[The Burgomaster’s Wife Complete by Georg Ebers]@TWC D-Link bookThe Burgomaster’s Wife Complete CHAPTER XXI 3/22
The soldiers hurriedly, formed in marching array, many of them shaking their fists at the city.
Halberds and muskets, which had been stacked, were seized by their owners and, amid the beating of drums and blare of trumpets, order arose out of the confusion.
Individuals fell into ranks, ranks into companies, gay flags were unfurled and flung to the evening breeze, and with loud hurrahs the troops marched along the Rhine towards the south-west, where the Spanish outposts were stationed. The Leyden boys joined loudly in the Englishmen's cheer. Even Andreas, the fencing-master's son, had begun to shout with them; but when he saw a tall captain marching proudly before his company, his voice failed and, covering his eyes with his hands, he ran home to his mother. The other lads did not notice him, for the setting sun flashed so brightly on the coats of mail and helmets of the soldiers, the trumpets sounded so merrily, the officers' steeds caracoled so proudly under their riders, the gay plumes and banners and the smoke of the glimmering matches gained such beautiful hues in the roseate light of sunset, that eyes and ears seemed spellbound by the spectacle.
But a fresh incident now attracted the attention of great and small. Thirty-six Englishmen, among them several officers, lingered behind the others and approached the gate.
Again the lock creaked and the chains rattled.
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