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Updated: June 9, 2025
The ex-clergyman's house was also the arsenal of the conspiracy, and here were stored away a stock of pistols, snaphances, and sledge-hammers together with that other death-dealing machinery, the whole edition of the 'Clearshining Torch', an inflammatory, pamphlet by Slatius all to be used on the fatal day fast approaching. On the 1st February van Dyk visited Slatius at Rotterdam.
How much easier it would have been to have given a little heed and shown a little common sense when you had the chance!" There was a touch of bitterness, almost fierceness, in the hunter's tone, which, knowing the man's kindly nature, Considine could not quite understand. "Do you know what them reptiles there are saying?" continued Van Dyk after a brief pause.
Van Dyk duly communicated with Stoutenburg, who grew more and more feverish with hatred and impatience as the time for gratifying those passions drew nigh, and frequently said that he would like to tear the Stadholder to pieces with his own hands. He preferred however to act as controlling director over the band of murderers now enrolled.
Meantime van Dyk came into the house of the widow Barneveld and found Stoutenburg in the stable-yard. He told him the plot was discovered, the chest of arms at the "Golden Helmet" found. "Are there any private letters or papers in the bog?" asked Stoutenburg. "None relating to the affair," was the answer. "Take yourself off as fast as possible," said Stoutenburg. Van Dyk needed no urging.
"I think I know the reason of his favouring us," said Considine, with a look of hope. "Indeed?" "Yes; he once journeyed with me from Capetown to the karroo, and probably he feels a touch of regard for his old travelling companion." "H'm! I wouldn't give much for his regard," growled Van Dyk. "The reed is slender, but it's the only one we have to lean on now.
He did not even appear to recognise him, but strode on in front, while the two robbers drove the youth up into the rocky fastnesses of the mountains. That night our hero found himself seated in the deepest recesses of a cavern by the side of his comrade Van Dyk.
Korenwinder, the treasurer of the association, coming to visit Stoutenburg soon after van Dyk had left him, was informed of the discovery of the plot and did his best to escape, but was arrested within a fortnight's time. Stoutenburg himself acted with his usual promptness and coolness.
Van Dyk, cruelly tortured, confessed on the rack all the details of the conspiracy as they were afterwards embodied in the sentences and have been stated in the preceding narrative. Groeneveld was not tortured.
Entertaining his new companions at dinner, however, towards the end of January, van Dyk, getting very drunk, informed them that the object of the enterprise was to kill the Stadholder; that arrangements had been made for effecting an immediate change in the magistracies in all the chief cities of Holland so soon as the deed was done; that all the recently deposed regents would enter the Hague at once, supported by a train of armed peasants from the country; and that better times for the oppressed religion, for the Fatherland, and especially for everyone engaged in the great undertaking, would begin with the death of the tyrant.
Van Dyk, the lean and hungry conspirator, now occupied himself vigorously in engaging the assassins, while his corpulent colleague remained as treasurer of the company.
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