then he gave me fifteen great bright golden angels. I had seen one
before, but I never handled one. Here they are."

"Oh, Gerard! oh, Gerard!"

"There is one for you, our eldest; and one for you, Sybrandt, and for
you, Little Mischief; and two for thee, Little Lily, because God hath
afflicted thee; and one for myself, to buy colours and vellum; and nine
for her that nursed us all, and risked the two crowns upon poor Gerard's
hand."

The gold drew out their characters. Cornelis and Sybrandt clutched each
his coin with one glare of greediness and another glare of envy at Kate,
who had got two pieces. Giles seized his and rolled it along the floor
and gambolled after it. Kate put down her crutches and sat down, and
held out her little arms to Gerard with a heavenly gesture of love and
tenderness; and the mother, fairly benumbed at first by the shower of
gold that fell on her apron, now cried out, "Leave kissing him, Kate;
he is my son, not yours. Ah. Gerard! my boy! I have not loved you as you
deserved."

Then Gerard threw himself on his knees beside her, and she flung her
arms round him and wept for joy and pride upon his neck.

"Good lad! good lad!" cried the hosier, with some emotion. "I must go
and tell the neighbours. Lend me the medal, Gerard; I'll show it my good
friend Peter Buyskens; he is ever regaling me with how his son Jorian
won the tin mug a shooting at the butts."

"Ay, do, my man; and show Peter Buyskens one of the angels. Tell him