secret pang had fixed its cold stings in her heart, certain it was that Jacqueiine in this proud moment wore not the air of triumph, but looked more like the victim of a sacrifice than the idol of a nation.

CHAPTER X.

WHEN the discomfited Kabblejaws retired from the scene just described, they held a hurried council on the best measures to be taken in this unlooked-for crisis. The spirit of faction, often more active than the purest essence of patriotism, excited the confederates into energy and union. Couriers were despatched all over the island of Zealand, and into Holland, advising their partizans of the danger; and Floris Van Borselen took upon himself to send off his son Vrank, in the utmost speed, to warn his brother James to hurry the reinforcements of young Uterken, and then to hasten to the castle of Hesdin in Picardy, where Duke Philip held his court, and was, with his wonted magnificence, entertaining the Dukes of Bedford and Britanny, with a numerous train of nobles, in a series of feasts and shows of unusual splendour.

On Van Borselen's return to Eversdyke, full of the im portant affairs of his country, he hurried to the family sitting-room, in search of his son, whom he found, to his amaze and indignation, tumbling on the rush-covered floor, with a group of his brothers and sisters, enacting the part of some terrible animal

"The Indian griffin with the glistening eyes,
The fiery dragon,"

or some other insatiate monster, with the unbounded applause of his young companions, who never before, and probably never afterwards, spent a couple of such hours of boisterous delight as had rapidly flown over in this exquisite sport.

"Holy Martyrs! St. Peter, and St. Paul! Virgin Mo

ther! was ever the like of this beheld?" exclaimed the astounded chieftain, standing in the door-way, with his eyes fixed, and his hands upraised.

'Why, Vrank! Heer Van Borselen! Sir Francon! Son -jongheer-Knight! do I live to see this? Do you know who you are? Do you remember the scene of this morning?" "I was striving to forget it, father," said Vrank, rising up, and composing the ruffled state of his attire. Striving to forget it!" echoed the chief. "Do you hear this, Vrowe? You who sit there as satisfied as if you were gazing at the Dance of Death, the Descent into Hell, or some other frolicksome pageant, such as the French mummers gave out at Middleburg.-Is that fit work for our son ?-Are you not ashamed of such doings?" "My good master, blame me not--I did rebuke the dear boy for so rumpling his lovely suit of kersey and taffeta--and see! may Saint Hedgwiga, the patroness of Housewifery, grant me grace, if here isn't a rent in his sleeve that would take old Stoop Van Stichel an hour to fine-draw!"

"A rent in his sleeve!-rumpling his taffeta! Oh, is it come to this? Is the solemn pride of the Van Borselens sunk so low that their degenerate sons turn tumblers and heel-kickers, while mothers look on and laugh, insensible to their own disgrace!"

"Oh, my gracious lord, speak not those cruel words, nor look those severer looks! In sooth I meant no harm, nor

Alas, it is rare that we see

did Vrank, I'll warrant him. a scene of frolic or joy; and it made my heart glad to look on this! But it shall end here-the children shall retire, and we shall get the sleeve of Vrank's doublet soon stitched up."

"

Speak not to me of doublets or stitching, good wife, while the fate of our country hangs on a thread! Vrank, you must within an hour set out for Flanders, and thence with the utmost speed for Duke Philip's court at Hesdin."

A burst of sorrow from mother and children answered this sentence of death to the brief joys of Eversdyke.

"Within an hour," exclaimed the Vrowe, "what, ere the evening repast can be got ready! recall your words, good my lord-let our dear boy at least tarry till he eat one hearty meal-till the young crane just now caught and plucked has time to be roasted, and the porpoise stews

tender in its own fat-and the march-pane can be frizzled with comfits

"Peace, peace, geod wife! If Vrank have thoughts of hunger let him eat whatever comes to hand-but I trust he has still enough of the spirit of his race not to think of feasting while his country claims all his care. Follow me,

son, and receive my instructions!"

Within the limited hour Vrank was once more upon the waves, with ample advices for his journey, and in the lubberly looking skiff which, to the disgrace of Dutch ship building, seems still the model of their vessels. The dark blue pennon of Eversdyke was at the mast head, and the flag of Burgundy at the stern. Oost, the dyke-digger, furnished with messages and such tokens of credence as in those days answered the stead of letters, for the Frison chiefs in the interest of Burgundy, took his place at the prow; and as he leant over, with his huge turquoise in his hand, he looked a rough-modelled figure of Hercules, or some other clubman of antiquity. Vrank sat at the stern; and as the breeze bore him away from the rude home, his visit to which seemed like the flitting shadow of a dream, a feeling of melancholy came across him, which is only to be excited by a separation from what we love. And did Vrank, then, really love this stern abode, this unsocial monument of his family's harsh pride and ungracious power? It was even so. The deep fixed instinct which leads men back, in despite of reason, to rest a portion of their own pride on the mere antiquity of their race, was at that moment working powerfully in the young man's bosom. He had felt none of it in approaching Eversdyke. Long habits of the world had overcome the early feeling, and he rather despised than venerated those tokens of an obscure aristocracy, which he had learned to look on as a very du bious honour. But this short contact with the fold cus toms of his forefathers, this new breathing of his native atmosphere of feudality, revived the latent principle which he believed extinct; and as he gazed back on the gray walls of the castle he could not suppress the thought, that he should like to live and die there after all!

Another feeling, of a kind quite new to him, contributed to strengthen this awakened, rather than created, attach

ment to his home. It was the pleasure he had felt in even two hours' acquaintanceship with those young relations, bound to him by a tie of which he scarcely before understood the nature, but which, as experience has told many a man, is too strong to be severed by absence or time, or almost by ingratitude and wrong. Vrank only knew this new sentiment of brotherly love in its most endearing aspect. He thought it delicious then; and in after life he never forgot the two hours' romping with the young playfellows, who had so naturally established, without claiming, an equality with him, and to whose level he had at once descended, without the pain of an effort or the consciousness of degradation.

To those young objects, who had in so short a space gained such a hold upon his sympathy, his sudden departure was a real misfortune, in proportion to the delightful surprise of his coming, and the wonderment he excited while he staid, by his handsome looks, his fine dress, and above all by his active gambols on all-fours, and the magnificent growl with which he played the monster. Brother Vrank, as they imagined him, had ever been their beauideal of all that was sublime and beautiful; that he had surpassed their notions was probably less a proof of his merits than of the imperfect growth of their imagination. But certain it is that the force of that impression never wore away, and those delighted brothers and sisters ever afterwards considered Vrank Van Borselen as one of the finest specimens of mankind-as well they might, on even better grounds than those of early impressions.

Good Vrowe Bona was thoroughly grieved at the bereavement of her dear boy's society. She felt as though she could have gazed on him for ever, and as he left the castle she was strongly impressed with the belief that she should never see him more. For many hours she knew not how to escape from this painful feeling; her husband's announcement of new hostilities seemed to overwhelm her with unusual terror. She knew that Vrank was to come back with Duke Philip's forces; and a heavy presentiment, which, with the weaknesses of superstition, she encouraged rather than repressed, told her that the coming contest would be fraught with dire calamity to the house of Bor

selen. Glad of any escape from such sad bodings, she hurried off to her homely occupations, like a regal functionary of a more recent date,

During the progress of these home-feelings and domestic considerations on the part of the family of Eversdyke, the elated party of the Hoeks indulged, as was fairly allowable, in some extravagance. For the first time for a long course of years they saw themselves with the upper hand, and if it opened cordially to the grasp of good fortune, it is not astonishing that it should become sternly clenched in the very face of the foe. The Hoeks, in fact, assumed an attitude of vigorous decision; they soon showed themselves at all points in great force. The English troops, under the guidance of Lord Fitz-walter, landed without opposition on the coasts of Holland and the Island of Schowen, and spread themselves in the various towns, which now unhesitatingly acknowledged Jacqueline, in virtue of the right which never fails to be awarded to might. Young Lewis of Hainault, Van Monfoort, the Hemsteds, and other leaders, put themselves at the head of their respective contingents. Rudolph Van Diepenholt set forth on a round of exhortation to the sea-faring interests of the state; and Jacqueline, overcoming all personal emotions, took at once that attitude of active influence to which her station was so well entitled, and her character so well adapted.

And very soon was the whole exertion of her own and her friends' energies called forth. The limited theatre of action hurried on events and crowded the doers into a narrow space. Ere Vrank Van Borselen reached the shore of East Flanders, John Uterken, with his expedition of considerable force, had left it; and, promptly navigating those inland seas, he within two days made his landing good, near Haarlem, to which place his father had retired, and with equal despatch and skill he advanced upon the town. But ere he could reach it, or take up a position of defence, he was vigorously attacked by Jacqueline's forces, under Fitz-walter and the other leaders; while she herself, her bow in hand, and mounted on a gallant steed, a gift