Page:Biographical catalogue of the portraits at Weston, the seat of the Earl of Bradford (IA gri 33125003402027).pdf/40

 own; therefore Maria never rested until she had wrung from the authorities the permission to obtain from Grotius's own library the volumes most coveted, together with pen, ink, and paper. Henceforth the captive's life was no longer a blank. He devoured his classics, he made notes and translations, he wrote works on History, Theology, Jurisprudence, and thus shed a light on the outer world from behind the walls of his gloomy fortress. But these alleviations were not sufficient to content the faithful wife; she had more daring schemes in view. Had she ever heard, or does the Dutch language, so rich in proverbs, contain an equivalent for our 'Love laughs at locksmiths'? Certain it is she was destined to realise the words of a lowly poet of our own days—

'Oh! woman all would do, would dare; To save her heart's best cherished care She 'd roam the world tract wide, Nor bolts nor bars can 'gainst her stand, Or weapons stay her gentle hand, When love and duty guide.'

She laid her train most carefully, most skilfully, nor did she allow any undue haste to mar its fulfilment. She had in her constant marketings at Gorcum cultivated the acquaintance and gained the friendship of many of the bettermost tradespeople of the town, and her maid Lieschen, who was market-woman in turn, was instructed to do the same. They both talked constantly to the good burghers' wives, and interested them in behalf of the captive, the great writer and philosopher, and, what came nearer the women's hearts, the tender husband and father. The plot was ripening in the devoted conspirator's mind; but there came a moment of suspicion and alarm; it was reported that Madame Grotius had bought a coil of ropes in Gorcum, doubtless to facilitate her husband's escape. An inquiry was instituted, when the suspected lady herself pointed out to the emissaries of justice,