the purcell papers-2-第21章

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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　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；