ndispensable traffic of every-day
life was at a standstill.

Every shop was shut. The brewers refused to brew, the bakers to bake,
the tapsters to tap. Thus multitudes were thrown out of employment, and
every city swarmed with beggars. The soldiers were furious for their
pay, which Alva was unable to furnish. The citizens, maddened by
outrage, became more and more obstinate in their resistance; while the
Duke seemed to regard the ruin he had caused with a malignant spirit
scarcely human. In truth, the aspect of Brussels at this time was that
of a city stricken by a plague. Articles of absolute necessity could
not be obtained. It was impossible even to buy bread, meat, or beer.

My stay in Brussels was short, and I was thankful to leave the city,
albeit Antwerp was scarcely in a better condition. I purposed remaining
only two days at that place, intending to return home by the way I had
come.

The day after my return, just as I got to my lodgings, having transacted
some business with one of the few remaining correspondents in the city,
Jacob came to me with a look of alarm.

"I was passing through the Mere, close to the hall where the Blood
Council hold their sittings, when who should I see hobbling away but old
Dame Trond! She cast a suspicious glance at me, which I could not help
feeling meant mischief. I have a relative who is employed as a porter
in the hall. He has no love for his post, but he cannot help himself,
so he says. I bethought myself that I would go and see him, and try to
learn why Dame Trond had paid this visit to the Council. `It is curious
that you have come in,' he whispered; `for I was wishing to come to you.
You have a guest in your house who has come here as an Englishman, but
is, as you should know, a Netherlander born, and a heretic. You are
aware of the penalty of harbouring such; and, as he is supposed to be
wealthy, the person informing against him will obtain a rich reward,
being entitled to a large share of his property. The old witch Barbara
Trond has found this out, I doubt not, by consulting her familiar, and
she just now came here to lay information against him before the Blood
Council. Now, Jacob, if you are a wise man, you will do as I intended
to advise you. Go at once before the Blood Council, and say that you
have just discovered that your guest is a heretic whom you received
ignorantly, and thus obtain the reward yourself.' I did not dare to
tell my relative