He took it in amazement, cast a rapid glance on it, and said
quite aloud, --

"Those who have signed this order are the real murderers of
Cornelius de Witt. I would rather have my two hands cut off
than have written one single letter of this infamous order."

And, pushing back with the hilt of his sword the man who
wanted to take it from him, he added, --

"Wait a minute, papers like this are of importance, and are
to be kept."

Saying this, he folded up the document, and carefully put it
in the pocket of his coat.

Then, turning round towards his troop, he gave the word of
command, --

"Tilly's dragoons, wheel to the right!"

After this, he added, in an undertone, yet loud enough for
his words to be not altogether lost to those about him, --

"And now, ye butchers, do your work!"

A savage yell, in which all the keen hatred and ferocious
triumph rife in the precincts of the prison simultaneously
burst forth, and accompanied the departure of the dragoons,
as they were quietly filing off.