Page:The silent prince - a story of the Netherlands (IA cu31924008716957).pdf/277

 The pitiful messages which the carrier pigeons brought them made them utter wanton curses. Leyden was sublime in her despair. She had resolved to die rather than surrender to the Spaniard.

The Prince of Orange, but just on his feet from a severe illness and hardly convalescent, insisted on accompanying Admiral Boisot to the succor of the beleaguered city. His physicians implored him to stay away from that plague-stricken spot, but the noble Prince replied, "I am in the hands of God. If He has ordained me to perish, be it so! My duty is with my suffering people." He rebuked the sailors for their profanity, and inspired fresh confidence by his mere presence.

Admiral Boisot and the Prince paced the deck.

"If the spring-tide now to be expected should not come immediately, and with it a strong and favorable wind, this expedition will shortly have to be abandoned," said the Admiral.

"I have seen many hours as dark as this," replied William, "but I have never lost my faith in the sovereign goodness of God. If Leyden falls, all is lost. Victory for Spain means a victory for Rome. It means the triumph of the Inquisition and of priestly tyranny. Victory for the Netherlands means liberty of conscience, an unchained Bible, free thought. It has seemed to many as though God was deaf to the cries of His children,