But, although Madam Vandersloosh was not received at court that day, the syndic Mynheer Krause was; when he sent in his name, Lord Albemarle led the syndic by the hand to his Majesty.

“We have been too hasty, Mynheer Krause,” said his Majesty, with a gracious smile.

Mynheer bowed low.

“I regret to hear that the populace in their loyalty have burnt down your house, Mr Krause—­they were too hasty.”

Mynheer Krause made another low bow.

“You will continue your office of syndic of the town of Amsterdam.”

“Pardon me, your Majesty,” replied Mynheer Krause respectfully, but firmly, “I have obeyed your summons to appear in your presence, but will request that your Majesty will release me from the burden.  I have come to lay my chain and staff of office at your Majesty’s feet, it being my intention to quit the town.”

“You are too hasty, Mynheer Krause,” replied his Majesty with displeasure.

“May it please your Majesty,” replied Krause.  “He who has been confined as a prisoner in the Stadt House, is not fit to exercise his duties there as a judge; I have served your Majesty many years with the utmost zeal and fidelity.  In return, I have been imprisoned and my property destroyed, I must now return to a station more suitable to my present condition, and once more with every assurance of loyalty, I beg to be permitted to lay my insignia of office at your Majesty’s feet.”

Mynheer Krause suited the action to the word.  The king frowned and turned away to the window, and Mynheer Krause perceiving that his Majesty’s back was turned upon him, walked out of the door.

“Too hasty,” thought Mynheer Krause, “I am loyal and thrown into prison, and am expected to be satisfied with the plea of being too hasty.  My house is burnt down, and the plundering mob have been too hasty.  Well—­well—­it is fortunate I took Ramsay’s advice, my house and what was in it was a trifle; but if all my gold at Hamburgh and Frankfort, and in the charge of Ramsay had been there, and I had been made a beggar, all the satisfaction I should have received would have been a smile, and the excuse of being too hasty.  I wonder where my daughter and Ramsay are?  I long to join them.”

From which mental soliloquy, it will be evident to the reader, that Mynheer Krause’s loyalty had been considerably diminished, perhaps thinking that he had paid too dear for the commodity.

Upon his return, Mynheer Krause publicly announced that he had resigned the office of syndic, much to the astonishment of those who heard of it, and much to the delight of his very particular friend Engelback, who, the next morning set off for the Hague, and had an interview with his Grace the Duke of Portland, the result of which was, that upon grounds best known to the parties; for history will not reveal everything, Mynheer Engelback was recommended to fill the office of syndic of the town of Amsterdam, vacant by the resignation of Mynheer Krause; and that in consequence of this, all those who took off their hats to Mynheer Krause but two days before, and kept them on when they met Mynheer Engelback, now kept them on when they met Mynheer Krause, and pulled them off very politely to Mynheer Krause’s very particular friend, Mynheer Engelback.