Page:The silent prince - a story of the Netherlands (IA cu31924008716957).pdf/130

 was customary after this festival, the image was conveyed to a place of safety behind the iron screen of the choir.

That night Antwerp slept in peace.

The next morning a disorderly crowd assembled before the doors of the great cathedral, turbulent but purposeless. Antwerp possessed a large number of foreigners. This city was then the commercial metropolis of the world. Thither had gathered the scum of various nationalities. All that these foreigners had contributed to this city was the vice of their own country.

The multitude which had congregated before the cathedral represented poverty, greed and revenge: elements which under favoring conditions could easily become lawless and inflammable.

The riot began with a trivial circumstance. The door of the cathedral being unlocked, one by one the outsiders entered. Some ragged urchins peeped through the wire network of the screen, and began to utter coarse gibes at the inoffensive image. “Mayken, Mayken, art thou terrified so soon? Hast thou flown to thy nest so early? Dost thou think thyself beyond the reach of harm? Have a care, Mayken, thine hour is coming fast!”

One of the boys took a stone from his pocket and threw it against the screen. This act gave form to the idea of revenge, which was uppermost in the minds of all.