The Little Grated Window

           Gryphuswasfollowedbythemastiff.

           Theturnkeytooktheanimalroundthejail,sothat,ifneedsbe,hemightrecognizetheprisoners.

           “Father,”saidRosa,“hereisthefamousprisonfromwhichMynheerGrotiusescaped.YouknowMynheerGrotius?”

           “Oh,yes,thatrogueGrotius,afriendofthatvillainBarneveldt,whomIsawexecutedwhenIwasachild.Ah!soGrotius;andthat’sthechamberfromwhichheescaped.Well,I’llanswerforitthatnooneshallescapeafterhiminmytime.”

           Andthusopeningthedoor,hebeganinthedarktotalktotheprisoner.

           Thedog,onhispart,wentuptotheprisoner,and,growling,smelledabouthislegsjustasthoughtoaskhimwhatrighthehadstilltobealive,afterhavinglefttheprisoninthecompanyoftheRecorderandtheexecutioner.

           ButthefairRosacalledhimtoherside.

           “Well,mymaster,”saidGryphus,holdinguphislanterntothrowalittlelightaround,“youseeinmeyournewjailer.Iamheadturnkey,andhaveallthecellsundermycare.Iamnotvicious,butI’mnottobetrifledwith,asfarasdisciplinegoes.”

           “MygoodMasterGryphus,Iknowyouperfectlywell,”saidtheprisoner,approachingwithinthecircleoflightcastaroundbythelantern.

           “Halloa!that’syou,MynheervanBaerle,”saidGryphus.“That’syou;well,Ideclare,it’sastonishinghowpeopledomeet.”

           “Oh,yes;andit’sreallyagreatpleasuretome,goodMasterGryphus,toseethatyourarmisdoingwell,asyouareabletoholdyourlanternwithit.”

           Gryphusknittedhisbrow.