the purcell papers-2-第17章

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Nine　o'clock　at　length　came；　and　with　it

a　summons　at　the　street…door；　which；　being

speedily　answered；　was　followed　by　a　slow

and　emphatic　tread　upon　the　staircase；　the

steps　moved　heavily　across　the　lobby；　the

door　of　the　room　in　which　the　party　which

we　have　described　were　assembled　slowly

opened；　and　there　entered　a　figure　which

startled；　almost　appalled；　the　phlegmatic

Dutchmen；　and　nearly　made　Rose　scream

with　affright；　it　was　the　form；　and　arrayed

in　the　garb；　of　Mynher　Vanderhausen；

the　air；　the　gait；　the　height　was　the　same；

but　the　features　had　never　been　seen　by

any　of　the　party　before。



The　stranger　stopped　at　the　door　of　the

room；　and　displayed　his　form　and　face

completely。　He　wore　a　dark…coloured

cloth　cloak；　which　was　short　and　full；　not

falling　quite　to　the　knees；　his　legs　were

cased　in　dark　purple　silk　stockings；　and　his

shoes　were　adorned　with　roses　of　the　same

colour。　The　opening　of　the　cloak　in　front

showed　the　under…suit　to　consist　of　some

very　dark；　perhaps　sable　material；　and　his

hands　were　enclosed　in　a　pair　of　heavy

leather　gloves　which　ran　up　considerably

above　the　wrist；　in　the　manner　of　a　gauntlet。

In　one　hand　he　carried　his　walking…

stick　and　his　hat；　which　he　had　removed；

and　the　other　hung　heavily　by　his　side。

A　quantity　of　grizzled　hair　descended　in

long　tresses　from　his　head；　and　its　folds

rested　upon　the　plaits　of　a　stiff　ruff；　which

effectually　concealed　his　neck。



So　far　all　was　well；　but　the　face！all

the　flesh　of　the　face　was　coloured　with　the

bluish　leaden　hue　which　is　sometimes　pro…

duced　by　the　operation　of　metallic

medicines　administered　in　excessive　quantities；

the　eyes　were　enormous；　and　the　white

appeared　both　above　and　below　the　iris；

which　gave　to　them　an　expression　of

insanity；　which　was　heightened　by　their

glassy　fixedness；　the　nose　was　well　enough；

but　the　mouth　was　writhed　considerably　to

one　side；　where　it　opened　in　order　to　give

egress　to　two　long；　discoloured　fangs；　which

projected　from　the　upper　jaw；　far　below　the

lower　lip；　the　hue　of　the　lips　themselves

bore　the　usual　relation　to　that　of　the　face；

and　was　consequently　nearly　black。　The

character　of　the　face　was　malignant；　even

satanic；　to　the　last　degree；　and；　indeed；

such　a　combination　of　horror　could　hardly

be　accounted　for；　except　by　supposing　the

corpse　of　some　atrocious　malefactor；　which

had　long　hung　blackening　upon　the　gibbet；

to　have　at　length　become　the　habitation　of

a　demonthe　frightful　sport　of　Satanic

possession。



It　was　remarkable　that　the　worshipful

stranger　suffered　as　little　as　possible　of　his

flesh　to　appear；　and　that　during　his　visit　he

did　not　once　remove　his　gloves。



Having　stood　for　some　moments　at　the

door；　Gerard　Douw　at　length　found　breath

and　collectedness　to　bid　him　welcome；　and；

with　a　mute　inclination　of　the　head；　the

stranger　stepped　forward　into　the　room。



There　was　something　indescribably　odd；

even　horrible；　about　all　his　motions；

something　undefinable；　that　was　unnatural；　un…

humanit　was　as　if　the　limbs　were　guided

and　directed　by　a　spirit　unused　to　the

management　of　bodily　machinery。



The　stranger　said　hardly　anything　during

his　visit；　which　did　not　exceed　half　an

hour；　and　the　host　himself　could　scarcely

muster　courage　enough　to　utter　the　few

necessary　salutations　and　courtesies：　and；

indeed；　such　was　the　nervous　terror　which

the　presence　of　Vanderhausen　inspired；

that　very　little　would　have　made　all　his

entertainers　fly　bellowing　from　the　room。



They　had　not　so　far　lost　all　self…

possession；　however；　as　to　fail　to　observe　two

strange　peculiarities　of　their　visitor。



During　his　stay　he　did　not　once　suffer

his　eyelids　to　close；　nor　even　to　move　in

the　slightest　degree；　and　further；　there

was　a　death…like　stillness　in　his　whole

person；　owing　to　the　total　absence　of　the

heaving　motion　of　the　chest；　caused　by　the

process　of　respiration。



These　two　peculiarities；　though　when

told　they　may　appear　trifling；　produced　a

very　striking　and　unpleasant　effect　when

seen　and　observed。　Vanderhausen　at

length　relieved　the　painter　of　Leyden　of

his　inauspicious　presence；　and　with　no

small　gratification　the　little　party　heard　the

street…door　close　after　him。



'Dear　uncle；'　said　Rose；　'what　a　frightful

man！　I　would　not　see　him　again　for

the　wealth　of　the　States！'



'Tush；　foolish　girl！'　said　Douw；　whose

sensations　were　anything　but　comfortable。

'A　man　may　be　as　ugly　as　the　devil；　and

yet　if　his　heart　and　actions　are　good；　he

is　worth　all　the　pretty…faced；　perfumed

puppies　that　walk　the　Mall。　Rose；　my

girl；　it　is　very　true　he　has　not　thy　pretty

face；　but　I　know　him　to　be　wealthy　and

liberal；　and　were　he　ten　times　more

ugly'



'Which　is　inconceivable；'　observed　Rose。



'These　two　virtues　would　be　sufficient；'

continued　her　uncle；　'to　counterbalance　all

his　deformity；　and　if　not　of　power　sufficient

actually　to　alter　the　shape　of　the　features；

at　least　of　efficacy　enough　to　prevent　one

thinking　them　amiss。'



'Do　you　know；　uncle；'　said　Rose；　'when

I　saw　him　standing　at　the　door；　I　could

not　get　it　out　of　my　head　that　I　saw　the

old；　painted；　wooden　figure　that　used　to

frighten　me　so　much　in　the　church　of　St。

Laurence　of　Rotterdam。'



Gerard　laughed；　though　he　could　not

help　inwardly　acknowledging　the　justness

of　the　comparison。　He　was　resolved；

however；　as　far　as　he　could；　to　check　his

niece's　inclination　to　ridicule　the　ugliness

of　her　intended　bridegroom；　although　he

was　not　a　little　pleased　to　observe　that　she

appeared　totally　exempt　from　that　mysterious

dread　of　the　stranger　which；　he　could

not　disguise　it　from　himself；　considerably

affected　him；　as　also　his　pupil　Godfrey

Schalken。



Early　on　the　next　day　there　arrived；

from　various　quarters　of　the　town；　rich

presents　of　silks；　velvets；　jewellery；　and　so

forth；　for　Rose；　and　also　a　packet　directed

to　Gerard　Douw；　which；　on　being　opened；

was　found　to　contain　a　contract　of　marriage；

formally　drawn　up；　between　Wilken

Vanderhausen　of　the　Boom…quay；　in　Rotterdam；

and　Rose　Velderkaust　of　Leyden；　niece　to

Gerard　Douw；　master　in　the　art　of　painting；

also　of　the　same　city；　and　containing

engagements　on　the　part　of　Vanderhausen　to

make　settlements　upon　his　bride；　far　more

splendid　than　he　had　before　led　her　guardian

to　believe　likely；　and　which　were　to

be　secured　to　her　use　in　the　most　unexceptionable

manner　possiblethe　money　being

placed　in　the　hands　of　Gerard　Douw　himself。



I　have　no　sentimental　scenes　to　describe；

no　cruelty　of　guardians；　or　magnanimity　of

wards；　or　agonies　of　lovers。　The　record　I

have　to　make　is　one　of　sordidness；　levity；

and　interest。　In　less　than　a　week　after

the　first　interview　which　we　have　just

described；　the　contract　of　marriage　was

fulfilled；　and　Schalken　saw　the　prize　which

he　would　have　risked　anything　to　secure；

carried　off　triumphantly　by　his　formidable

rival。



For　two　or　three　days　he　absented

himself　from　the　school；　he　then　returned

and　worked；　if　with　less　cheerfulness；　with

far　more　dogged　resolution　than　before；

the　dream　of　love　had　given　place　to　that

of　ambition。



Months　passed　away；　and；　contrary　to

his　expectation；　and；　indeed；　to　the　direct

promise　of　the　parties；　Gerard　Douw　heard

nothing　of　his　niece；　or　her　worshipful

spouse。　The　interest　of　the　money；　which

was　to　have　been　demanded　in　quarterly

sums；　lay　unclaimed　in　his　hands。　He

began　to　grow　extremely　uneasy。



Mynher　Vanderhausen's　direction　in

Rotterdam　he　was　fully　possessed　of。　After

some　irresolution　he　finally　determined　to

journey　thithera　trifling　undertaking；　and

easily　accomplishedand　thus　to　satisfy

himself　of　the　safety　and　comfort　of　his

ward；　for　whom　he　entertained　an　honest

and　strong　affection。



His　search　was　in　vain；　however。　No

one　in　Rotterdam　had　ever　heard　of　Mynher

Vanderhausen。



Gerard　Douw　left　not　a　house　in　the

Boom…quay　untried；　but　all　in　vain。　No

one　could　give　him　any　information　whatever

touching　the　object　of　his　inquiry；

and　he　was　obliged　to　return　to　Leyden；

nothing　wiser　than　when　he　had　left

it。



On　his　arrival　he　hastened　to　the

establishment　from　which　Vanderhausen　had

hired　the　lumbering　though；　considering

the　times；　most　luxurious　vehicle　which

the　bridal　party　had　employed　to　convey

them　to　Rotterdam。　From　the　driver　of

this　machine　he　learned；　that　having

proceeded　by　slow　stages；　they　had　late　in

the　evening　approached　Rotterdam；　but

that　before　they　entered　the　city；　and

while　yet　nearly　a　mile　from　it；　a　small

party　of　men；　soberly　clad；　and　after　the

old　fashion；　with　peaked　beards　and

moustaches；　standing　in　the　centre　of　the　road；

obstructed　the　further　progress　of　the　car…

riage。　The　driver　reined　in　his　horses；

much　fearing；　from　the　obscurity　of　the

hour；　and　the　loneliness　of　the　road；　that

some　mischief　was　intended。



His　fears　were；　however；　somewhat

allayed　by　his　observing　that　these　strange

men　carried　a　large　litter；　of　an　antique

shape；　and　which　they　immediately　set

down　upon　the　pavement；　whereupon　the

bridegroom；　having　opened　the　coach…door

from　within；　descended；　and　having　assisted

his　bride　to　do　likewise；　led　her；　weeping

bitterly　and　wringing　her　hands；　to　the

litter；　which　they　both　entered。　It　was

then　raised　by　the　men　who　surrounded　it；

and　speedily　carried　towards　the　city；　and

before　it　had　proceeded　many　yards　the

darkness　concealed　it　from　the　view　of　the

Dutch　charioteer。



In　the　inside　of　the　vehicle　he　found　a

purse；　whose　contents　more　than　thrice

paid　the　hire　of　the　carriage　and　man。

He　saw　and　could　tell　nothing　more　of

Mynher　Vanderhausen　and　his　beautiful

lady。　This　mystery　was　a　source　of　deep

anxiety　and　almost　of　grief　to　Gerard

Douw。



There　was　evidently　fraud　in　the　dealing

of　Vanderhausen　with　him；　though　for　what

purpose　committed　he　could　not　imagine。

He　greatly　doubted　how　far　it　was　possible

for　a　man　possessing　in　his　countenance

so　strong　an　evidence　of　the　presence　of

the　most　demoniac　feelings；　to　be　in　reality

anything　but　a　villain；　and　every　day　that

passed　without　his　hearing　from　or　of　his

niece；　instead　of　inducing　him　to　forget

his　fears；　on　the　contrary　tended　more　and

more　to　exasperate　them。



The　loss　of　his　niece's　cheerful　society

tended　also　to　depress　his　spirits；　and　in

order　to　dispel　this　despondency；　which

often　crept　upon　his　mind　after　his　daily

employment　was　over；　he　was　wont　frequently

to　prevail　upon　Schalken　to　accompany

him　home；　and　by　his　presence

to　dispel；　in　some　degree；　the　gloom　of　his

otherwise　solitary　supper。



One　evening；　the　painter　and　his　pupil

were　sitting　by　the　fire；　having　accompli