lm. Everywhere
groups of citizens, women, and journeymen were standing together,
talking about what had happened and the coming trouble. While Maria
was telling the musician who the dead Castilian was, and that Henrica
desired to speak with him, Wilhelm, as soon as possible, she was
interrupted more than once; for sometimes a company of volunteers
or city guards, relieved from duty in the towers and on the walls,
sometimes a cannon barred their way. Was it the anticipation of coming
events, or the beat of drums and blare of trumpets, which so excited her
companion, that he often pressed his hand to his forehead and she
was obliged to request him to slacken his pace. There was a strange,
constrained tone in his voice as, in accordance with her request, he
told her that the Spaniards had come by ship up the Amstel, the Drecht,
and the Brasem See to the Rhine and landed at Leyderdorp.

A mounted messenger wearing the Prince's colors, and followed not only
by children, but by grown persons, who ran after him eager to reach
the town-hall at the same time, interrupted Wilhelm, and as soon as
the crowd had passed, the burgomaster's wife asked her companion one
question after another. The noise of war, the firing audible in the
distance, the gay military costumes everywhere to be seen in place of
the darker citizens' dress, also aroused her eager interest, and what
she learned from Wilhelm was little calculated to diminish it. The main
body of the Spanish troops was on the way to the Hague. The environment
of the city had commenced, but the enemy could hardly succeed in
his purpose; for the English auxiliaries, who were to defend the new
fortifications of Valkenburg, the village of Alfen, and the Gouda
sluice might be trusted. Wilhelm had seen the British soldiers, their
commander, Colonel Chester, and Captain Gensfort, and praised their
superb equipments and stately bearing.

On reaching her own house, Maria attempted to take leave of her
companion, but the latter earnestly entreated permission to have an
interview with Henrica at once, and could scarcely be convinced that he
must have patience until the doctor had given his consent.

At dinner Adrian, who when his father was not present, talked freely
enough, related all sorts of things he had seen himself, as well as news
and rumors heard at school and in the street, his eloquence being no
little encouraged by his step-mother's eager questions.

Intense anxiety had taken