as Ned rose and began to cry loudly. Ned lookedup in his face and rapidly said: "I am the person you expect fromBeerholt."
The count gave a low exclamation of surprise, and Ned went on, "Howdoes the wind blow in Holland?" The count deliberately felt in hispouch and drew out a coin, which he handed to Ned.
"Be at my back door in an hour's time. Say to the servant who opensit, 'I am the person expected.' He will lead you to me."
Then he rode forward, Ned pouring out voluble thanks for the coinbestowed upon him.
"You are a clever wench," a soldier standing by said to Ned laughing."That was very artfully done, and I warrant me it is not the firsttime you have tried it."
"I wasn't going to carry my eggs all the way back," Ned replied inan undertone. "I suppose there are tricks in your trade as in mine."
The soldier laughed again, and Ned passing quickly on mingled inthe crowd, and soon moved away a considerable distance from thehouse. An hour later he went up a side street, in which was thedoor used by the servants and tradespeople of the count. A lackeywas standing there. "I am the person expected," Ned said quietlyto him. He at once led the way into the house up some back stairsand passages, along a large corridor, then opening a door, hemotioned to Ned to enter.
