In the inside of the vehicle he found a
purse, whose contents more than thrice
paid the hire of the carriage and man.
He saw and could tell nothing more of
Mynher Vanderhausen and his beautiful
lady. This mystery was a source of deep
anxiety and almost of grief to Gerard
Douw.

There was evidently fraud in the dealing
of Vanderhausen with him, though for what
purpose committed he could not imagine.
He greatly doubted how far it was possible
for a man possessing in his countenance
so strong an evidence of the presence of
the most demoniac feelings, to be in reality
anything but a villain; and every day that
passed without his hearing from or of his
niece, instead of inducing him to forget
his fears, on the contrary tended more and
more to exasperate them.

The loss of his niece's cheerful society
tended also to depress his spirits; and in
order to dispel this despondency, which
often crept upon his mind after his daily
employment was over, he was wont frequently
to prevail upon Schalken to accompany
him home, and by his presence