Reicht, fetch me that!" Reicht brought a glass trough with a glass lid
fitting tight. "When your oil has been washed in bottle, put it into
this trough with water, and put the trough in the sun all day. You will
soon see the water turbid again. But mark, you must not carry this game
too far, or the sun will turn your oil to varnish. When it is as clear
as crystal, not too luscious, drain carefully, and cork it up tight.
Grind your own prime colours, and lay them on with this oil, and they
shall live. Hubert would put sand or salt in the water to clear the oil
quicker. But Jan used to say, 'Water will do it best; give water time.'
Jan Van Eyck was never in a hurry, and that is why the world will not
forget him in a hurry."

This and several other receipts, quae nunc perscribere longum est,
Margaret gave him with sparkling eyes, and Gerard received them like'
a legacy from Heaven, so interesting are some things that read
uninteresting. Thus provided with money and knowledge, Gerard decided to
marry and fly with his wife to Italy. Nothing remained now but to inform
Margaret Brandt of his resolution, and to publish the banns as quietly
as possible. He went to Sevenbergen earlier than usual on both these
errands. He began with Margaret; told her of the Dame Van Eyck's
goodness, and the resolution he had come to at last, and invited her
co-operation.

She refused it plump.

"No, Gerard; you and I have never spoken of your family, but when you
come to marriage--" She stopped, then began again. "I do think your
father has no ill-will to me more than to another. He told Peter
Buyskens as much, and Peter told me. But so long as he is bent on your
being a priest (you ought have told me this instead of I you), I could