"I have a few questions to put to you, Mr Vanslyperken," observed his majesty.

"What is the cave they mention so often?"

"It is on the bank of the Isle of Wight, your majesty. I did not know of its existence but from the letters--but I once laid a whole night in the cove underneath it, to intercept the smugglers, upon information that I had received; but the alarm was given, and they escaped."

"Who is their agent at Portsmouth?"

"A Jew of the name of Lazarus, residing in Little Orange Street, at the back of the Point, your majesty."

"Do you know any of the names of the conspirators?"

"I do not, your majesty, except a woman, who is very active one Moggy Salisbury--her husband, not a month back, was the boatswain of the cutter, but by some interest or another, he has obtained his discharge."

"My Lord of Portland, take a memorandum to inquire who it was applied for the discharge of that man. Mr Vanslyperken, you may retire--we will call you in by-and-bye--you will be secret as to what has passed."

"I have one more duty to perform," replied Vanslyperken, taking some rouleaus of gold out of his pocket; "this is the money received from the traitors--it is not for a king's officer to have it in his possession."

"You are right, Mr Vanslyperken, but the gold of traitors is forfeited to the crown, and it is now mine; you will accept it as a present from your king."

Mr Vanslyperken took the gold from the table, made a bow, and retired from the royal presence.

The reader will acknowledge that it was impossible to play his cards better than Mr Vanslyperken had done in this interview, and that he deserved great credit for his astute conduct. With such diplomatic talents, he would have made a great prime minister.

"The council was ordered at twelve o'clock, my lords. These letters must [be] produced. That they are genuine appears to me beyond a doubt."

"That they are faithful copies, I doubt not," replied Lord Albemarle, "but--"

"But what, my Lord Albemarle?"

"I very much suspect the fidelity of the copier--there is something more, that has not been told, depend upon it."

"Why do you think so, my lord?"

"Because, your majesty, allowing that a man would act the part that Mr Vanslyperken says that he has done to discover the conspiracy, still, would he not naturally, to avoid any risk to himself, have furnished Government with the first correspondence, and obtained their sanction for prosecuting his plans? This officer has been employed for the last two years or more in carrying the despatches to the Hague, and it must at once strike your majesty, that a person who can, with such dexterity, open the letters of others, can also open those of his own Government."

"That is true, my lord," replied his majesty, musing.

"Your majesty is well aware that suspicions were entertained of the fidelity of the syndic, suspicions which the evidence of this officer have verified. But why were these suspicions raised? Because he knew of the Government secrets, and it was supposed he obtained them from some one who is in our trust, but inimical to us and unworthy of the confidence reposed in him.

"Your majesty's acuteness will at once perceive that the secrets may have been obtained by Mynheer Krause by the same means as have been resorted to, to obtain the secrets of the conspirators. I may be in error, and if I do this officer wrong by my suspicions, may God forgive me, but there is something in his looks which tells me--"

"What, my lord?"

"That he is a traitor to both parties, may it please your majesty."

"By the Lord, Albemarle, I think you have hit upon the truth," replied the Duke of Portland.

"Of that we shall soon have proof--at present, we have to decide whether it be advisable to employ him to discover more, or at once seize upon the parties he has denounced. But that had better be canvassed in the council-chamber. Come, my lords, they be waiting for us."

The affair was of too great importance not to absorb all other business, and it was decided that the house of Mynheer Krause, and of the Jesuit, and the widow Vandersloosh should be entered by the peace-officers, at midnight, and that they and any of the conspirators who might be found should be thrown into prison. That the cutter should be dispatched immediately to England, with orders to seize all the other parties informed against by Vanslyperken, and that a force should be sent to attack the cave, and secure those who might be found there, with directions to the admiral, that Mr Vanslyperken should be employed both as a guide, and to give the assistance of the cutter and his crew.

These arrangements having been made, the council broke up, King William had a conference with his two favourites, and Vanslyperken was sent for.

"Lieutenant Vanslyperken, we feel much indebted to you for your important communications, and we shall not forget, in due time, to reward your zeal and loyalty as it deserves. At present, it is necessary that you sail for England as soon as our despatches are ready, which will be before midnight; you will then receive your orders from the admiral, at Portsmouth, and I have no doubt you will take the opportunity of affording us fresh proofs of your fidelity and attachment."

Mr Vanslyperken bowed humbly and retired, delighted with the successful result of his manoeuvre, and with a gay heart he leaped into his calash, and drove off.

"Yes, yes," thought he, "Madam Vandersloosh, you would betray me. We shall see. Yes, yes, we shall see, Madam Vandersloosh."

And sure enough he did see Madam Vandersloosh, who in another calash was driving to the palace, and who met him face to face.

Vanslyperken turned up his nose at her as he passed by, and the widow, astonished at his presumption, thought, as she went on her way, "Well, well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see: you may turn up your snivelling nose, but stop till your head's in the halter--yes, Mr Vanslyperken, stop till your head's in the halter."

We must leave Mr Vanslyperken to drive, and the widow Vandersloosh to drive, while we drive on ourselves. The subsequent events of this eventful day we will narrate in the following chapter.

CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

IN WHICH THERE IS MUCH BUSTLE AND CONFUSION, PLOT AND COUNTER-PLOT.

About two hours after the council had broken up, the following communication was delivered into the hands of Ramsay by an old woman, who immediately took her departure.

"The lieutenant of the cutter has taken copies of all your correspondence, and betrayed you. You must fly immediately, as at midnight you and all of you will be seized. In justice to Mynheer Krause, leave documents to clear him.

"The cutter will sail this evening--with orders to secure your friends at Portsmouth and the cave."

"Now, by the holy cross of our Saviour! I will have revenge upon that dastard; there is no time to lose; five minutes for reflection, and then to act," thought Ramsay, as he twisted up this timely notice, which, it must be evident to the reader, must have been sent by one who had been summoned to the council. Ramsay's plans were soon formed; he dispatched a trusty messenger to the Jesuit's, desiring him to communicate immediately with the others, and upon what plan to proceed. He then wrote a note to Vanslyperken, requesting his immediate presence, and hastened to the morning apartment of Wilhelmina. In a few words, he told her that he had received timely notice that it was the intention of the Government to seize her father and him as suspected traitors, and throw them that very night into prison.

Wilhelmina made no reply.

"For your father, my dearest girl, there is no fear: he will be fully acquitted; but I, Wilhelmina, must part immediately, or my life is forfeited."

"Leave me, Edward?" replied Wilhelmina.

"No, you must go with me, Wilhelmina, for more than one reason; the Government have ordered the seizure of the persons to be made in the night, to avoid a disturbance; but that they will not be able to prevent; the mob are but too happy to prove their loyalty, when they can do so by rapine and plunder, and depend upon it that this house will be sacked and levelled to the ground before to-morrow evening. You cannot go to prison with your father; you cannot remain here, to be at the mercy of an infuriated and lawless mob. You must go with me, Wilhelmina: trust to me, not only for my sake, but for your father's."

"My father's, Edward, it is that only I am thinking of; how can I leave my father at such a time?"

"You will save your father by so doing. Your departure with me will substantiate his innocence; decide, my dearest girl! decide at once; you must either fly with me, or we must part for ever."

"Oh no, that must not be, Edward," cried Wilhelmina, bursting into tears.

After some further persuasions on the part of Ramsay, and fresh tears from the attached maiden, it was agreed that she should act upon his suggestions, and with a throbbing heart she went to her chamber to make the necessary preparations, while Ramsay requested Mynheer Krause would give him a few minutes of his company in his room above.

The syndic soon made his appearance. "Well, Mynheer Ramsay, you have some news to tell me, I am sure:" for Mynheer Krause, notwithstanding his rebuff from the king, could not divest himself of his failing of fetching and carrying reports. Ramsay went to the door and turned the key.

"I have, indeed, most important news, Mynheer Krause, and, I am sorry to say, very unpleasant also."