The Execution

           Corneliushadnotthreehundredpacestowalkoutsidetheprisontoreachthefootofthescaffold.Atthebottomofthestaircase,thedogquietlylookedathimwhilsthewaspassing;Corneliusevenfanciedhesawintheeyesofthemonsteracertainexpressionasitwereofcompassion.

           Thedogperhapsknewthecondemnedprisoners,andonlybitthosewholeftasfreemen.

           Theshorterthewayfromthedooroftheprisontothefootofthescaffold,themorefully,ofcourse,itwascrowdedwithcuriouspeople.

           Thesewerethesamewho,notsatisfiedwiththebloodwhichtheyhadshedthreedaysbefore,werenowcravingforanewvictim.

           AndscarcelyhadCorneliusmadehisappearancethanafiercegroanranthroughthewholestreet,spreadingallovertheyard,andre-echoingfromthestreetswhichledtothescaffold,andwhichwerelikewisecrowdedwithspectators.

           Thescaffoldindeedlookedlikeanisletattheconfluenceofseveralrivers.

           Inthemidstofthesethreats,groans,andyells,Cornelius,verylikelyinordernottohearthem,hadburiedhimselfinhisownthoughts.

           Andwhatdidhethinkofinhislastmelancholyjourney?

           Neitherofhisenemies,norofhisjudges,norofhisexecutioners.

           Hethoughtofthebeautifultulipswhichhewouldseefromheavenabove,atCeylon,orBengal,orelsewhere,whenhewouldbeabletolookwithpityonthisearth,whereJohnandCorneliusdeWitthadbeenmurderedforhavingthoughttoomuchofpolitics,andwhereCorneliusvanBaerlewasabouttobemurderedforhavingthoughttoomuchoftulips.