下载辰思小说免费APP
YouvisitedthetownofRotterdamsomefourmonthsago，andthenIsawinthechurchofSt。Lawrenceyourniece，RoseVelderkaust。Idesiretomarryher，andifIsatisfyyouastothefactthatIamverywealthy——morewealthythananyhusbandyoucoulddreamofforher——I
expectthatyouwillforwardmyviewstotheutmostofyourauthority。Ifyouapprovemyproposal，youmustclosewithitatonce，forIcannotcommandtimeenoughtowaitforcalculationsanddelays。’
GerardDouwwas，perhaps，asmuchastonishedasanyonecouldbebytheveryunexpectednatureofMynherVanderhausen’scommunication；buthedidnotgiveventtoanyunseemlyexpressionofsurprise，forbesidesthemotivessuppliedbyprudenceandpoliteness，thepainterexperiencedakindofchillandoppressivesensation，somethinglikethatwhichissupposedtoaffectamanwhoisplacedunconsciouslyinimmediatecontactwithsomethingtowhichhehasanaturalanti-
pathy——anundefinedhorroranddreadwhilestandinginthepresenceoftheeccentricstranger，whichmadehimveryunwillingtosayanythingwhichmightreasonablyproveoffensive。
’Ihavenodoubt，’saidGerard，aftertwoorthreeprefatoryhems，’thattheconnectionwhichyouproposewouldprovealikeadvantageousandhonourabletomyniece；butyoumustbeawarethatshehasawillofherown，andmaynotacquiesceinwhatWEmaydesignforheradvantage。’
’Donotseektodeceiveme，SirPainter，’
saidVanderhausen；’youareherguardian——sheisyourward。SheismineifYOUliketomakeherso。’
ThemanofRotterdammovedforwardalittleashespoke，andGerardDouw，hescarceknewwhy，inwardlyprayedforthespeedyreturnofSchalken。
’Idesire，’saidthemysteriousgentleman，’toplaceinyourhandsatonceanevidenceofmywealth，andasecurityformyliberaldealingwithyourniece。Theladwillreturninaminuteortwowithasuminvaluefivetimesthefortunewhichshehasarighttoexpectfromahusband。
Thisshalllieinyourhands，togetherwithherdowry，andyoumayapplytheunitedsumassuitsherinterestbest；itshallbeallexclusivelyherswhileshelives。Isthatliberal？’
Douwassented，andinwardlythoughtthatfortunehadbeenextraordinarilykindtohisniece。Thestranger，hethought，mustbebothwealthyandgenerous，andsuchanofferwasnottobedespised，thoughmadebyahumourist，andoneofnoveryprepossessingpresence。
Rosehadnoveryhighpretensions，forshewasalmostwithoutdowry；indeed，altogetherso，exceptingsofarasthedeficiencyhadbeensuppliedbythegenerosityofheruncle。Neitherhadsheanyrighttoraiseanyscruplesagainstthematchonthescoreofbirth，forherownoriginwasbynomeanselevated；andastootherobjections，Gerardresolved，and，indeed，bytheusagesofthetimewaswarrantedinresolving，nottolistentothemforamoment。
’Sir，’saidhe，addressingthestranger，’yourofferismostliberal，andwhateverhesitationImayfeelinclosingwithitimmediately，arisessolelyfrommynothavingthehonourofknowinganythingofyourfamilyorstation。Uponthesepointsyoucan，ofcourse，satisfymewithoutdifficulty？’
’Astomyrespectability，’saidthestranger，drily，’youmusttakethatforgrantedatpresent；pestermewithnoinquiries；youcandiscovernothingmoreaboutmethanIchoosetomakeknown。
Youshallhavesufficientsecurityformyrespectability——myword，ifyouarehonourable：
ifyouaresordid，mygold。’
’Atestyoldgentleman，’thoughtDouw；
’hemusthavehisownway。But，allthingsconsidered，Iamjustifiedingivingmyniecetohim。Wereshemyowndaughter，Iwoulddothelikebyher。I
willnotpledgemyselfunnecessarily，however。’
’Youwillnotpledgeyourselfunnecessarily，’
saidVanderhausen，strangelyutteringtheverywordswhichhadjustfloatedthroughthemindofhiscompanion；’butyouwilldosoifitISnecessary，Ipresume；
andIwillshowyouthatIconsideritin-
dispensable。IfthegoldImeantoleaveinyourhandssatisfyyou，andifyoudesirethatm
