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。Aftersomeirresolutionhefinallydeterminedtojourneythither——atriflingundertaking，andeasilyaccomplished——andthustosatisfyhimselfofthesafetyandcomfortofhisward，forwhomheentertainedanhonestandstrongaffection。
Hissearchwasinvain，however。NooneinRotterdamhadeverheardofMynherVanderhausen。
GerardDouwleftnotahouseintheBoom-quayuntried；butallinvain。Noonecouldgivehimanyinformationwhatevertouchingtheobjectofhisinquiry；
andhewasobligedtoreturntoLeyden，nothingwiserthanwhenhehadleftit。
OnhisarrivalhehastenedtotheestablishmentfromwhichVanderhausenhadhiredthelumberingthough，consideringthetimes，mostluxuriousvehiclewhichthebridalpartyhademployedtoconveythemtoRotterdam。Fromthedriverofthismachinehelearned，thathavingproceededbyslowstages，theyhadlateintheeveningapproachedRotterdam；butthatbeforetheyenteredthecity，andwhileyetnearlyamilefromit，asmallpartyofmen，soberlyclad，andaftertheoldfashion，withpeakedbeardsandmoustaches，standinginthecentreoftheroad，obstructedthefurtherprogressofthecar-
riage。Thedriverreinedinhishorses，muchfearing，fromtheobscurityofthehour，andthelonelinessoftheroad，thatsomemischiefwasintended。
Hisfearswere，however，somewhatallayedbyhisobservingthatthesestrangemencarriedalargelitter，ofanantiqueshape，andwhichtheyimmediatelysetdownuponthepavement，whereuponthebridegroom，havingopenedthecoach-doorfromwithin，descended，andhavingassistedhisbridetodolikewise，ledher，weepingbitterlyandwringingherhands，tothelitter，whichtheybothentered。Itwasthenraisedbythemenwhosurroundedit，andspeedilycarriedtowardsthecity，andbeforeithadproceededmanyyardsthedarknessconcealeditfromtheviewoftheDutchcharioteer。
Intheinsideofthevehiclehefoundapurse，whosecontentsmorethanthricepaidthehireofthecarriageandman。
HesawandcouldtellnothingmoreofMynherVanderhausenandhisbeautifullady。ThismysterywasasourceofdeepanxietyandalmostofgrieftoGerardDouw。
TherewasevidentlyfraudinthedealingofVanderhausenwithhim，thoughforwhatpurposecommittedhecouldnotimagine。
Hegreatlydoubtedhowfaritwaspossibleforamanpossessinginhiscountenancesostronganevidenceofthepresenceofthemostdemoniacfeelings，tobeinrealityanythingbutavillain；andeverydaythatpassedwithouthishearingfromorofhisniece，insteadofinducinghimtoforgethisfears，onthecontrarytendedmoreandmoretoexasperatethem。
Thelossofhisniece’scheerfulsocietytendedalsotodepresshisspirits；andinordertodispelthisdespondency，whichoftencreptuponhismindafterhisdailyemploymentwasover，hewaswontfrequentlytoprevailuponSchalkentoaccompanyhimhome，andbyhispresencetodispel，insomedegree，thegloomofhisotherwisesolitarysupper。
Oneevening，thepainterandhispupilweresittingbythefire，havingaccomplishedacomfortablesupper，andhadyieldedtothatsilentpensivenesssometimesinducedbytheprocessofdigestion，whentheirreflectionsweredisturbedbyaloudsoundatthestreet-door，asifoccasionedbysomepersonrushingforciblyandrepeatedlyagainstit。Adomestichadrunwithoutdelaytoascertainthecauseofthedisturbance，andtheyheardhimtwiceorthriceinterrogatetheapplicantforadmis-
sion，butwithoutproducinganansweroranycessationofthesounds。
Theyheardhimthenopenthehall-door，andimmediatelytherefollowedalightandrapidtreaduponthestaircase。Schalkenlaidhishandonhissword，andadvancedtowardsthedoor。Itopenedbeforehereachedit，andRoserushedintotheroom。
Shelookedwildandhaggard，andpalewithexhaustionandterror；butherdresssurprisedthemasmuchevenasherunexpectedappearance。Itconsistedofakindofwhitewoollenwrapper，madecloseabouttheneck，anddescendingtotheveryground。Itwasmuchderangedandtravel-soiled。Thepoorcreaturehadhardlyenteredthechamberwhenshefellsenselessonthefloor。Withsomedifficultytheysucceededinrevivingher，andonrecoveringhersensessheinstantlyex-
claimed，inatoneofeager，terrifiedimpatience：
’Wine，wine，quickly，orI’mlost!’
Muchalarmedatthestrangeagitationinwhichthecallwasmade，theyatonceadministeredtoherwishes，andshedranksomewinewithahasteandeagernesswhichsurprisedthem。Shehadhardlyswallowedit，whensheexclaimed，withthesameurgency：
’Food，food，atonce，orIperish!’
Aconsiderablefragmentofaroastjointwasuponthetable，andSchalkenimmediatelyproceededtocutsome，buthewasanticipated；fornosoonerhadshebecomeawareofitspresencethanshedartedatitwiththerapacityofavulture，and，seizingitinherhandsshetoreoffthefleshwithherteethandswallowedit。
Whentheparoxysmofhungerhadbeenalittleappeased，sheappearedsuddenlytobecomeawarehowstrangeherconducthadbeen，oritmayhavebeenthatothermoreagitatingthoughtsrecurredtohermind，forshebegantoweepbitterlyandtowringherhands。
’Oh!sendforaministerofGod，’saidshe；’Iamnotsafetillhecomes；sendforhimspeedily。’
GerardDouwdespatchedamessengerinstantly，andprevailedonhisniecetoallowhimtosurrenderhisbedchambertoheruse；healsopersuadedhertoretiretoitatonceandtorest；herconsentwasextortedupontheconditionthattheywouldnotleaveherforamoment。
’Ohthattheholymanwerehere!’shesaid；’hecandeliverme。Thedeadandthelivingcanneverbeone——Godhasforbiddenit。’
Withthesemysteriouswordsshesurrenderedherselftotheirguidance，andtheyproceededtothechamberwhichGerardDouwhadassignedtoheruse。
’Donot——donotleavemeforamoment，’saidshe。’Iamlostforeverifyoudo。’
GerardDouw’schamberwasapproachedthroughaspaciousapartment，whichtheywerenowabouttoenter。GerardDouwandSchalkeneachcarriedawascandle，sothatasufficientdegreeoflightwascastuponallsurroundingobjects。Theywerenowenteringthelargechamber，which，asIhavesaid，communicatedwithDouw’sapartment，whenRosesuddenlystopped，and，inawhisperwhichseemedtothrillwithhorror，shesaid：
’OGod!heishere——heishere!See，see——therehegoes!’
Shepointedtowardsthedooroftheinnerroom，andSchalkenthoughthesawashadowyandill-definedformglidingintothatapartment。Hedrewhissword，andraisingthecandlesoastothrowitslightwithincreaseddistinctnessupontheobjectsintheroom，heenteredthechamberintowhichtheshadowhadglided。Nofigurewasthere——nothingbutthefurniturewhichbelongedtotheroom，andyethecouldnotbedeceivedastothefactthatsomethinghadmovedbeforethemintothechamber。
Asickeningdreadcameuponhim，andthecoldperspirationbrokeoutinheavydropsuponhisforehead；norwashemorecomposedwhenheheardtheincreasedurgency，theagonyofentreaty，withwhichRoseimploredthemnottoleaveherforamoment。
’Isawhim，’saidshe。’He’shere!I
cannotbedeceived——Iknowhim。He’sbyme——he’swithme——he’sintheroom。
Then，forGod’ssake，asyouwouldsave，donotstirfrombesideme!’
Theyatlengthprevaileduponhertoliedownuponthebed，whereshecontinuedtourgethemtostaybyher。Shefrequentlyutteredincoherentsentences，repeatingagainandagain，’Thedeadandthelivingcannotbeone——Godhasforbiddenit!’andthenagain，’Resttothewakeful——sleeptothesleep-walkers。’
Theseandsuchmysteriousandbrokensentencesshecontinuedtoutteruntiltheclergymanarrived。
GerardDouwbegantofear，naturallyenough，thatthepoorgirl，owingtoterrororill-treatment，hadbecomederanged；andhehalfsuspected，bythesuddennessofherappearance，andtheunseasonablenessofthehour，and，aboveall，fromthewildnessandterrorofhermanner，thatshehadmadeherescapefromsomeplaceofconfinementforlunatics，andwasinimmediatefearofpursuit。Heresolvedtosummonmedicaladviceassoonasthemindofhisniecehadbeeninsomemeasuresetatrestbytheofficesoftheclergymanwhoseattendanceshehadsoearnestlydesired；anduntilthisobjecthadbeenattained，hedidnotventuretoputanyquestionstoher，whichmightpossibly，byrevivingpainfulorhorriblerecollections，increaseheragitation。
Theclergymansoonarrived——amanofasceticcountenanceandvenerableage