the purcell papers-2-第15章

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had　gladly　availed　themselves　of　the

excuse　which　the　dusk　of　evening　afforded；

to　withdraw　from　their　several　tasks；　in

order　to　finish　a　day　of　labour　in　the

jollity　and　conviviality　of　the　tavern。



But　Schalken　worked　for　improvement；

or　rather　for　love。　Besides；　he　was　now

engaged　merely　in　sketching　a　design；　an

operation　which；　unlike　that　of　colouring；

might　be　continued　as　long　as　there　was

light　sufficient　to　distinguish　between

canvas　and　charcoal。　He　had　not　then；

nor；　indeed；　until　long　after；　discovered　the

peculiar　powers　of　his　pencil；　and　he　was

engaged　in　composing　a　group　of　extremely

roguish…looking　and　grotesque　imps　and

demons；　who　were　inflicting　various

ingenious　torments　upon　a　perspiring　and

pot…bellied　St。　Anthony；　who　reclined　in

the　midst　of　them；　apparently　in　the　last

stage　of　drunkenness。



The　young　artist；　however；　though

incapable　of　executing；　or　even　of

appreciating；　anything　of　true　sublimity；

had　nevertheless　discernment　enough　to

prevent　his　being　by　any　means　satisfied

with　his　work；　and　many　were　the　patient

erasures　and　corrections　which　the　limbs

and　features　of　saint　and　devil　underwent；

yet　all　without　producing　in　their　new

arrangement　anything　of　improvement　or

increased　effect。



The　large；　old…fashioned　room　was

silent；　and；　with　the　exception　of　himself；

quite　deserted　by　its　usual　inmates。　An

hour　had　passednearly　twowithout

any　improved　result。　Daylight　had

already　declined；　and　twilight　was　fast　giving

way　to　the　darkness　of　night。　The

patience　of　the　young　man　was　exhausted；

and　he　stood　before　his　unfinished　production；

absorbed　in　no　very　pleasing　ruminations；

one　hand　buried　in　the　folds　of　his

long　dark　hair；　and　the　other　holding　the

piece　of　charcoal　which　had　so　ill　executed

its　office；　and　which　he　now　rubbed；　without

much　regard　to　the　sable　streaks　which

it　produced；　with　irritable　pressure　upon

his　ample　Flemish　inexpressibles。



'Pshaw！'　said　the　young　man　aloud；

'would　that　picture；　devils；　saint；　and　all；

were　where　they　should　bein　hell！'



A　short；　sudden　laugh；　uttered　start



lingly　close　to　his　ear；　instantly　responded

to　the　ejaculation。



The　artist　turned　sharply　round；　and

now　for　the　first　time　became　aware　that

his　labours　had　been　overlooked　by　a

stranger。



Within　about　a　yard　and　a　half；　and

rather　behind　him；　there　stood　what　was；

or　appeared　to　be；　the　figure　of　an　elderly

man：　he　wore　a　short　cloak；　and　broad…

brimmed　hat　with　a　conical　crown；　and　in

his　hand；　which　was　protected　with　a

heavy；　gauntlet…shaped　glove；　he　carried　a

long　ebony　walking…stick；　surmounted　with

what　appeared；　as　it　glittered　dimly　in　the

twilight；　to　be　a　massive　head　of　gold；

and　upon　his　breast；　through　the　folds

of　the　cloak；　there　shone　what　appeared

to　be　the　links　of　a　rich　chain　of　the　same

metal。



The　room　was　so　obscure　that　nothing

further　of　the　appearance　of　the　figure

could　be　ascertained；　and　the　face　was

altogether　overshadowed　by　the　heavy　flap

of　the　beaver　which　overhung　it；　so　that

not　a　feature　could　be　discerned。　A

quantity　of　dark　hair　escaped　from

beneath　this　sombre　hat；　a　circumstance

which；　connected　with　the　firm；　upright

carriage　of　the　intruder；　proved　that　his

years　could　not　yet　exceed　threescore　or

thereabouts。



There　was　an　air　of　gravity　and

importance　about　the　garb　of　this　person；　and

something　indescribably　odd；　I　might　say

awful；　in　the　perfect；　stone…like　movelessness

of　the　figure；　that　effectually　checked

the　testy　comment　which　had　at　once

risen　to　the　lips　of　the　irritated　artist。

He　therefore；　as　soon　as　he　had　suf…

ficiently　recovered　the　surprise；　asked　the

stranger；　civilly；　to　be　seated；　and　desired

to　know　if　he　had　any　message　to　leave　for

his　master。



'Tell　Gerard　Douw；'　said　the　unknown；

without　altering　his　attitude　in　the

smallest　degree；　'that　Mynher　Vanderhauseny

of　Rotterdam；　desires　to　speak

with　him　to…morrow　evening　at　this

hour；　and；　if　he　please；　in　this　room；　upon

matters　of　weightthat　is　all。　Good…night。'



The　stranger；　having　finished　this

message；　turned　abruptly；　and；　with　a

quick　but　silent　step；　quitted　the　room；

before　Schalken　had　time　to　say　a　word　in

reply。



The　young　man　felt　a　curiosity　to　see　in

what　direction　the　burgher　of　Rotterdam

would　turn　on　quitting　the　studio；

and　for　that　purpose　he　went　directly

to　the　window　which　commanded　the

door。



A　lobby　of　considerable　extent

intervened　between　the　inner　door　of　the

painter's　room　and　the　street　entrance；　so

that　Schalken　occupied　the　post　of

observation　before　the　old　man　could　possibly

have　reached　the　street。



He　watched　in　vain；　however。　There

was　no　other　mode　of　exit。



Had　the　old　man　vanished；　or　was　he

lurking　about　the　recesses　of　the　lobby

for　some　bad　purpose？　This　last　suggestion

filled　the　mind　of　Schalken　with　a

vague　horror；　which　was　so　unaccountably

intense　as　to　make　him　alike　afraid　to

remain　in　the　room　alone　and　reluctant　to

pass　through　the　lobby。



However；　with　an　effort　which　ap…

peared　very　disproportioned　to　the

occasion；　he　summoned　resolution　to　leave

the　room；　and；　having　double…locked　the

door　and　thrust　the　key　in　his　pocket；

without　looking　to　the　right　or　left；　he

traversed　the　passage　which　had　so

recently；　perhaps　still；　contained　the　person

of　his　mysterious　visitant；　scarcely　venturing

to　breathe　till　he　had　arrived　in　the

open　street。



'Mynher　Vanderhausen；'　said　Gerard

Douw　within　himself；　as　the　appointed

hour　approached；　'Mynher　Vanderhausen

of　Rotterdam！　I　never　heard　of　the　man

till　yesterday。　What　can　he　want　of　me？

A　portrait；　perhaps；　to　be　painted；　or　a

younger　son　or　a　poor　relation　to　be

apprenticed；　or　a　collection　to　be　valued；　or

pshaw　I　there's　no　one　in　Rotterdam　to

leave　me　a　legacy。　Well；　whatever　the

business　may　be；　we　shall　soon　know　it　all。'



It　was　now　the　close　of　day；　and　every

easel；　except　that　of　Schalken；　was

deserted。　Gerard　Douw　was　pacing　the

apartment　with　the　restless　step　of

impatient　expectation；　every　now　and　then

humming　a　passage　from　a　piece　of　music

which　he　was　himself　composing；　for；

though　no　great　proficient；　he　admired　the

art；　sometimes　pausing　to　glance　over　the

work　of　one　of　his　absent　pupils；　but　more

frequently　placing　himself　at　the　window；

from　whence　he　might　observe　the　passengers

who　threaded　the　obscure　by…street

in　which　his　studio　was　placed。



'Said　you　not；　Godfrey；'　exclaimed

Douw；　after　a　long　and　fruitless　gaze　from

his　post　of　observation；　and　turning　to

Schalken'said　you　not　the　hour　of　ap…

pointment　was　at　about　seven　by　the　clock

of　the　Stadhouse？'



'It　had　just　told　seven　when　I　first　saw

him；　sir；'　answered　the　student。



'The　hour　is　close　at　hand；　then；'　said

the　master；　consulting　a　horologe　as　large

and　as　round　as　a　full…grown　orange。

'Mynher　Vanderhausen；　from　Rotterdam

is　it　not　so？'



'Such　was　the　name。'



'And　an　elderly　man；　richly　clad？'

continued　Douw。



'As　well　as　I　might　see；'　replied　his

pupil；　'he　could　not　be　young；　nor　yet

very　old　neither；　and　his　dress　was　rich

and　grave；　as　might　become　a　citizen　of

wealth　and　consideration。'



At　this　moment　the　sonorous　boom　of

the　Stadhouse　clock　told；　stroke　after

stroke；　the　hour　of　seven；　the　eyes　of

both　master　and　student　were　directed　to

the　door；　and　it　was　not　until　the　last

peal　of　the　old　bell　had　ceased　to　vibrate；

that　Douw　exclaimed：



'So；　so；　we　shall　have　his　worship

presentlythat　is；　if　he　means　to　keep　his

hour；　if　not；　thou　mayst　wait　for　him；

Godfrey；　if　you　court　the　acquaintance　of

a　capricious　burgomaster。　As　for　me；　I

think　our　old　Leyden　contains　a

sufficiency　of　such　commodities；　without　an

importation　from　Rotterdam。'



Schalken　laughed；　as　in　duty　bound；

and　after　a　pause　of　some　minutes；　Douw

suddenly　exclaimed：



'What　if　it　should　all　prove　a　jest；　a

piece　of　mummery　got　up　by　Vankarp；　or

some　such　worthy！　I　wish　you　had　run

all　risks；　and　cudgelled　the　old　burgomaster；

stadholder；　or　whatever　else　he

may　be；　soundly。　I　would　wager　a　dozen

of　Rhenish；　his　worship　would　have

pleaded　old　acquaintance　before　the　third

application。'



'Here　he　comes；　sir；'　said　Schalken；

in　a　low　admonitory　tone；　and　instantly；

upon　turning　towards　the　door；　Gerard

Douw　observed　the　same　figure　which

had；　on　the　day　before；　so　unexpectedly

greeted　the　vision　of　his　pupil

Schalken。



There　was　something　in　the　air　and

mien　of　the　figure　which　at　once　satisfied

the　painter　that　there　was　no　mummery

in　the　case；　and　that　he　really　stood　in　the

presence　of　a　man　of　worship；　and　so；　without

hesitation；　he　doffed　his　cap；　and　courteously

saluting　the　stranger；　requested　him

to　be　seated。



The　visitor　waved　his　hand　slightly；　as；

if　in　acknowledgment　of　the　courtesy；　but

remained　standing。



'I　have　the　honour　to　see　Mynher

Vanderhausen；　of　Rotterdam？'　said　Gerard

Douw。



'The　same；'　was　the　laconic　reply　of　his

visitant。



'I　understand　your　worship　desires　to

speak　with　me；'　continued　Douw；　'and　I

am　here　by　appointment　to　wait　your

commands。'



'Is　that　a　man　of　trust？'　said　Vanderhausen；

turning　towards　Schalken；　who

stood　at　a　little　distance　behind　his　master。



'Certainly；'　replied　Gerard。



'Then　let　him　take　this　box　and　get　the

nearest　jeweller　or　goldsmith　to　value　its

contents；　and　let　him　return　hither　with　a

certificate　of　the　valuation。'



At　the　same　time　he　placed　a　small　case；

about　nine　inches　square；　in　the　hands　of

Gerard　Douw；　who　was　as　much　amazed

at　its　weight　as　at　the　strange　abruptness

with　which　it　was　handed　to　him。



In　accordance　with　the　wishes　of　the

stranger；　he　delivered　it　into　the　hands　of

Schalken；　and　repeating　HIS　directions；

despatched　him　upon　the　mission。



Schalken　disposed　his　precious　charge

securely　beneath　the　folds　of　his　cloak；　and

rapidly　traversing　two　or　three　narrow

streets；　he　stopped　at　a　corner　house；　the

lower　part　of　which　was　then　occupied　by

the　shop　of　a　Jewish　goldsmith。



Schalken　entered　the　shop；　and　calling

the　little　Hebrew　into　the　obscurity　of　its

back　recesses；　he　proceeded　to　lay　before

him　Vanderhausen's　packet。



On　being　examined　by　the　light　of　a

lamp；　it　appeared　entirely　cased　with　lead；

the　outer　surface　of　which　was　much

scraped　and　soiled；　and　nearly　white　with

age。　This　was　with　difficulty　partially

removed；　and　disclosed　beneath　a　box　of

some　dark　and　singularly　hard　wood；　this；

too；　was　forced；　and　after　the　removal　of

two　or　three　folds　of　linen；　its　contents

proved　to　be　a　mass　of　golden　in