with doublet and so forth, in an attitude
of alarm, his hand being placed upon the
hilt of his sword, which he appears to be
in the act of drawing.

'There are some pictures,' said I to my
friend, 'which impress one, I know not
how, with a conviction that they represent
not the mere ideal shapes and combinations
which have floated through the imagination
of the artist, but scenes, faces, and
situations which have actually existed. When
I look upon that picture, something assures
me that I behold the representation of a
reality.'

Vandael smiled, and, fixing his eyes upon
the painting musingly, he said:

'Your fancy has not deceived you, my
good friend, for that picture is the record,
and I believe a faithful one, of a remarkable
and mysterious occurrence. It was
painted by Schalken, and contains, in the
face of the female figure, which occupies
the most prominent place in the design, an
accurate portrait of Rose Velderkaust, the
niece of Gerard Douw, the first and, I
believe, the only love of Godfrey Schalken.
My father knew the painter well, and from