“He is all powerful——”
John de Witt interrupted—
“I do not think that he will use his power to gratify his political dislikes. He knows my principles, he knows that I am likely to abide by them; he cannot be either surprised or angered that he does not see me swell the crowd gathered to do him homage.”
Gaspard Fagel frowned.
“That is your decision—your final decision?”
John de Witt bent his head.
“Yes.” Then he added keenly, “Did the Prince send you?”
“I have not seen him since the opening of the war, nor has he mentioned this question in his letters, but M. Beuningen says he remarked to him that you must bend or break.”
John de Witt faintly smiled.
“I also can be inflexible,” he said. “I can serve my ideal as steadily as His Highness serves his ambition.”