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，andifyoudesirethatmyproposalshallnotbeatoncewithdrawn，youmust，beforeIleavethisroom，writeyournametothisengagement。’
Havingthusspoken，heplacedapaperinthehandsofGerard，thecontentsofwhichexpressedanengagemententeredintobyGerardDouw，togivetoWilkenVanderhausen，ofRotterdam，inmarriage，RoseVelderkaust，andsoforth，withinoneweekofthedatehereof。
Whilethepainterwasemployedinreadingthiscovenant，Schalken，aswehavestated，enteredthestudio，andhavingdeliveredtheboxandthevaluationoftheJewintothehandsofthestranger，hewasabouttoretire，whenVanderhausencalledtohimtowait；and，presentingthecaseandthecertificatetoGerardDouw，hewaitedinsilenceuntilhehadsatisfiedhimselfbyaninspectionofbothastothevalueofthepledgeleftinhishands。Atlengthhesaid：
’Areyoucontent？’
Thepaintersaidhewouldfainhaveanotherdaytoconsider。
’Notanhour，’saidthesuitor，coolly。
’Well，then，’saidDouw，’Iamcontent；
itisabargain。’
’Thensignatonce，’saidVanderhausen；
’Iamweary。’
Atthesametimeheproducedasmallcaseofwritingmaterials，andGerardsignedtheimportantdocument。
’Letthisyouthwitnessthecovenant，’
saidtheoldman；andGodfreySchalkenunconsciouslysignedtheinstrumentwhichbestoweduponanotherthathandwhichhehadsolongregardedastheobjectandrewardofallhislabours。
Thecompactbeingthuscompleted，thestrangevisitorfoldedupthepaper，andstoweditsafelyinaninnerpocket。
’Iwillvisityouto-morrownight，atnineoftheclock，atyourhouse，GerardDouw，andwillseethesubjectofourcontract。Farewell。’Andsosaying，WilkenVanderhausenmovedstiffly，butrapidlyoutoftheroom。
Schalken，eagertoresolvehisdoubts，hadplacedhimselfbythewindowinordertowatchthestreetentrance；buttheexperimentservedonlytosupporthissuspicions，fortheoldmandidnotissuefromthedoor。Thiswasverystrange，veryodd，veryfearful。Heandhismasterreturnedtogether，andtalkedbutlittleontheway，foreachhadhisownsub-
jectsofreflection，ofanxiety，andofhope。
Schalken，however，didnotknowtheruinwhichthreatenedhischerishedschemes。
GerardDouwknewnothingoftheattachmentwhichhadsprungupbetweenhispupilandhisniece；andevenifhehad，itisdoubtfulwhetherhewouldhaveregardeditsexistenceasanyseriousobstructiontothewishesofMynherVanderhausen。
Marriageswerethenandtheremattersoftrafficandcalculation；anditwouldhaveappearedasabsurdintheeyesoftheguardiantomakeamutualattachmentanessentialelementinacontractofmarriage，asitwouldhavebeentodrawuphisbondsandreceiptsinthelanguageofchivalrousromance。
Thepainter，however，didnotcommunicatetohisniecetheimportantstepwhichhehadtakeninherbehalf，andhisresolutionarosenotfromanyanticipationofoppositiononherpart，butsolelyfromaludicrousconsciousnessthatifhiswardwere，assheverynaturallymightdo，toaskhimtodescribetheappearanceofthebridegroomwhomhedestinedforher，hewouldbeforcedtoconfessthathehadnotseenhisface，and，ifcalledupon，wouldfinditimpossibletoidentifyhim。
Uponthenextday，GerardDouwhavingdined，calledhisniecetohim，andhavingscannedherpersonwithanairofsatisfaction，hetookherhand，andlookinguponherpretty，innocentfacewithasmileofkindness，hesaid：
’Rose，mygirl，thatfaceofyourswillmakeyourfortune。’Roseblushedandsmiled。’Suchfacesandsuchtempersseldomgotogether，and，whentheydo，thecompoundisalove-potionwhichfewheadsorheartscanresist。Trustme，thouwiltsoonbeabride，girl。Butthisistrifling，andIampressedfortime，somakereadythelargeroombyeighto’clockto-night，andgivedirectionsforsupperatnine。Iexpectafriendto-night；andobserveme，child，dothoutrickthyselfouthandsomely。Iwouldnothavehimthinkuspoororsluttish。’
Withthesewordsheleftthechamber，andtookhiswaytotheroomtowhichwehavealreadyhadoccasiontointroduceourreaders——thatinwhichhispupilsworked。
Whentheeveningclosedin，GerardcalledSchalken，whowasabouttotakehisdeparturetohisobscureandcomfortlesslodgings，andaskedhimtocomehomeandsupwithRoseandVanderhausen。
Theinvitationwasofcourseaccepted，andGerardDouwandhispupilsoonfoundthemselvesinthehandsomeandsomewhatantique-lookingroomwhichhadbeenpreparedforthereceptionofthestranger。
Acheerfulwood-fireblazedinthecapacioushearth；alittleatonesideanold-
fashionedtable，withrichly-carvedlegs，wasplaced——destined，nodoubt，toreceivethesupper，forwhichpreparationsweregoingforward；andrangedwithexactregularity，stoodthetall-backedchairs，whoseungracefulnesswasmorethancounterbalancedbytheircomfort。
Thelittleparty，consistingofRose，heruncle，andtheartist，awaitedthearrivaloftheexpectedvisitorwithconsiderableimpatience。
Nineo’clockatlengthcame，andwithitasummonsatthestreet-door，which，beingspeedilyanswered，wasfollowedbyaslowandemphatictreaduponthestaircase；thestepsmovedheavilyacrossthelobby，thedooroftheroominwhichthepartywhichwehavedescribedwereassembledslowlyopened，andthereenteredafigurewhichstartled，almostappalled，thephlegmaticDutchmen，andnearlymadeRosescreamwithaffright；itwastheform，andarrayedinthegarb，ofMynherVanderhausen；
theair，thegait，theheightwasthesame，butthefeatureshadneverbeenseenbyanyofthepartybefore。
Thestrangerstoppedatthedooroftheroom，anddisplayedhisformandfacecompletely。Heworeadark-colouredclothcloak，whichwasshortandfull，notfallingquitetotheknees；hislegswerecasedindarkpurplesilkstockings，andhisshoeswereadornedwithrosesofthesamecolour。Theopeningofthecloakinfrontshowedtheunder-suittoconsistofsomeverydark，perhapssablematerial，andhishandswereenclosedinapairofheavyleathergloveswhichranupconsiderablyabovethewrist，inthemannerofagauntlet。
Inonehandhecarriedhiswalking-
stickandhishat，whichhehadremoved，andtheotherhungheavilybyhisside。
Aquantityofgrizzledhairdescendedinlongtressesfromhishead，anditsfoldsrestedupontheplaitsofastiffruff，whicheffectuallyconcealedhisneck。
Sofarallwaswell；buttheface!——allthefleshofthefacewascolouredwiththebluishleadenhuewhichissometimespro-
ducedbytheoperationofmetallicmedicinesadministeredinexcessivequantities；
theeyeswereenormous，andthewhiteappearedbothaboveandbelowtheiris，whichgavetothemanexpressionofinsanity，whichwasheightenedbytheirglassyfixedness；thenosewaswellenough，butthemouthwaswrithedconsiderablytooneside，whereitopenedinordertogiveegresstotwolong，discolouredfangs，whichprojectedfromtheupperjaw，farbelowthelowerlip；thehueofthelipsthemselvesboretheusualrelationtothatoftheface，andwasconsequentlynearlyblack。Thecharacterofthefacewasmalignant，evensatanic，tothelastdegree；and，indeed，suchacombinationofhorrorcouldhardlybeaccountedfor，exceptbysupposingthecorpseofsomeatrociousmalefactor，whichhadlonghungblackeninguponthegibbet，tohaveatlengthbecomethehabitationofademon——thefrightfulsportofSatanicpossession。
Itwasremarkablethattheworshipfulstrangersufferedaslittleaspossibleofhisfleshtoappear，andthatduringhisvisithedidnotonceremovehisgloves。
Havingstoodforsomemomentsatthedoor，GerardDouwatlengthfoundbreathandcollectednesstobidhimwelcome，and，withamuteinclinationofthehead，thestrangersteppedforwardintotheroom。
Therewassomethingindescribablyodd，evenhorrible，aboutallhismotions，somethingundefinable，thatwasunnatural，un-
human——itwasasifthelimbswereguidedanddirectedbyaspiritunusedtothemanagementofbodilymachinery。