"Who gives me this right?
I need not conceal it.

It was bestowed by the silent lips of my valiant father, beheaded for the sake of his faith, by the arbitrary decree, that without form of law, banished my brother and myself from the country--by the Spaniards' broken vows, the torn charters of this land, the suffering of the poor, ill-treated, worthy people that will perish if we do not save them." "You will not save them," replied Wibisma in a calmer tone.

"You will push those tottering on the verge of the abyss completely over the precipice, and go to destruction with them." "We are pilots.

Perhaps we shall bring deliverance, perhaps we shall go to ruin with those for whom we are ready to die." "You say that, and yet a young, blooming wife binds you to life." "Baron, you have crossed this threshold as complainant to the burgomaster, not as guest or friend." "Quite true, but I came with kind intentions, as monitor to the guiding head of this beautiful, hapless city.

You have escaped the storm once, but new and far heavier ones are gathering above your heads." "We do not fear them." "Not even now ?" "Now, with good reason, far less than ever." "Then you don't know the Prince's brother--" "Louis of Nassau was close upon the Spaniards on the 14th, and our cause is doing well--" "It certainly did not fare ill at first." "The messenger, who yesterday evening--" "Ours came this morning." "This morning, you say?
And what more--" "The Prince's army was defeated and utterly destroyed on Mook Heath.
Louis of Nassau himself was slain." Van der Werff pressed his fingers firmly on the wood of the writing-table.