"Is that all?" said Eli, profoundly relieved. "What are ye roaring and
bellowing for? It is vexing--it is angering, but it is not like death,
not even sickness. Boys will be boys. He will outgrow that disease: 'tis
but skin-deep."

But when Ghysbrecht told him that Margaret was a girl of good character;
that it was not to be supposed she would be so intimate if marriage had
not been spoken of between them, his brow darkened.

"Marriage! that shall never be," said he sternly. "I'll stay that; ay,
by force, if need be--as I would his hand lifted to cut his throat. I'd
do what old John Koestein did t'other day."

"And what is that, in Heaven's name?" asked the mother, suddenly
removing her apron.

It was the burgomaster who replied:

"He made me shut young Albert Koestein up in the prison of the
Stadthouse till he knocked under. It was not long: forty-eight hours,
all alone, on bread and water, cooled his hot stomach. 'Tell my father I
am his humble servant,' says he, 'and let me into the sun once more--the
sun is worth all the wenches in the world.'"

"Oh, the cruelty of men!" sighed Catherine.

"As to that, the burgomaster has no choice: it is the law. And if a
father says, 'Burgomaster, lock up my son,' he must do it. A fine thing
it would be if a father might not lock up his own son."