deception that I am heart-whole and fancy-free, and yet indifferent to
Count Hendrick's attentions. Indeed, my father openly upbraids me with
being fickle, inconstant, unmaidenly, and I know not what besides,
until I am driven to my wit's end to keep the peace between us. Yet I
doubt not, if he knew the truth, he would marry me willy-nilly to Count
Hendrick Luitken by force."

"Then it would be to a corpse he would marry you," I cried, "for sooner
than see you wedded to Count Luitken I would strangle him with my bare
hands if he refused to meet me as an equal in fair fight."

"Dear Peter," whispered Anna, as she nestled closer to me, "if I cannot
marry you I'll marry none other, and the Church does not now sanction
marriage vows given unwillingly. If they drive me to it I can at least
seek the cloister or the grave."

"Do not speak so, dear Anna," I entreated. "We are both young, and by
patience and industry I may yet win a place in the world."

But although I spoke hopefully I could see but little prospect of my
advancement at Amsterdam. My master, De Decker, the merchant, in whose
house I was employed, told me plainly that I need expect nothing more
than a clerkship so long as I remained in his service. His son, then a
boy at school, would inherit his business, and it might be many years
before I could hope to buy a partnership in it. De Decker's business at
this time, moreover, was not in a very flourishing condition. It
seemed, therefore, not improbable that I would lose my clerkship unless
it improved.

In these circumstances I was approached by Dirk Hartog some twelve