or, The Silver Skates 221

not yet told the glowing story of that day; but Ben knew
enough of it to fancy that he could almost hear the shouts of
the delighted populace as he looked from the portraits to the
street, which at this moment was aglow with a bonfire, kindled
in a neighboring square.

That royal visit was one never to be forgotten. For two
years William of Orange had been monarch of a foreign land,
his head working faithfully for England, but his whole heart
yearning for Holland. Now, when he sought its shores once
more, the entire nation bade him welcome. Miultitudes flocked
to the Hague to meet him. ‘ Many thousands came sliding
or skating along the frozen canals from Amsterdam, Rotterdam,
Leyden, Haarlem, Delft.”+ All day long the festivities of
the capital were kept up. The streets were gorgeous with ban-
ners, evergreen arches, trophies and mottoes of welcome, and
emblems of industry. William saw the deeds of his ancestors,
and scenes of his own past life, depicted on banners and tapes-
tries along the streets. At night, superb fireworks were dis-
played upon the ice. Its glassy surface was like a mirror.
Sparkling fountains of light sprang up from below to meet the
glittering cascades leaping upon it; then a feathery fire of
crimson and green shook millions of rubies and emeralds into
the ruddy depths of the ice:” and all this time the people
were shouting, “ God bless William of Orange! Long live
the King!” They were half mad with joy and enthusiasm.
William, their own prince, their stadtholder, had become the
ruler of three kingdoms. He had been victorious in council
and in war, and now, in his hour of greatest triumph, had
come as a simple guest to visit them. The king heard their
shouts with a beating heart. It is a great thing to be beloved by

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1 Macaulay’s History of England.