the purcell papers-2-第16章

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too；　was　forced；　and　after　the　removal　of

two　or　three　folds　of　linen；　its　contents

proved　to　be　a　mass　of　golden　ingots；

close　packed；　and；　as　the　Jew　declared；　of

the　most　perfect　quality。



Every　ingot　underwent　the　scrutiny　of

the　little　Jew；　who　seemed　to　feel　an

epicurean　delight　in　touching　and　testing

these　morsels　of　the　glorious　metal；　and

each　one　of　them　was　replaced　in　the　box

with　the　exclamation：



'Mein　Gott；　how　very　perfect！　not　one

grain　of　alloybeautiful；　beautiful！'



The　task　was　at　length　finished；　and　the

Jew　certified　under　his　hand　the　value　of

the　ingots　submitted　to　his　examination　to

amount　to　many　thousand　rix…dollars。



With　the　desired　document　in　his　bosom；

and　the　rich　box　of　gold　carefully　pressed

under　his　arm；　and　concealed　by　his　cloak；

he　retraced　his　way；　and　entering　the

studio；　found　his　master　and　the　stranger

in　close　conference。



Schalken　had　no　sooner　left　the　room；

in　order　to　execute　the　commission　he　had

taken　in　charge；　than　Vanderhausen

addressed　Gerard　Douw　in　the　following

terms：



'I　may　not　tarry　with　you　to…night　more

than　a　few　minutes；　and　so　I　shall　briefly

tell　you　the　matter　upon　which　I　come。

You　visited　the　town　of　Rotterdam　some

four　months　ago；　and　then　I　saw　in　the

church　of　St。　Lawrence　your　niece；　Rose

Velderkaust。　I　desire　to　marry　her；　and

if　I　satisfy　you　as　to　the　fact　that　I　am

very　wealthymore　wealthy　than　any

husband　you　could　dream　of　for　herI

expect　that　you　will　forward　my　views　to

the　utmost　of　your　authority。　If　you

approve　my　proposal；　you　must　close　with　it

at　once；　for　I　cannot　command　time

enough　to　wait　for　calculations　and　delays。'



Gerard　Douw　was；　perhaps；　as　much

astonished　as　anyone　could　be　by　the　very

unexpected　nature　of　Mynher　Vanderhausen's

communication；　but　he　did　not

give　vent　to　any　unseemly　expression　of

surprise；　for　besides　the　motives　supplied

by　prudence　and　politeness；　the　painter

experienced　a　kind　of　chill　and　oppressive

sensation；　something　like　that　which　is

supposed　to　affect　a　man　who　is　placed

unconsciously　in　immediate　contact　with

something　to　which　he　has　a　natural　anti…

pathyan　undefined　horror　and　dread

while　standing　in　the　presence　of　the

eccentric　stranger；　which　made　him　very

unwilling　to　say　anything　which　might

reasonably　prove　offensive。



'I　have　no　doubt；'　said　Gerard；　after

two　or　three　prefatory　hems；　'that　the

connection　which　you　propose　would　prove

alike　advantageous　and　honourable　to　my

niece；　but　you　must　be　aware　that　she　has

a　will　of　her　own；　and　may　not　acquiesce

in　what　WE　may　design　for　her　advantage。'



'Do　not　seek　to　deceive　me；　Sir　Painter；'

said　Vanderhausen；　'you　are　her　guardian

she　is　your　ward。　She　is　mine　if　YOU　like

to　make　her　so。'



The　man　of　Rotterdam　moved　forward

a　little　as　he　spoke；　and　Gerard　Douw；　he

scarce　knew　why；　inwardly　prayed　for　the

speedy　return　of　Schalken。



'I　desire；'　said　the　mysterious　gentleman；

'to　place　in　your　hands　at　once　an

evidence　of　my　wealth；　and　a　security　for

my　liberal　dealing　with　your　niece。　The

lad　will　return　in　a　minute　or　two　with　a

sum　in　value　five　times　the　fortune　which

she　has　a　right　to　expect　from　a　husband。

This　shall　lie　in　your　hands；　together　with

her　dowry；　and　you　may　apply　the　united

sum　as　suits　her　interest　best；　it　shall　be

all　exclusively　hers　while　she　lives。　Is　that

liberal？'



Douw　assented；　and　inwardly　thought

that　fortune　had　been　extraordinarily　kind

to　his　niece。　The　stranger；　he　thought；

must　be　both　wealthy　and　generous；　and

such　an　offer　was　not　to　be　despised；　though

made　by　a　humourist；　and　one　of　no　very


prepossessing　presence。



Rose　had　no　very　high　pretensions；　for

she　was　almost　without　dowry；　indeed；

altogether　so；　excepting　so　far　as　the

deficiency　had　been　supplied　by　the　generosity

of　her　uncle。　Neither　had　she　any　right　to

raise　any　scruples　against　the　match　on　the

score　of　birth；　for　her　own　origin　was　by

no　means　elevated；　and　as　to　other　objections；

Gerard　resolved；　and；　indeed；　by　the

usages　of　the　time　was　warranted　in

resolving；　not　to　listen　to　them　for　a　moment。



'Sir；'　said　he；　addressing　the　stranger；

'your　offer　is　most　liberal；　and　whatever

hesitation　I　may　feel　in　closing　with　it

immediately；　arises　solely　from　my　not

having　the　honour　of　knowing　anything　of

your　family　or　station。　Upon　these　points

you　can；　of　course；　satisfy　me　without

difficulty？'



'As　to　my　respectability；'　said　the

stranger；　drily；　'you　must　take　that　for

granted　at　present；　pester　me　with　no

inquiries；　you　can　discover　nothing　more

about　me　than　I　choose　to　make　known。

You　shall　have　sufficient　security　for　my

respectabilitymy　word；　if　you　are　honourable：

if　you　are　sordid；　my　gold。'



'A　testy　old　gentleman；'　thought　Douw；

'he　must　have　his　own　way。　But；　all

things　considered；　I　am　justified　in　giving

my　niece　to　him。　Were　she　my　own

daughter；　I　would　do　the　like　by　her。　I

will　not　pledge　myself　unnecessarily；　however。'



'You　will　not　pledge　yourself　unnecessarily；'

said　Vanderhausen；　strangely　uttering

the　very　words　which　had　just　floated

through　the　mind　of　his　companion；　'but

you　will　do　so　if　it　IS　necessary；　I　presume；

and　I　will　show　you　that　I　consider　it　in…

dispensable。　If　the　gold　I　mean　to　leave

in　your　hands　satisfy　you；　and　if　you

desire　that　my　proposal　shall　not　be　at　once

withdrawn；　you　must；　before　I　leave　this

room；　write　your　name　to　this　engagement。'



Having　thus　spoken；　he　placed　a　paper

in　the　hands　of　Gerard；　the　contents　of

which　expressed　an　engagement　entered

into　by　Gerard　Douw；　to　give　to　Wilken

Vanderhausen；　of　Rotterdam；　in　marriage；

Rose　Velderkaust；　and　so　forth；　within　one

week　of　the　date　hereof。



While　the　painter　was　employed　in

reading　this　covenant；　Schalken；　as　we　have

stated；　entered　the　studio；　and　having

delivered　the　box　and　the　valuation　of　the

Jew　into　the　hands　of　the　stranger；　he

was　about　to　retire；　when　Vanderhausen

called　to　him　to　wait；　and；　presenting　the

case　and　the　certificate　to　Gerard　Douw；

he　waited　in　silence　until　he　had　satisfied

himself　by　an　inspection　of　both　as　to　the

value　of　the　pledge　left　in　his　hands。　At

length　he　said：



'Are　you　content？'



The　painter　said　he　would　fain　have　an

other　day　to　consider。



'Not　an　hour；'　said　the　suitor；　coolly。



'Well；　then；'　said　Douw；　'I　am　content；

it　is　a　bargain。'



'Then　sign　at　once；'　said　Vanderhausen；

'I　am　weary。'



At　the　same　time　he　produced　a　small

case　of　writing　materials；　and　Gerard　signed

the　important　document。



'Let　this　youth　witness　the　covenant；'

said　the　old　man；　and　Godfrey　Schalken

unconsciously　signed　the　instrument　which

bestowed　upon　another　that　hand　which

he　had　so　long　regarded　as　the　object　and

reward　of　all　his　labours。



The　compact　being　thus　completed；　the

strange　visitor　folded　up　the　paper；　and

stowed　it　safely　in　an　inner　pocket。



'I　will　visit　you　to…morrow　night；　at

nine　of　the　clock；　at　your　house；　Gerard

Douw；　and　will　see　the　subject　of　our

contract。　Farewell。'　And　so　saying；　Wilken

Vanderhausen　moved　stiffly；　but　rapidly

out　of　the　room。



Schalken；　eager　to　resolve　his　doubts；

had　placed　himself　by　the　window　in　order

to　watch　the　street　entrance；　but　the

experiment　served　only　to　support　his

suspicions；　for　the　old　man　did　not　issue　from

the　door。　This　was　very　strange；　very

odd；　very　fearful。　He　and　his　master

returned　together；　and　talked　but　little　on

the　way；　for　each　had　his　own　sub…

jects　of　reflection；　of　anxiety；　and　of

hope。



Schalken；　however；　did　not　know　the

ruin　which　threatened　his　cherished

schemes。



Gerard　Douw　knew　nothing　of　the

attachment　which　had　sprung　up　between

his　pupil　and　his　niece；　and　even　if　he

had；　it　is　doubtful　whether　he　would　have

regarded　its　existence　as　any　serious

obstruction　to　the　wishes　of　Mynher　Vanderhausen。



Marriages　were　then　and　there　matters

of　traffic　and　calculation；　and　it　would　have

appeared　as　absurd　in　the　eyes　of　the　guardian

to　make　a　mutual　attachment　an

essential　element　in　a　contract　of　marriage；

as　it　would　have　been　to　draw　up　his　bonds

and　receipts　in　the　language　of　chivalrous

romance。



The　painter；　however；　did　not　communicate

to　his　niece　the　important　step　which

he　had　taken　in　her　behalf；　and　his　resolution

arose　not　from　any　anticipation　of

opposition　on　her　part；　but　solely　from　a

ludicrous　consciousness　that　if　his　ward

were；　as　she　very　naturally　might　do；　to

ask　him　to　describe　the　appearance　of　the

bridegroom　whom　he　destined　for　her；　he

would　be　forced　to　confess　that　he　had　not

seen　his　face；　and；　if　called　upon；　would　find

it　impossible　to　identify　him。



Upon　the　next　day；　Gerard　Douw　having

dined；　called　his　niece　to　him；　and　having

scanned　her　person　with　an　air　of　satisfaction；

he　took　her　hand；　and　looking　upon

her　pretty；　innocent　face　with　a　smile　of

kindness；　he　said：



'Rose；　my　girl；　that　face　of　yours　will

make　your　fortune。'　Rose　blushed　and

smiled。　'Such　faces　and　such　tempers

seldom　go　together；　and；　when　they　do；

the　compound　is　a　love…potion　which　few

heads　or　hearts　can　resist。　Trust　me；　thou

wilt　soon　be　a　bride；　girl。　But　this　is

trifling；　and　I　am　pressed　for　time；　so

make　ready　the　large　room　by　eight　o'clock

to…night；　and　give　directions　for　supper　at

nine。　I　expect　a　friend　to…night；　and

observe　me；　child；　do　thou　trick　thyself　out

handsomely。　I　would　not　have　him　think

us　poor　or　sluttish。'



With　these　words　he　left　the　chamber；

and　took　his　way　to　the　room　to　which　we

have　already　had　occasion　to　introduce

our　readersthat　in　which　his　pupils

worked。



When　the　evening　closed　in；　Gerard

called　Schalken；　who　was　about　to　take　his

departure　to　his　obscure　and　comfortless

lodgings；　and　asked　him　to　come

home　and　sup　with　Rose　and　Vanderhausen。



The　invitation　was　of　course　accepted；

and　Gerard　Douw　and　his　pupil　soon

found　themselves　in　the　handsome　and

somewhat　antique…looking　room　which

had　been　prepared　for　the　reception　of　the

stranger。



A　cheerful　wood…fire　blazed　in　the　capacious

hearth；　a　little　at　one　side　an　old…

fashioned　table；　with　richly…carved　legs；

was　placeddestined；　no　doubt；　to　receive

the　supper；　for　which　preparations　were

going　forward；　and　ranged　with　exact

regularity；　stood　the　tall…backed　chairs；

whose　ungracefulness　was　more　than

counterbalanced　by　their　comfort。



The　little　party；　consisting　of　Rose；　her

uncle；　and　the　artist；　awaited　the　arrival　of

the　expected　visitor　with　considerable　impatience。



Nine　o'clock　at　length　came；　and　with　it

a　summons　at　t