“No general could have done more than His Highness, whom I regard every day with more affection, but you must see that with such an inadequate force there is nothing for us but a retreat, since to await the enemy here would be to deliver the Republic to her enemies by exposing her sole defenders to certain destruction.
“His Highness vehemently opposed the abandonment of the Yssel, but being unsupported by any save Count Hornes in his desire for an attack on the French, and hearing of the almost incredible fall of the Rhine fortresses, he has been brought to see that it would be wiser to fall back on Utrecht.
“We lost 1600 men in outposts on the Rhine—100,000 at least would be necessary to hold the Yssel, and we have 20,000, and those disposed in ‘echelons’ which cannot easily communicate with each other.
“I try to keep up the spirits of those about me. I pray you send me what good news you can that we may not be reduced to despair.”
John de Witt raised his prominent brown eyes, and fixed them with a steady and penetrating gaze on M. Fagel.
“What do you say now?”
The Secretary bit his pale lip.
“What can I say?”
He had nothing to oppose to the Grand Pensionary’s firm resolution; he was alarmed and unnerved.
John de Witt, absolutely master of himself, spoke again.