Ghysbrecht Van Swieten kept the key of Gerard's prison in his pouch.He waited till ten of the clock ere he visited for he said to himself, "A little hunger sometimes does well it breaks 'em."At ten he crept up the stairs with a loaf and pitcher, followed by his trusty servant well armed.Ghysbrecht listened at the door.
There was no sound inside.A grim smile stole over his features.
"By this time he will be as down-hearted as Albert Koestein was,"thought he.He opened the door.
No Gerard.
Ghysbrecht stood stupefied.
Although his face was not visible, his body seemed to lose all motion in so peculiar a way, and then after a little he fell trembling so, that the servant behind him saw there was something amiss, and crept close to him and peeped over his shoulder.At sight of the empty cell, and the rope, and iron bar, he uttered a loud exclamation of wonder; but his surprise doubled when his master, disregarding all else, suddenly flung himself on his knees before the empty chest, and felt wildly all over it with quivering hands, as if unwilling to trust his eyes in a matter so important.
The servant gazed at him in utter bewilderment.
"Why, master, what is the matter?"
Ghysbrecht's pale lips worked as if he was going to answer; but they uttered no sound: his hands fell by his side, and he stared into the chest.
"Why, master, what avails glaring into that empty box? The lad is not there.See here! note the cunning of the young rogue; he hath taken out the bar, and - ""GONE! GONE! GONE!"
"Gone! What is gone, Holy saints! he is planet-struck!""STOP THIEF!" shrieked Ghysbrecht, and suddenly turned, on his servant and collared him, and shook him with rage."D'ye stand there, knave, and see your master robbed? Run! fly! A hundred crowns to him that finds it me again.No, no! 'tis in vain.Oh, fool! fool! to leave that in the same room with him.But none ever found the secret spring before.None ever would but he.It was to be.It is to be.Lost! lost!" and his years and infirmity now gained the better of his short-lived frenzy, and he sank on the chest muttering "Lost! lost!""What is lost, master?" asked the servant kindly.
"House and lands and good name," groaned Ghysbrecht, and wrung his hands feebly.
"WHAT?" cried the servant.
This emphatic word, and the tone of eager curiosity, struck on Ghysbrecht's ear and revived his natural cunning.
"I have lost the town records," stammered he, and he looked askant at the man like a fox caught near a hen-roost.
"Oh, is that all?"
"Is't not enough? What will the burghers say to me? What will the burghs do?" Then he suddenly burst out again, "A hundred crowns to him who shall recover them; all, mind, all that were in this box.
If one be missing, I give nothing."
"'Tis a bargain, master: the hundred crowns are in my pouch.See you not that where Gerard Eliassoen is, there are the pieces of sheepskin you rate so high?""That is true; that is true, good Dierich: good faithful Dierich.
All, mind, all that were in the chest."
"Master, I will take the constables to Gerard's house, and seize him for the theft.""The theft? ay! good; very good.It is theft.I forgot that.So, as he is a thief now, we will put him in the dungeons below, where the toads are and the rats.Dierich, that man must never see daylight again.'Tis his own fault; he must be prying.Quick, quick! ere he has time to talk, you know, time to talk."In less than half an hour Dierich Brower and four constables entered the hosier's house, and demanded young Gerard of the panic-stricken Catherine.