terms:

'I may not tarry with you to-night more
than a few minutes, and so I shall briefly
tell you the matter upon which I come.
You visited the town of Rotterdam some
four months ago, and then I saw in the
church of St. Lawrence your niece, Rose
Velderkaust. I desire to marry her, and
if I satisfy you as to the fact that I am
very wealthy--more wealthy than any
husband you could dream of for her--I
expect that you will forward my views to
the utmost of your authority. If you
approve my proposal, you must close with it
at once, for I cannot command time
enough to wait for calculations and delays.'

Gerard Douw was, perhaps, as much
astonished as anyone could be by the very
unexpected nature of Mynher Vanderhausen's
communication; but he did not
give vent to any unseemly expression of
surprise, for besides the motives supplied
by prudence and politeness, the painter
experienced a kind of chill and oppressive
sensation, something like that which is
supposed to affect a man who is placed
unconsciously in immediate contact with
something to which he has a natural anti-