"

The cold sweat stood on the brow of Cornelius at this answer, which he
looked upon somewhat in the light of brutal irony, especially as coming
from an officer of whom he had heard it said that he was attached to the
person of the Prince.

The unfortunate tulip-fancier then felt that he had no more resources,
and no more friends, and resigned himself to his fate.

"God's will be done," he muttered, bowing his head; then, turning
towards the officer, who seemed complacently to wait until he had
finished his meditations he asked,--

"Please, sir, tell me now, where am I to go?"

The officer pointed to a carriage, drawn by four horses, which reminded
him very strongly of that which, under similar circumstances, had before
attracted his attention at Buytenhof.

"Enter," said the officer.

"Ah!" muttered Cornelius to himself, "it seems they are not going to
treat me to the honours of the Esplanade."

He uttered these words loud enough for the chatty guard, who was at his
heels, to overhear him.

That kind soul very likely thought it his duty to give Cornelius some
new information; for, approaching the door of the carriage, whilst the
officer, with one foot on the step, was still giving some orders, he
whispered to Van Baerle,--

"Condemned prisoners have sometimes been taken to their own town to be
made an example of, and have then been executed before the door of their
own house. It's all according to circumstances."

Cornelius thanked him by signs, and then said to himself,--

"Well, here is a fellow who never misses giving consolation whenever an
opportunity presents itself. In truth, my friend, I'm very much obliged
to you. Goodbye."

The carriage drove away.

"Ah! you villain, you brigand," roared Gryphus, clinching his fists at
the victim who was escaping from his clutches, "is it not a shame that
this fellow gets off without having restored my daughter to me?"

"If they take me to Dort," thought Cornelius, "I shall see, in passing
my house, whether my poor borders have been much spoiled."

Chapter 30. Wherein the Reader begins to guess the Kind of Execution
that was awaiting Van Baerle

The carriage rolled on during the whole day; it passed on the right of
Dort, went through Rotterdam, and reached Delft. At five o'clock in the
evening, at least twenty leagues had been travelled.

Cornelius addressed some questions to the officer, who was at the same
time his guard and his companion; bu