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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 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 t

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