In the centre of the Plaats a section of the burgher company of the red was putting up the scaffold, always erected on this spot for an execution.
Cornelius could not but perceive his agitation.
“What are they doing now?”
“Nothing—only it is such a vast crowd.”
He was absolutely composed again, though he could not doubt for whom the scaffold was intended.
He was saved from further question by the entry of Van Bossi.
The gaoler was almost inarticulate with fear and dismay.
They gathered from his broken speech that two of the burgher captains had scaled the walls of the prison-yard and, in company with Ruysch, who had been admitted, demanded to see the brothers.
Before he had finished speaking, noisy voices were heard in the corridor, and the three men pushed rudely into the chamber.
They were armed with swords and muskets, and wore flaunting orange favours.