akes to a livelier agony.

When Adrian came to himself again, he felt cold, for already the autumn
evening had begun to fall, and there was a feel in the clear, still air
as of approaching frost. Also he was hungry (Dirk van Goorl, too, must
be growing hungry now, he remembered), for he had eaten nothing since
the yesterday. He would go into the town, get food, and then make up his
mind what he should do.

Accordingly, descending from the Burg, Adrian went to the best inn
in Leyden, and, seating himself at a table under the trees that
grew outside of it, bade the waiting-man bring him food and beer.
Unconsciously, for he was thinking of other things, in speaking to
him, Adrian had assumed the haughty, Spanish hidalgo manner that was
customary with him when addressing his inferiors. Even then he noticed,
with the indignation of one who dwells upon his dignity, that this
server made him no bow, but merely called his order to someone in the
house, and, turning his back upon him, began to speak to a man who was
loitering near. Soon Adrian became aware that he was the subject of that
conversation, for the two of them looked at him out of the corners of
their eyes, and jerked their thumbs towards him. Moreover, first one,
then two, then quite a number of passers-by stopped and joined in the
conversation, which appeared to interest them very much. Boys came also,
a dozen or more of them, and women of the fish-wife stamp, and all of
these looked at him out of the corner of _their_ eyes, and from time to
time jerked _their_ thumbs towards him. Adrian began to feel uneasy and
angered, but, drawing down his bonnet, and folding his arms upon his
breast, he took no notice. Presently the server thrust his meal and
flagon of beer before him with such clattering clumsiness that some of
the liquor splashed over upon the table.

"Be more careful and wipe that up," said Adrian.

"Wipe it yourself," answered the man, rudely turning upon his heel.

Now Adrian was minded to be gone, but he was hungry and thirsty, so
first, thought he, he would satisfy himself. Accordingly he lifted the
tankard and took a long pull at it, when suddenly something struck the
bottom of the vessel, jerking liquor over his face and doublet. He set
it down with an oath, and laying his hand upon his sword hilt asked who
had done this. But the mob, which by now numbered fifty or sixty, and
was gathered about him in a triple circle, made no answer. They stood
the