“Firmly attached, and loyal as I am to my sovereign, Mynheer Krause, I do not think that King William is more to be relied upon than King James.  Kings are but kings, they will repay the most important services by smiles, and the least doubtful act with the gibbet.  I agree with you that some one must have maligned you, but allow me to make a remark that if once suspicion or dislike enters into a royal breast, there is no effacing it, a complete verdict of innocence will not do it; it is like the sapping of one of the dams of this country, Mynheer Krause, the admission of water is but small at first, but it increases and increases, till it ends in a general inundation.”

“But I must demand an audience of his Majesty and explain.”

“Explain—­the very attempt will be considered as a proof of your guilt; no, no, as a sincere friend I should advise you to be quiet, and to take such steps as the case requires.  That frown, that treatment of you in public, is sufficient to tell me that you must prepare for the event.  Can you expect a king to publicly retract?”

“Retract! no—­I do not require a public apology from my sovereign.”

“But if having frowned upon you publicly, he again smiles upon you publicly, he does retract.  He acknowledges that he was in error, and it becomes a public apology.”

“God in heaven! then I am lost,” replied the syndic, throwing himself back in his chair.  “Do you really think so, Mynheer Ramsay?”

“I do not say that you are lost.  At present, you have only lost the favour of the king; but you can do without that, Mynheer Krause.”

“Do without that—­but you do not know that without that I am lost.  Am I not Syndic of this town of Amsterdam, and can I expect to hold such an important situation if I am out of favour?”

“Very true, Mynheer Krause; but what can be done? you are assailed in the dark, you do not know the charges brought against you, and therefore cannot refute or parry with them.”

“But what charges can they bring against me?”

“There can be but one charge against a person in your high situation, that of disaffection.”

“Disaffection!  I who am and have always been so devoted.”

“The most disaffected generally appear the most devoted, Mynheer Krause, that will not help you.”

“My God! then,” exclaimed Krause, with animation, “what will, if loyalty is to be construed into a sign of disaffection?”

“Nothing,” replied Ramsay, coolly.  “Suspicion in the heart of a king is never to be effaced, and disaffection may soon be magnified into high treason.”

“Bless me!” exclaimed Van Krause, crossing his hands on his heart in utter despair.  “My dear Mynheer Ramsay, will you give me your opinion how I should act?”

“There is no saying how far you may be right in your conjectures, Mynheer Krause,” replied Ramsay:  “you may have been mistaken.”