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Thestrangersaidhardlyanythingduringhisvisit，whichdidnotexceedhalfanhour；andthehosthimselfcouldscarcelymustercourageenoughtoutterthefewnecessarysalutationsandcourtesies：and，indeed，suchwasthenervousterrorwhichthepresenceofVanderhauseninspired，thatverylittlewouldhavemadeallhisentertainersflybellowingfromtheroom。
Theyhadnotsofarlostallself-
possession，however，astofailtoobservetwostrangepeculiaritiesoftheirvisitor。
Duringhisstayhedidnotoncesufferhiseyelidstoclose，noreventomoveintheslightestdegree；andfurther，therewasadeath-likestillnessinhiswholeperson，owingtothetotalabsenceoftheheavingmotionofthechest，causedbytheprocessofrespiration。
Thesetwopeculiarities，thoughwhentoldtheymayappeartrifling，producedaverystrikingandunpleasanteffectwhenseenandobserved。VanderhausenatlengthrelievedthepainterofLeydenofhisinauspiciouspresence；andwithnosmallgratificationthelittlepartyheardthestreet-doorcloseafterhim。
’Dearuncle，’saidRose，’whatafrightfulman!IwouldnotseehimagainforthewealthoftheStates!’
’Tush，foolishgirl!’saidDouw，whosesensationswereanythingbutcomfortable。
’Amanmaybeasuglyasthedevil，andyetifhisheartandactionsaregood，heisworthallthepretty-faced，perfumedpuppiesthatwalktheMall。Rose，mygirl，itisverytruehehasnotthyprettyface，butIknowhimtobewealthyandliberal；andwerehetentimesmoreugly——’
’Whichisinconceivable，’observedRose。
’Thesetwovirtueswouldbesufficient，’
continuedheruncle，’tocounterbalanceallhisdeformity；andifnotofpowersufficientactuallytoaltertheshapeofthefeatures，atleastofefficacyenoughtopreventonethinkingthemamiss。’
’Doyouknow，uncle，’saidRose，’whenIsawhimstandingatthedoor，IcouldnotgetitoutofmyheadthatIsawtheold，painted，woodenfigurethatusedtofrightenmesomuchinthechurchofSt。
LaurenceofRotterdam。’
Gerardlaughed，thoughhecouldnothelpinwardlyacknowledgingthejustnessofthecomparison。Hewasresolved，however，asfarashecould，tocheckhisniece’sinclinationtoridiculetheuglinessofherintendedbridegroom，althoughhewasnotalittlepleasedtoobservethatsheappearedtotallyexemptfromthatmysteriousdreadofthestrangerwhich，hecouldnotdisguiseitfromhimself，considerablyaffectedhim，asalsohispupilGodfreySchalken。
Earlyonthenextdaytherearrived，fromvariousquartersofthetown，richpresentsofsilks，velvets，jewellery，andsoforth，forRose；andalsoapacketdirectedtoGerardDouw，which，onbeingopened，wasfoundtocontainacontractofmarriage，formallydrawnup，betweenWilkenVanderhausenoftheBoom-quay，inRotterdam，andRoseVelderkaustofLeyden，niecetoGerardDouw，masterintheartofpainting，alsoofthesamecity；andcontainingengagementsonthepartofVanderhausentomakesettlementsuponhisbride，farmoresplendidthanhehadbeforeledherguardiantobelievelikely，andwhichweretobesecuredtoheruseinthemostunexceptionablemannerpossible——themoneybeingplacedinthehandsofGerardDouwhimself。
Ihavenosentimentalscenestodescribe，nocrueltyofguardians，ormagnanimityofwards，oragoniesoflovers。TherecordI
havetomakeisoneofsordidness，levity，andinterest。Inlessthanaweekafterthefirstinterviewwhichwehavejustdescribed，thecontractofmarriagewasfulfilled，andSchalkensawtheprizewhichhewouldhaveriskedanythingtosecure，carriedofftriumphantlybyhisformidablerival。
Fortwoorthreedaysheabsentedhimselffromtheschool；hethenreturnedandworked，ifwithlesscheerfulness，withfarmoredoggedresolutionthanbefore；
thedreamoflovehadgivenplacetothatofambition。
Monthspassedaway，and，contrarytohisexpectation，and，indeed，tothedirectpromiseoftheparties，GerardDouwheardnothingofhisniece，orherworshipfulspouse。Theinterestofthemoney，whichwastohavebeendemandedinquarterlysums，layunclaimedinhishands。Hebegantogrowextremelyuneasy。
MynherVanderhausen’sdirectioninRotterdamhewasfullypossessedof。Aftersomeir
