“They’ll live,” replied Allertssohn, “ay, they’ll live.  Many hundreds of noble gentlemen use the sword in this country, and the man who sits here has taught them to wield it according to the rules.  My series has served many in duelling, and I, Andreas, their master, have made tierce follow quarte and side-thrust tierce thousands of times, but always with buttons on the foils and against padded doublets.  Outside the walls, in the battle-field, no one, often as I have pressed upon the leaders, has ever stood against me in single combat.  This Brescian sword-blade has more than once pierced a Spanish jerkin, but the art I teach, gentlemen, the art I love, to which my life has been devoted, I have never practised in earnest.  That is hard to bear, gentlemen, and if Heaven is disposed, before calling him away from earth, to grant a poor man, who is no worse than his neighbors, one favor, I shall be permitted to cross blades once in a true, genuine duel, and try my series against an able champion in a mortal struggle.  If God would grant Andreas this—­”

Before the fencing-master had finished the last sentence, an armed man dashed the door open, shouting:  “The light is raised at Leyderdorp!”

At these words Allertssohn sprang from his chair as nimbly as a youth, drew himself up to his full height, adjusted his shoulder-belt and drew down his sash, exclaiming: 

“To the citadel, Hornist, and sound the call for assembling the troops.  To your volunteers, Captain Van Duivenvoorde.  Post yourself with four companies at the Hohenort Gate, to be ready to take part, if the battle approaches the city-walls.  The gunners must provide matches.  Let the garrisons in the towers be doubled.  Klaas, go to the sexton of St. Pancratius and tell him to ring the alarm-bell, to warn the people at the fair.  Your hand, Junker.  I know you will be at your post, and you, Meister Wilhelm.”

“I’ll go with you,” said the musician resolutely.  “Don’t reject me.  I have remained quiet long enough; I shall stifle here.”

Wilhelm’s cheeks flushed, and his eyes sparkled with a lustre so bright and angry, that Junker von Warmond looked at his phlegmatic friend in astonishment, while the captain called: 

“Then station yourself in the first company beside my ensign.  You don’t look as if you felt like jesting, and the work will be in earnest now, bloody earnest.”

Allertssohn walked out of doors with a steady step, addressed his men in a few curt, vigorous words, ordered the drummers to beat their drums, while marching through the city, to rouse the people at the fair, placed himself at the head of his trusty little band, and led them towards the new Rhine.

The moon shone brightly down into the quiet streets, was reflected from the black surface of the river, and surrounded the tall peaked gables of the narrow houses with a silvery lustre.  The rapid tramp of the soldiers was echoed loudly back from the houses through the silence of the night, and the vibration of the air, shaken by the beating of the drums, made the panes rattle.