’Youwerealwaysverykind，sir，tothose——tothosethatWANTEDkindness。’
　　Thetearswerealmostoverflowing，butshecheckedthem；andasifanaccessionoffortitudehadfollowedthemomentaryweakness，shecontinued，inasubduedbutfirmtone，totellmebrieflythecircumstancesofhermarriagewithO’Mara。
　　Whenshehadconcludedtherecital，shepausedforamoment；andIaskedagain：
　　’CanIaidyouinanyway——byadviceorotherwise？’
　　’Iwish，sir，totellyouallIhavebeenthinkingabout，’shecontinued。’Iamsure，sir，thatMasterRichardlovedmeonce——Iamsurehedidnotthinktodeceiveme；buttherewerebad，hard-
　　heartedpeopleabouthim，andhisfamilywereallrichandhigh，andIamsurehewishesNOWthathehadnever，neverseenme。Well，sir，itisnotinmyhearttoblamehim。Whatwas_I_thatIshouldlookathim？——anignorant，poor，countrygirl——
　　andhesohighandgreat，andsobeautiful。
　　Theblamewasallmine——itwasallmyfault；Icouldnotthinkorhopehewouldcareformemorethanalittletime。Well，sir，Ithoughtoverandoveragainthatsincehislovewasgonefrommeforever，Ishouldnotstandinhisway，andhinderwhatevergreatthinghisfamilywishedforhim。SoIthoughtoftenandoftentowritehimalettertogetthemarriagebroken，andtosendmehome；butforonereason，Iwouldhavedoneitlongago：therewasalittlechild，hisandmine——thedearest，theloveliest。’Shecouldnotgoonforaminuteortwo。’Thelittlechildthatislyingthere，onthatbed；butitisdeadandgone，andthereisnoreasonNOWwhyIshoulddelayanymoreaboutit。’
　　Sheputherhandintoherbreast，andtookoutaletter，whichsheopened。Sheputitintomyhands。Itranthus：
　　’DEARMASTERRICHARD，’Mylittlechildisdead，andyourhappinessisallIcareaboutnow。Yourmarriagewithmeisdispleasingtoyourfamily，andIwouldbeaburdentoyou，andinyourwayinthefineplaces，andamongthegreatfriendswhereyoumustbe。Youought，therefore，tobreakthemarriage，andIwillsignwhateverYOU
　　wish，oryourfamily。Iwillnevertrytoblameyou，MasterRichard——donotthinkit——forIneverdeservedyourlove，andmustnotcomplainnowthatIhavelostit；butIwillalwaysprayforyou，andbethinkingofyouwhileIlive。’
　　WhileIreadthisletter，Iwassatisfiedthatsofarfromaddingtothepoorgirl’sgrief，afulldisclosureofwhathadhappenedwould，onthecontrary，mitigatehersorrow，anddepriveitofitssharpeststing。
　　’Ellen，’saidIsolemnly，’RichardO’Marawasneverunfaithfultoyou；heisnowwherehumanreproachcanreachhimnomore。’
　　AsIsaidthis，thehecticflushuponhercheekgaveplacetoapalenesssodeadly，thatIalmostthoughtshewoulddroplifelessuponthespot。
　　’Ishe——ishedead，then？’saidshe，wildly。
　　Itookherhandinmine，andtoldherthesadstoryasbestIcould。Shelistenedwithacalmnesswhichappearedalmostunnatural，untilIhadfinishedthemournfulnarration。Shethenarose，andgoingtothebedside，shedrewthecurtainandgazedsilentlyandfixedlyonthequietfaceofthechild：butthefeelingswhichswelledatherheartcouldnotbesuppressed；thetearsgushedforth，andsobbingasifherheartwouldbreak，sheleantoverthebedandtookthedeadchildinherarms。
　　Sheweptandkissedit，andkisseditandweptagain，ingriefsopassionate，soheartrending，astodrawbittertearsfrommyeyes。IsaidwhatlittleIcouldtocalmher——tohavesoughttodomorewouldhavebeenamockery；andobservingthatthedarknesshadclosedin，I
　　tookmyleaveanddeparted，beingfavouredwiththeservicesofmyformerguide。
　　Iexpectedtohavebeensooncalleduponagaintovisitthepoorgirl；buttheLodgelaybeyondtheboundaryofmyparish，andIfeltareluctancetotrespassupontheprecinctsofmybrotherminister，andacertaindegreeofhesitationinintrudingupononewhosesituationwassoverypeculiar，andwhowould，Ihadnodoubt，feelnoscrupleinrequestingmyattendanceifshedesiredit。
　　Amonth，however，passedaway，andI
　　didnothearanythingofEllen。IcalledattheLodge，andtomyinquiriestheyansweredthatshewasverymuchworseinhealth，andthatsincethedeathofthechildshehadbeensinkingfast，andsoweakthatshehadbeenchieflyconfinedtoherbed。Isentfrequentlytoinquire，andoftencalledmyself，andallthatI
　　heardconvincedmethatshewasrapidlysinkingintothegrave。
　　LateonenightIwassummonedfrommyrest，byavisitfromthepersonwhohadupontheformeroccasionactedasmyguide；hehadcometosummonmetothedeath-bedofherwhomIhadthenattended。WithallcelerityImademypreparations，and，notwithoutconsiderabledifficultyandsomedanger，wemadearapidnight-ridetotheLodge，adistanceoffivemilesatleast。Wearrivedsafely，andinaveryshorttime——buttoolate。
　　IstoodbythebeduponwhichlaytheoncebeautifulformofEllenHeathcote。
　　Thebriefbutsorrowfultrialwaspast——
　　thedesolatemournerwasgonetothatlandwherethepangsofgrief，thetumultsofpassion，regretsandcoldneglect，arefeltnomore。Ileantoverthelifelessface，andscannedthebeautifulfeatureswhich，living，hadwroughtsuchmagiconallthatlookeduponthem。Theywere，indeed，muchwasted；butitwasimpossibleforthefingersofdeathorofdecayaltogethertoobliteratethetracesofthatexquisitebeautywhichhadsodistinguishedher。
　　AsIgazedonthismostsadandstrikingspectacle，remembrancesthrongedfastuponmymind，andtearaftertearfelluponthecoldformthatslepttranquillyandforever。
　　AfewdaysafterwardsIwastoldthatafuneralhadlefttheLodgeatthedeadofnight，andhadbeenconductedwiththemostscrupuloussecrecy。Itwas，ofcourse，tomenomystery。
　　Heathcotelivedtoaveryadvancedage，beingofthathardmouldwhichisnoteasilyimpressionable。Theselfishandthehard-heartedsurvivewherenobler，moregenerous，and，aboveall，moresympathisingnatureswouldhavesunkforever。
　　Dwyercertainlysucceededinextorting，Icannotsayhow，considerableandadvantageousleasesfromColonelO’Mara；butafterhisdeathhedisposedofhisinterestinthese，andhavingforatimelaunchedintoaseaofprofligateextravagance，hebecamebankrupt，andforalongtimeI
　　totallylostsightofhim。
　　Therebellionof’98，andtheeventswhichimmediatelyfollowed，calledhimforthfromhislurking-places，inthecharacterofaninformer；andImyselfhaveseenthehoary-headed，paralyticperjurer，withascowlofderisionanddefiance，bravethehootingsandtheexecrationsoftheindignantmultitude。
　　STRANGEEVENTINTHELIFEOFSCHALKENTHEPAINTER。
　　BeingaSeventhExtractfromtheLegacyofthelateFrancisPurcell，P。P。ofDrumcoolagh。
　　Youwillnodoubtbesurprised，mydearfriend，atthesubjectofthefollowingnarrative。WhathadItodowithSchalken，orSchalkenwithme？Hehadreturnedtohisnativeland，andwasprobablydeadandburied，beforeIwasborn；InevervisitedHollandnorspokewithanativeofthatcountry。
　　SomuchIbelieveyoualreadyknow。I
　　must，then，giveyoumyauthority，andstatetoyoufranklythegrounduponwhichreststhecredibilityofthestrangestorywhichIam，abouttolaybeforeyou。
　　Iwasacquainted，inmyearlydays，withaCaptainVandael，whosefatherhadservedKingWilliamintheLowCountries，andalsoinmyownunhappylandduringtheIrishcampaigns。IknownothowithappenedthatIlikedthisman’ssociety，spiteofhispoliticsandreligion：butsoitwas；anditwasbymeansofthefreeintercoursetowhichourintimacygaverisethatIbecamepossessedofthecurioustalewhichyouareabouttohear。
　　Ihadoftenbeenstruck，whilevisitingVandael，byaremarkablepicture，inwhich，thoughnoconnoisseurmyself，I
　　couldnotfailtodiscernsomeverystrongpeculiarities，particularlyinthedistribu-
　　tionoflightandshade，asalsoacertainoddityinthedesignitself，whichinterestedmycuriosity。Itrepresentedtheinteriorofwhatmightbeachamberinsomeantiquereligiousbuilding——theforegroundwasoccupiedbyafemalefigure，arrayedinaspeciesofwhiterobe，partofwhichisarrangedsoastoformaveil。Thedress，however，isnotstrictlythatofanyreligiousorder。Initshandthefigurebearsalamp，bywhoselightalonetheformandfaceareilluminated；thefeaturesaremarkedbyanarchsmile，suchasprettywomenwearwhenengagedinsuccessfullypractisingsomeroguishtrick；inthebackground，and，exceptingwherethedimredlightofanexpiringfireservestodefinetheform，totallyintheshade，standsthefigureofamanequippedintheoldfashion，withdoubletandsoforth，inanattitudeofalarm，hishandbeingplaceduponthehiltofhissword，whichheappearstobeintheactofdrawing。
　　’Therearesomepictures，’saidItomyfriend，’whichimpressone，Iknownothow，withaconvictionthattheyrepresentnotthemereidealshapesandcombinationswhichhavefloatedthroughtheimaginationoftheartist，butscenes，faces，andsituationswhichhaveactuallyexisted。WhenIlookuponthatpicture，somethingassuresmethatIbeholdtherepresentationofareality。’
　　Vandaelsmiled，and，fixinghiseyesuponthepaintingmusingly，hesaid：
　　’Yourfancyhasnotdeceivedyou，mygoodfriend，forthatpictureistherecord，andIbelieveafaithfulone，ofaremarkableandmysteriousoccurrence。ItwaspaintedbySchalken，andcontains，inthefaceofthefemalefigure，whichoccupiesthemostprominentplaceinthedesign，anaccurateportraitofRoseVelderkaust，thenieceofGerardDouw，thefirstand，I
　　believe，theonlyloveofGodfreySchalken。
　　Myfatherknewthepainterwell，andfromSchalkenhimselfhelearnedthestoryofthemysteriousdrama，onesceneofwhichthepicturehasembodied。Thispainting，whichisaccountedafinespecimenofSchalken’sstyle，wasbequeathedtomyfatherbytheartist’swill，and，asyouhaveobserved，isaverystrikingandinterestingproduction。’
　　IhadonlytorequestVandaeltotellthestoryofthepaintinginordertobegratified；andthusitisthatIamenabledtosubmittoyouafaithfulrecitalofwhatIheardmyself，leavingyoutorejectortoallowtheevidenceuponwhichthetruthofthetraditiondepends，withthisoneassurance，thatSchalkenwasanhonest，bluntDutchman，and，Ibelieve，whollyincapableofcommittingaflightofimagination；andfurther，thatVandael，fromwhomIheardthestory，appearedfirmlyconvincedofitstruth。
　　TherearefewformsuponwhichthemantleofmysteryandromancecouldseemtohangmoreungracefullythanuponthatoftheuncouthandclownishSchalken——theDutchboor——therudeanddogged，butmostcunningworkerinoils，whosepiecesdelighttheinitiatedofthepresentdayalmostasmuchashismannersdisgustedtherefinedofhisown；andyetthisman，sorude，sodogged，soslovenly，Ihadalmostsaidsosavage，inmienandmanner，duringhisaftersuccesses，hadbeenselectedbythecapriciousgoddess，inhisearlylife，tofigureastheheroofaromancebynomeansdevoidofinterestorofmystery。
　　Whocantellhowmeethemayhavebeeninhisyoungdaystoplaythepartoftheloverorofthehero——whocansaythatinearlylifehehadbeenthesameharsh，unlicked，andruggedboorthat，inhismaturerage，heproved——orhowfartheneglectedrudenesswhichafterwardsmarkedhisair，andgarb，andmanners，maynothavebeenthegrowthofthatrecklessapathynotunfrequentlyproducedbybittermisfortunesanddisappointmentsinearlylife？
　　Thesequestionscannevernowbeanswered。
　　Wemustcontentourselves，then，withaplainstatementoffacts，orwhathavebeenreceivedandtransmittedassuch，leavingmattersofspeculationtothosewholikethem。
　　WhenSchalkenstudiedundertheimmortalGerardDouw，hewasayoungman；andinspiteofthephlegmaticconstitutionandunexcitablemannerwhichheshared，webelieve，withhiscountrymen，hewasnotincapableofdeepandvividimpressions，foritisanestablishedfactthattheyoungpainterlookedwithconsiderableinterestuponthebeautifulnieceofhiswealthymaster。
　　RoseVelderkaustwasveryyoung，having，attheperiodofwhichwespeak，notyetattainedherseventeenthyear，and，iftraditionspeakstruth，possessedallthesoftdimplingcharmsofthefail；light-
　　hairedFlemishmaidens。SchalkenhadnotstudiedlongintheschoolofGerardDouw，whenhefeltthisinterestdeepeningintosomethingofakeenerandintenserfeelingthanwasquiteconsistentwiththetranquillityofhishonestDutchheart；