|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 65
"Well, my master," said Gryphus, holding up his lantern to
throw a little light around, "you see in me your new jailer.
I am head turnkey, and have all the cells under my care. I
am not vicious, but I'm not to be trifled with, as far as
discipline goes."
"My good Master Gryphus, I know you perfectly well," said
the prisoner, approaching within the circle of light cast
around by the lantern.
"Halloa! that's you, Mynheer van Baerle," said Gryphus.
"That's you; well, I declare, it's astonishing how people do
meet."
"Oh, yes; and it's really a great pleasure to me, good
Master Gryphus, to see that your arm is doing well, as you
are able to hold your lantern with it."
Gryphus knitted his brow. "Now, that's just it," he said,
"people always make blunders in politics. His Highness has
granted you your life; I'm sure I should never have done
so."
"Don't say so," replied Cornelius; "why not?"
"Because you are the very man to conspire again. You learned
people have dealings with the devil."
"Nonsense, Master Gryphus. Are you dissatisfied with the
manner in which I have set your arm, or with the price that
I asked you?" said Cornelius, laughing.
"On the contrary," growled the jailer, "you have set it only
too well. There is some witchcraft in this. After six weeks,
I was able to use it as if nothing had happened, so much so,
that the doctor of the Buytenhof, who knows his trade well,
wanted to break it again, to set it in the regular way, and
promised me that I should have my blessed three months for
my money before I should be able to move it."
"And you did not want that?"
"I said, 'Nay, as long as I can make the sign of the cross
with that arm' (Gryphus was a Roman Catholic), 'I laugh at
the devil.'"
"But if you laugh at the devil, Master Gryphus, you ought
with so much more reason to laugh at learned people."
"Ah, learned people, learned people! Why, I would rather
have to guard ten soldiers than one scholar. The soldiers
smoke, guzzle, and get drunk; they are gentle as lambs if
you only give them brandy or Moselle, but scholars, and
drink, smoke, and fuddle -- ah, yes, that's altogether
different. They keep sober, spend nothing, and have their
heads always clear to make conspiracies. But I tell you, at
the very outset, it won't be such an easy matter for you to
conspire. First of all, you will have no books, no paper,
and no conjuring book. It's books that helped Mynheer
Grotius to get off."
"I assure you, Master Gryphus," replied Van Baerle, "that if
I have entertained the idea of escaping, I most decidedly
have it no longer."
"Well, well," said Gryphus, "just look sharp: that's what I
shall do also. But, for all that, I say his Highness has
made a great mistake."
"Not to have cut off my head? thank you, Master Gryphus."
"Just so, look whether the Mynheer de Witt don't keep very
quiet now."
"That's very shocking what you say now, Master Gryphus,"
cried Van Baerle, turning away his head to conceal his
disgust. "You forget that one of those unfortunate gentlemen
was my friend, and the other my second father."
"Yes, but I also remember that the one, as well as the
other, was a conspirator. And, moreover, I am speaking from
Christian charity."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|