ed the gates with great fury. Just at the
moment that they forced an entrance, the governor of the city was
endeavouring to take his departure. He was, however, arrested by the
rovers. Meantime De la Marck and his men, lighting a huge fire at the
northern gate, rigged a battering-ram, formed out of a ship's mast; and
as the fire burned the wood of the gates, they commenced battering away
with might and main. The gates quickly gave way; and, dashing the
embers of the fire aside, the bold sailors, sword in hand, rushed into
the town, and speedily found themselves masters of the place. Among
those who had accompanied Treslong was Diedrich Meghem. Peter
Kopplestock had kept by his side. A choice band of seamen had followed
Diedrich.

"Follow me, lads," he exclaimed, as soon as they were inside the gates;
"our first work must be to set the prisoners of the Inquisition free."

He and Peter rushed on, followed by a party of seamen. The Inquisitors
and monks endeavoured to prevent their entrance. The doors were very
soon battered in. Gretchen, who expected every instant to be led forth
to execution, was on her knees in her cell. She heard the noise, little
suspecting the cause. At that moment the door opened, and a monk
appeared. She looked up, and beheld the stern features of Father
Quixada. There was a glance in his eye which made her tremble.

"Have you come to lead me to death?" she asked.

"No, I would give you your liberty; follow me."

"No; I will not," she exclaimed, regarding him with a look of horror.

He rushed forward, and seized her by the arm, and was dragging her along
the passage, when footsteps were heard approaching; and the ray of
sunlight which streamed along the passage fell on a party of men who
were hurrying through it. Their leader was Diedrich Meghem. With a cry
of joy, Gretchen, tearing herself from the grasp of the monk, darted
forward towards another part of the prison. The patriot seamen soon
discovered the cell in which the merchant Hopper was confined, and he
and all the other prisoners were quickly liberated. A large number of
the citizens had escaped; but several monks and priests who had remained
in the convent were captured, as well as the governor and some other
civil authorities. Admiral De la Marck took possession of the town in
the name of the Prince of Orange. Thus the weary spirit of freedom, so
long a fugitive over earth and sea, at length found a resting-place;