Avalanche like, in its force and impetuosity, had
been the descent of this dreadful calamity; and if
anything could add aggravation to the blow, it was a
contemplation of the contemptible means by which it
had been effected. The mountain had been undermined
by a mouse. The discomfited confederates
needed no summons to bring them together on the
evening of that memorable day; one by one, as the
shadows of twilight deepened, did they wend their
lonely way to the distant Bowery, hoping to gain from
their leader the encouragement which their own
hearts failed to afford. But all regret for their vanished
hopes of conquest were lost sight of for the
present, in view of the appalling fate which impended
over their young and chivalrous ally. There was no
view of the affair which presented any semblance of
hope in his behalf. He was in the hands of a

[figure description] Page 158.[end figure description]

rigorous government, bound by the principle of self-preservation
to suppress every form of insurrection, and
to crush each embryo bud of treason. They knew
that even a mild and moderate government might
plausibly have punished Rudolph's offence with death,
and that from the despotic tribunal of Lovelace no
leniency in such a case could be expected. Some
fears for their own safety mingled with these apprehensions,
and altogether it was a gloomy congress
which convened on that dismal evening at the house
of Governor Stuyvesant. Yawpy Poffenburgh was
not present. From the moment of hearing of the
arrest of Rudolph, he had kept cautiously within his
own domains, and whoever passed his premises saw
Yawpy assiduously at work in his garden, seemingly
as innocent of all state intrigues, as any one of the
future cabbage-heads, which now, in the shape of
infantile plants, stood in interminable rows across the
lot.

Governor Stuyvesant growled like a chained lion,
but he indulged in no idle vaunts. A blank despair,
indeed, pervaded the whole council, and while many
schemes for relief were revolved, each was in turn
abandoned as utterly hopeless. It was resolved, however,
that immediate measures should be taken to learn
the designs of the government, and if any fair trial was
to be allowed to the accused, no pains were to be

[figure description] Page 159.[end figure description]

spared in furnishing him with skilful counsel, and such
other aid as might be practicable. Having designated
a few of their number to obtain the earliest possible
information on the subject, the assembly dispersed
to meet again on the ensuing evening, unless some
exigency should call them sooner together.

There was no one who said less, or endured more
on this trying occasion, than Mr. Knickerbocker.
He felt as if all Rudolph's sufferings were in some
way traceable to himself, and it seemed as if the impending
tragedy was to be the crowning calamity of
his life. Gigantic, colossal, and overshadowing as
the mountain of his troubles had before appeared, it
seemed that this remaining one was to cap the fearful
climax, and impart a dreadful symmetry to the
pile. Hope deserted his breast, and even Faith staggered
at the blow; for the heavens seemed of brass
above him, impenetrable by prayer, and echoing dismally
back the voice of his supplications. That he
passed a weary night, finding sleep without repose
and dreams more fatiguing than toil, need scarcely
be said. On the ensuing morning, he was early
abroad, seeking to glean such information as he could
find upon the subject which now engrossed his whole
attention. His steps were naturally directed toward
the jail in which Rudolph was confined, which stood
closely adjoining the fort, and fronting toward the

[figure description] Page 160.[end figure description]

Hudson river at a point very near the southern extremity
of the city. Near to that gloomy tenement he
saw, sauntering, one of those grim officials of the
law, who execute its most odious and repulsive decrees
without even the show of reluctance. Hiding
a cruel and sanguinary disposition under the guise of
devotion to his official duty, Hugh Gore, at once the
jailer and executioner of the city, added, by the natural
ferocity of his look and manner, increased intensity
to every punishment which he inflicted. In vain
did the prisoner, newly arrested, look into his face for
some gleam of encouragement or sympathy. The
very act of turning the prison bolts was performed
with an emphasis which betokened a relish of the
welcome sound; and if the victim was one, the accusation
against whom was of a capital nature, he would
be sure to be favored by Hugh with a cell which
commanded a full view of the permanent gallows,
scarcely less lofty than that of Haman, which, to the
disgrace of the infant city, then formed one of its
prominent features.

To this ogre, the timid and child-like Evert applied
courteously for information as to the situation of his
young friend, and the nature of the charges against
him.

“Charges?” said Hugh, sardonically—“oh, nothing,
I believe, more than high treason, and some such little

[figure description] Page 161.[end figure description]

matters; 'tisn't anything, you know, to invite the king's
enemies into the country, and offer to help them overturn
the government—that ain't anything, is it, old fellow?”

“When is he to be tried?” rejoined Evert, with
difficulty suppressing his emotion.

“There are older heads than his in this business,”
replied Hugh, not heeding the question, “if we can only
get at them; some fine estates to be confiscated, too.
You don't know anything about it though, I dare say,
and then some folks's estates are out of all danger of
confiscation—ha! ha! ha!—you can't get two skins
off one cat—ho! ho! ho!”—and an echoing laugh
from within told that Hugh was not talking for his
own edification alone.

“Can you tell me when Mr. Groesbeck is to be
tried?” repeated Evert mildly, and still repressing all
signs of indignation at the brutality of his companion.

“Tried, quotha?” returned Hugh; “tried? no, not
exactly; but there is a man,” pointing across the
street, toward a shop of miscellaneous cabinet-ware,
“there's a man in that shop, who can tell you something
about it, I reckon;” and so saying, Hugh retired
within doors, whence still the jeering laugh came
back to Evert's ears.

The old man directed his steps slowly across the
road to the place which had been designated by his

[figure description] Page 162.[end figure description]

informant, and in the simplicity of his heart, applied
with the same inquiry to a workman whom he found
busily engaged within.

“Rudolph Groesbeck? when is he to be tried, do
you ask?” said the carpenter respectfully, pausing
meanwhile from his work, and leaning on the end of
his plane.

“Yes, sir,” returned Mr. Knickerbocker, glad that
he seemed like to meet with no further insults; “the
jailer told me he thought you could inform me when
his trial would take place.”

The man looked curiously and sympathizingly into
old Evert's anxious face, and then gave a quick furtive
glance toward the opposite side of his shop, as
he replied: “I don't know exactly when he's to be
tried—pretty soon, I should reckon—that's for him;”
and Evert's eyes, following the direction pointed out
by his companion, fell upon a newly made and
freshly stained coffin.

Leaning, clinging to the lintel of the doorway,
pale, trembling, gasping, Mr. Knickerbocker in vain
essayed for some moments to speak.

“For him?” he said at length; “for Rudolph
Groesbeck? it is impossible; by whose orders has this
been done?”

“Oh, Hugh sees to all these things; he ordered it.

[figure description] Page 163.[end figure description]

I guess it's all right, sir—he don't often make a mistake
about such matters.”

“The hard-hearted scoundrel—the fiend!” exclaimed
the old man.

“No, no,” said the carpenter, “I wouldn't call hard
names—it ain't always safe. He gives me a good
many jobs, Hugh does, but he is rather hasty, I think
myself, at times; he sometimes measures his men for
these things as soon as he gets 'em inside, sir. When
you've got a thing to do, then do it, and don't be
puttin' off things, that's Hugh's maxim.”

“But Rudolph has not been convicted or even tried
yet,—much less sentenced to death.”

“Wal, praps not; I don't know much about these
things, but that won't take long, I reckon. I hearn
something said about a court to be held this afternoon
at the Stadt-Huys, as soon as the races are
over—may be that's it;” and the workman resumed
his labors with a rapidity which manifested a disposition
at once to put an end to the colloquy, and to make
amends for the time which had already been consumed
upon it.

With a heavy heart and tottering steps did Evert
return to his house, where for a while he yielded to
the most bitter and hopeless despair. To Jed, who
was equally appalled at his friend's danger, and ready
to do anything in his behalf, he at once imparted the

[figure description] Page 164.[end figure description]

alarming facts which he had learned, and entreated
him to hasten to Governor Stuyvesant with the intelligence.

“Tell him,” he said, “that if anything can be done,
it must be immediately; to-morrow may be too late.”

Jed hastened to execute his mission, tarrying only
to enjoin upon his father that he should withhold from
Effie all knowledge of these dreadful facts, for she
was entirely ignorant of the impending calamity.
She knew nothing even of Rudolph's arrest, and her
heart continued glad, as watching the favoring skies
she anticipated his prosperous voyage, and safe return.

Stuyvesant received Jed's information with but little
surprise. “Yes, yes,” he said, “they'll murder the
poor fellow of course, and we have got to sit still and
look tamely on; but go, and learn with certainty the
time and place of his trial; we will at least behold
the mockery, and do all for him that we can.”

But the necessity for haste did not prove to be as
great as had been anticipated. The executioner's
cruel orders had been altogether gratuitous, and were
entirely unknown to Governor Lovelace. The latter
indeed could not be chargeable with a sanguinary disposition,
yet in the ever rigorous discharge of his
official trust, clemency was not to be looked for at his
hands. His very hostility to the Dutch inhabitants
had resulted more from a knowledge of their

[figure description] Page 165.[end figure description]

disloyalty to the existing powers than from any personal ill-will
toward them. Faithful to his own master, he
was still not capable of giving them credit for fidelity
to the States, nor mindful of the steps of doubtful
equity by which the latter had been divorced from
their long cherished colonies.

The principal judicial tribunal which existed at this
time in the province was called the Court of Assize,
and was composed of the governor himself and two
or three justices of the peace. Although created by
no legislative enactment, but organized by Lovelace
in pursuance of the plenary powers with which he
was invested, it possessed perhaps sufficient authority
to arraign and try the accused. But desirous to attach
more weight to the affair, and to imitate in some
respect the formula of state trials in England, the
governor issued a special commission of oyer and terminer
for this purpose to one Sir Thomas Colton and
two justices of the peace, and an interval of six days
was allowed to elapse previous to the trial. Rudolph
was also informed that he would be allowed the benefit
of counsel, and that if he had any witnesses in
his behalf they should be heard. There was something
however in all this ceremony which seemed
like a mere show of clemency, where the substance
was wanting. It seemed indeed to Rudolph's despairing
mind a sort of challenge and defiance, as if he

[figure description] Page 166.[end figure description]

had been told that he should have every opportunity
of defence for the very purpose of demonstrating the
hopeless certainty of his guilt, and the justice of his
coming condemnation.

It would be painful and unnecessary to dwell upon
the interval of suspense which intervened prior to the
sitting of the court, or to depict the sad details of the
trial. Rudolph's deportment was dignified and calm,
but there was an expression of anguish at times upon
his face, which spoke of suffering beyond any that the
fear of death had power to inflict. His own suddenly
blasted hopes, the pain and degradation of an ignominious
execution, were scarcely present to his mind; but
who shall tell the agony of his soul as he contemplated
the impending misery of her, who, still unconscious of
his danger, was yet to meet the full shock of so overwhelming
a grief. Every effort was made in his behalf,
but all was in vain. The proof admitted of no
denial. The papers which had been found in his possession
told the whole story of his culpability; and
the fact of their careful concealment among his luggage
gave confirmation to the proof. The eloquent
petition, the accurate plan of the harbor and channel,
the private letters of Mr. Knickerbocker, which, although
containing no allusion to political subjects,
showed the intended destination of their bearer, were
all produced and commented on, carrying conviction

[figure description] Page 167.[end figure description]

to the minds of the hearers. Rudolph in short was
found guilty, and, when asked, with the usual formula
of the law, whether he had anything to say why sentence
should not be pronounced against him, he
remained silent. Not even when demanded a second
time did he essay to reply, until, answering rather the
appealing looks of his friends than the voice of the
judge, he briefly addressed the court. “If aught,”
he said—“if aught that I can allege could serve to
avert or palliate a doom which I dread less for myself
than others, I might indeed say something against my
impending sentence. I might speak of political
wrongs sought to be righted; of duty which is counted
crime, and patriotism stigmatized as treason; but I
could neither deny my acts, nor repudiate the principles
which prompted them. I know that I must die—
ignominiously—on the scaffold,”—his voice faltered
as he spoke—“but I die a martyr, and not a criminal.”

He sat down, and a shudder ran through the audience
as the presiding judge, with the judicial ceremony
of the age, assumed the black cap which betokened
the sentence of death. With dignified composure,
yet not without feeling, was his official duty discharged.
He spoke of the imperative obligation incumbent
upon ministers of justice to punish those crimes
which aimed at the subversion of government, and
remarked upon the peculiar situation of the province,

[figure description] Page 168.[end figure description]

endangered by enemies from abroad, and by disaffection
at home, as a reason for the most rigid enforcement
of the law. He then proceeded to sentence the
prisoner, fixing the second ensuing day for his execution,
and warning him not to indulge the faintest
hope of pardon or reprieve. The court then adjourned,
and Rudolph, in the clutch of the gratified Hugh,
was remanded to his cell. What bitter tears were
shed, what noble hearts were wrung, how voiceless
with grief his faithful friends crowded around him,
seeking vainly to give some word of cheer, need not
be related. Petition and remonstrance were all in
vain: the governor remained inexorable, and even
hinted at further prosecutions if the least additional
provocation were given.

If there was one of Rudolph's friends who now
suffered more than the rest, it was Jed; on whom
plainly devolved a task scarcely less dreadful than
that of suffering side by side with his friend; for
from his lips must Effie receive the appalling tidings
which should prepare her once more to meet Rudolph,
and then to part with him for ever.

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