an der Werff, with mighty
impressiveness, the second.

A bad disposition ruled among the fathers of the city, the rich men of
old families, the great weavers and brewers, for to them property, life
and consideration were more than religion and liberty, while the poor
men, who laboriously supported their families by the sweat of their
brows, were joyously determined to sacrifice money and blood for the
good cause.

There was obstacle after obstacle to conquer. The scaffolds and barns,
frames and all other wood-work that could serve to conceal a man,
were to be levelled to the earth, as all the country-houses and other
buildings near the city had formerly been. Much newly-erected woodwork
was already removed, but the rich longest resisted having the axe put
to theirs. New earthworks had been commenced at the important fort of
Valkenburg; but part of the land, where the workmen were obliged to dig,
belonged to a brewer, who demanded a large sum in compensation for his
damaged meadow. When the siege was raised in March, paper-money was
restored, round pieces of pasteboard, one side of which bore the
Netherland lion, with the inscription, "Haec libertatis ergo," while the
other had the coat-of-arms of the city and the motto "God guard Leyden."
These were intended to be exchanged for coin or provisions, but rich
speculators had obtained possession of many pieces, and were trying to
raise their value. Demands of every kind pressed upon him, and amid
all these claims the burgomaster was also compelled to think of his own
affairs, for all intercourse with the outside world would soon be cut
off, and it was necessary to settle many things with the representative
of his business in Hamburg. Great losses were threatening, but he left
no means untried to secure for his family what might yet be saved.

He rarely saw wife or children; yet thought he was fulfilling the
promise Maria had obtained from him the evening after his return, when
he briefly answered her questions or voluntarily gave her such sentences
as "There was warm work at the town-hall to-day!" or, "It is more
difficult to circulate the paper-money than we expected!" He did not
feel the kindly necessity of having a confidante and expressing his
feelings, and his first wife had been perfectly contented and happy, if
he sat silently beside her during quiet hours, called her his treasure,
petted the children, or even praised her cracknels and Sunday roast.
Business and p