rs, a Spanish envoy had
brought Burgomaster Van der Werff a letter written by Junker Nicolas
Matanesse, containing nothing but the tidings, that Henrica's sister
had reached Leyderdorp with Belotti and found shelter in the elder Baron
Matanesse's farm-house. She was very ill, and longed to see her sister.
The burgomaster had given this letter to the young lady, and Henrica
hastened to the musician without delay, to entreat him to help her
escape from the city and guide her to the Spanish lines. Wilhelm was
undergoing a severe struggle. No sacrifice seemed too great to see Anna
again, and what the messenger had accomplished, he too might succeed
in doing. But ought he to aid the flight of the young girl detained as
hostage by the council, deceive the sentinels at the gate, desert his
post?

Since Henrica's request that Georg would escort her sister from Lugano
to Holland, the young man had known everything that concerned the
latter, and was also aware of the state of the musician's heart.

"I must, and yet I ought not," cried Wilhelm. "I have passed a terrible
night; imagine yourself in my place, in the young lady's."

"Get a leave of absence until to-morrow," said Georg resolutely. "When
it grows dark, I'll accompany Henrica with you. She must swear to return
to the city in case of a surrender. As for me, I am no longer bound by
any oath to serve the English flag. A month ago we received permission
to enter the service of the Netherlands. It will only cost me a word
with Captain Van der Laen, to be my own master."

"Thanks, thanks; but the young lady forbade me to ask your assistance."

"Folly, I shall go with you, and when our goal is reached, fight my way
through to the Beggars. Our departure will not trouble the council, for,
when Henrica and I are outside, there will be two eaters less in
Leyden. The sky is grey; I hope we shall have a dark night. Captain Van
Duivenvoorde commands the guard at the Hohenort Gate. He knows us both,
and will let us pass. I'll speak to him. Is the farm-house far inside
the village?"

"No, outside on the road to Leyden."

"Well then, we'll meet at Aquanus's tavern at four o'clock."

"But the young lady--"

"It will be time enough, if she learns at the gate who is to accompany
her."

When Georg came to the tavern at the appointed hour, he learned that
Henrica had received another letter from Nicolas. It had been given to
the outposts by the Junker himself, and contained only t