"Break open the door," cried the officer to his attendants. In a minute or two the door was burst open, and the party ascended the staircase.
"Mercy on me! Babette, if they arn't come in," cried the widow, who jumped out of her bed, and nearly shutting her door, which had been left open for ventilation, she peeped out to see who were the bold intruders; she perceived a man in black with a white staff.
"What do you want?" screamed the widow, terrified.
"We want Mistress Vandersloosh. Are you that person?" said the officer.
"To be be sure I am. But what do you want here?"
"I must request you to dress and come along with me directly to the Stadt House," replied the officer, very civilly.
"Gott in himmel! what's the matter?"
"It's on a charge of treasonable practices, madam."
"Oh, ho! I see: Mr Vanslyperken. Very well, good sir; I'll put on my clothes directly. I'll get up any hour in the night, with pleasure, to bring that villain--. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see. Babette, take the gentleman down in the parlour, and give them some bottled beer. You'll find it very good, sirs; it's of my own brewing. And Babette, you must come up and help me."
The officer did not think it necessary to undeceive the widow, who imagined that she was to give evidence against Vanslyperken, not that she was a prisoner herself. Still, the widow Vandersloosh did not like being called up at such an unseasonable hour, and thus expressed herself to Babette as she was dressing herself.