The Pupil of John de Witt

           WhilsttheclamourofthecrowdinthesquareofBuytenhof,whichgrewmoreandmoremenacingagainstthetwobrothers,determinedJohndeWitttohastenthedepartureofhisbrotherCornelius,adeputationofburghershadgonetotheTown-halltodemandthewithdrawalofTilly’shorse.

           ItwasnotfarfromtheBuytenhoftoHoogstraet(HighStreet);andastranger,whosincethebeginningofthisscenehadwatchedallitsincidentswithintenseinterest,wasseentowendhiswaywith,orratherinthewakeof,theotherstowardstheTown-hall,tohearassoonaspossiblethecurrentnewsofthehour.

           Thisstrangerwasaveryyoungman,ofscarcelytwenty-twoorthree,withnothingabouthimthatbespokeanygreatenergy.Heevidentlyhadhisgoodreasonsfornotmakinghimselfknown,ashehidhisfaceinahandkerchiefoffineFrisianlinen,withwhichheincessantlywipedhisbroworhisburninglips.

           Withaneyekeenasthatofabirdofprey,—withalongaquilinenose,afinelycutmouth,whichhegenerallykeptopen,orratherwhichwasgapingliketheedgesofawound,—thismanwouldhavepresentedtoLavater,ifLavaterhadlivedatthattime,asubjectforphysiognomicalobservationswhichatthefirstblushwouldnothavebeenveryfavourabletothepersoninquestion.

           “Whatdifferenceistherebetweenthefigureoftheconquerorandthatofthepirate?”saidtheancients.Thedifferenceonlybetweentheeagleandthevulture,—serenityorrestlessness.