retired. I keep this house as a
tenant of old Herr Van der Does, and dare not have any opinions of my
own, for people must live, but, as truly as I hope for salvation, I'm
loyal to King Philip."

"Until the Leyden burghers come out here again," replied Wibisma
bitterly. "Did you keep this inn during the siege?"

"Yes, my lord, the Spaniards had no cause to complain of me, and if a
poor man's services are not too insignificant for you, they are at your
disposal."

"Ah! ha!" muttered the baron, gazing attentively at the landlord's
disagreeable face, whose little eyes glittered very craftily, then
turning to Nicolas, said:

"Go and watch the blackbirds in the window yonder a little while, my
son, I have something to say to the host."

The youth instantly obeyed and as, instead of looking at the birds, he
gazed after the two enthusiastic supporters of Holland's liberty, who
were riding along the road leading to Delft, remembered the simile of
fetters that drag men down, and saw rising before his mental vision
the glitter of the gold chain King Philip had sent his father, Nicolas
involuntarily glanced towards him as he stood whispering eagerly with
the landlord. Now he even laid his hand on his shoulder. Was it right
for him to hold intercourse with a man whom he must despise at heart?
Or was he--he shuddered, for the word "traitor," which one of the
school-boys had shouted in his ears during the quarrel before the
church, returned to his memory.

When the rain grew less violent, the travellers left the inn. The baron
allowed the hideous landlord to kiss his hand at parting, but Nicolas
would not suffer him to touch his.

Few words were exchanged between father and son during the remainder of
their ride to the Hague, but the musician and the fencing-master were
less silent on the way to Delft.

Wilhelm had modestly, as beseemed the younger man, suggested that his
companion had expressed his hostile feelings towards the nobleman too
openly.

"True, perfectly true," replied Allertssohn, whom his friends called
"Allerts." "Very true! Temper oh! temper! You don't suspect, Herr
Wilhelm--But we'll let it pass."

"No, speak, Meister."

"You'll think no better of me, if I do."

"Then let us talk of something else."

"No, Wilhelm. I needn't be ashamed, no one will take me for a coward."

The musician laughed, exclaiming: "You a coward! How many Spaniards has
your Brescian sword killed?"

"Wounded, wounded, sir,