the purcell papers-2-第24章

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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　accomplished

a　comfortable　supper；　and　had

yielded　to　that　silent　pensiveness

sometimes　induced　by　the　process　of　digestion；

when　their　reflections　were　disturbed　by

a　loud　sound　at　the　street…door；　as　if

occasioned　by　some　person　rushing　forcibly　and

repeatedly　against　it。　A　domestic　had　run

without　delay　to　ascertain　the　cause　of　the

disturbance；　and　they　heard　him　twice　or

thrice　interrogate　the　applicant　for　admis…

sion；　but　without　producing　an　answer　or

any　cessation　of　the　sounds。



They　heard　him　then　open　the　hall…door；

and　immediately　there　followed　a　light　and

rapid　tread　upon　the　staircase。　Schalken

laid　his　hand　on　his　sword；　and　advanced

towards　the　door。　It　opened　before　he

reached　it；　and　Rose　rushed　into　the　room。

She　looked　wild　and　haggard；　and　pale　with

exhaustion　and　terror；　but　her　dress

surprised　them　as　much　even　as　her

unexpected　appearance。　It　consisted　of　a　kind

of　white　woollen　wrapper；　made　close　about

the　neck；　and　descending　to　the　very

ground。　It　was　much　deranged　and

travel…soiled。　The　poor　creature　had

hardly　entered　the　chamber　when　she　fell

senseless　on　the　floor。　With　some　difficulty

they　succeeded　in　reviving　her；　and

on　recovering　her　senses　she　instantly　ex…

claimed；　in　a　tone　of　eager；　terrified　impatience：



'Wine；　wine；　quickly；　or　I'm　lost！'



Much　alarmed　at　the　strange　agitation

in　which　the　call　was　made；　they　at　once

administered　to　her　wishes；　and　she　drank

some　wine　with　a　haste　and　eagerness　which

surprised　them。　She　had　hardly　swallowed

it；　when　she　exclaimed；　with　the　same

urgency：



'Food；　food；　at　once；　or　I　perish！'



A　considerable　fragment　of　a　roast　joint

was　upon　the　table；　and　Schalken　immediately

proceeded　to　cut　some；　but　he　was

anticipated；　for　no　sooner　had　she　become

aware　of　its　presence　than　she　darted　at　it

with　the　rapacity　of　a　vulture；　and；　seizing

it　in　her　hands　she　tore　off　the　flesh　with

her　teeth　and　swallowed　it。



When　the　paroxysm　of　hunger　had　been

a　little　appeased；　she　appeared　suddenly　to

become　aware　how　strange　her　conduct

had　been；　or　it　may　have　been　that　other

more　agitating　thoughts　recurred　to　her

mind；　for　she　began　to　weep　bitterly　and　to

wring　her　hands。



'Oh！　send　for　a　minister　of　God；'　said

she；　'I　am　not　safe　till　he　comes；　send

for　him　speedily。'



Gerard　Douw　despatched　a　messenger

instantly；　and　prevailed　on　his　niece　to

allow　him　to　surrender　his　bedchamber　to

her　use；　he　also　persuaded　her　to　retire

to　it　at　once　and　to　rest；　her　consent　was

extorted　upon　the　condition　that　they　would

not　leave　her　for　a　moment。



'Oh　that　the　holy　man　were　here！'　she

said；　'he　can　deliver　me。　The　dead　and

the　living　can　never　be　oneGod　has

forbidden　it。'



With　these　mysterious　words　she

surrendered　herself　to　their　guidance；　and

they　proceeded　to　the　chamber　which

Gerard　Douw　had　assigned　to　her　use。



'Do　notdo　not　leave　me　for　a

moment；'　said　she。　'I　am　lost　for　ever　if

you　do。'



Gerard　Douw's　chamber　was　approached

through　a　spacious　apartment；　which　they

were　now　about　to　enter。　Gerard　Douw

and　Schalken　each　carried　a　was　candle；

so　that　a　sufficient　degree　of　light　was　cast

upon　all　surrounding　objects。　They　were

now　entering　the　large　chamber；　which；　as

I　have　said；　communicated　with　Douw's

apartment；　when　Rose　suddenly　stopped；

and；　in　a　whisper　which　seemed　to　thrill

with　horror；　she　said：



'O　God！　he　is　herehe　is　here！　See；

seethere　he　goes！'



She　pointed　towards　the　door　of　the

inner　room；　and　Schalken　thought　he　saw

a　shadowy　and　ill…defined　form　gliding　into

that　apartment。　He　drew　his　sword；　and

raising　the　candle　so　as　to　throw　its　light

with　increased　distinctness　upon　the　objects

in　the　room；　he　entered　the　chamber　into

which　the　shadow　had　glided。　No　figure

was　therenothing　but　the　furniture　which

belonged　to　the　room；　and　yet　he　could

not　be　deceived　as　to　the　fact　that

something　had　moved　before　them　into　the

chamber。



A　sickening　dread　came　upon　him；　and

the　cold　perspiration　broke　out　in　heavy

drops　upon　his　forehead；　nor　was　he　more

composed　when　he　heard　the　increased

urgency；　the　agony　of　entreaty；　with　which

Rose　implored　them　not　to　leave　her　for

a　moment。



'I　saw　him；'　said　she。　'He's　here！　I

cannot　be　deceivedI　know　him。　He's

by　mehe's　with　mehe's　in　the　room。

Then；　for　God's　sake；　as　you　would　save；

do　not　stir　from　beside　me！'



They　at　length　prevailed　upon　her　to　lie

down　upon　the　bed；　where　she　continued

to　urge　them　to　stay　by　her。　She

frequently　uttered　incoherent　sentences；

repeating　again　and　again；　'The　dead

and　the　living　cannot　be　oneGod　has

forbidden　it！'　and　then　again；　'Rest

to　the　wakefulsleep　to　the　sleep…walkers。'



These　and　such　mysterious　and　broken

sentences　she　continued　to　ut