Page:The silent prince - a story of the Netherlands (IA cu31924008716957).pdf/272

 country about the besieged city. Leyden was not on the ocean, but the ocean could be brought to Leyden. He therefore pierced the dykes in sixteen places, and likewise ordered the sluices at Rotterdam, Schiedam and Delfthaven opened.

"Better a drowned land than a conquered land!" cried the sturdy patriots, as they saw their fruitful orchards and growing crops overwhelmed by the flood. A fleet of vessels was prepared and stocked with provisions, which should be brought to the succor of Leyden as soon as the waters were high enough to float the ships.

Starvation now stared the people of Leyden in the face. Malt cake and horse-flesh were both consumed. Only a few dried biscuit remained, and such remnants of vegetation as would have been repugnant to the human palate in days of plenty.

Another tempting offer of peace was held out by the Spaniards. But the poor sufferers, with pinched faces and skeleton frames, cried out, "We will not surrender!" They remembered Naarden and Haarlem, and they refused to believe the fair speech of the enemy.

Another pitiful despatch was sent the Prince: "We have kept our promise. We have held out two months with food and one month without food. In a few days we shall all be dead."

The cheering announcement came back that the waters were rapidly rising, and about Leyden they