andatthesametimeheperceived，orthoughtheperceived，flatteringsymptomsofareciprocityofliking，andthiswasquitesufficienttodeterminewhateverindecisionhemighthaveheretoforeexperienced，andtoleadhimtodevoteexclusivelytohereveryhopeandfeelingofhisheart。Inshort，hewasasmuchinloveasaDutchmancouldbe。Hewasnotlonginmakinghispassionknowntotheprettymaidenherself，andhisdeclarationwasfollowedbyacorrespondingconfessionuponherpart。
　　Schalken，however，wasapoorman，andhepossessednocounterbalancingadvantagesofbirthorpositiontoinducetheoldmantoconsenttoaunionwhichmustinvolvehisnieceandwardinthestrugglingsanddifficultiesofayoungandnearlyfriendlessartist。Hewas，therefore，towaituntiltimehadfurnishedhimwithopportunity，andaccidentwithsuccess；andthen，ifhislabourswerefoundsufficientlylucrative，itwastobehopedthathisproposalsmightatleastbelistenedtobyherjealousguardian。Monthspassedaway，and，cheeredbythesmilesofthelittleRose，Schalken’slabourswereredoubled，andwithsucheffectandimprovementasreasonablytopromisetherealisationofhishopes，andnocontemptibleeminenceinhisart，beforemanyyearsshouldhaveelapsed。
　　Theevencourseofthischeeringprosperitywas，however，destinedtoexperienceasuddenandformidableinterruption，andthat，too，inamannersostrangeandmysteriousastobaffleallinvestigation，andthrowupontheeventsthemselvesashadowofalmostsupernaturalhorror。
　　Schalkenhadoneeveningremainedinthemaster’sstudioconsiderablylongerthanhismorevolatilecompanions，whohadgladlyavailedthemselvesoftheexcusewhichtheduskofeveningafforded，towithdrawfromtheirseveraltasks，inordertofinishadayoflabourinthejollityandconvivialityofthetavern。
　　ButSchalkenworkedforimprovement，orratherforlove。Besides，hewasnowengagedmerelyinsketchingadesign，anoperationwhich，unlikethatofcolouring，mightbecontinuedaslongastherewaslightsufficienttodistinguishbetweencanvasandcharcoal。Hehadnotthen，nor，indeed，untillongafter，discoveredthepeculiarpowersofhispencil，andhewasengagedincomposingagroupofextremelyroguish-lookingandgrotesqueimpsanddemons，whowereinflictingvariousingenioustormentsuponaperspiringandpot-belliedSt。Anthony，whoreclinedinthemidstofthem，apparentlyinthelaststageofdrunkenness。
　　Theyoungartist，however，thoughincapableofexecuting，orevenofappreciating，anythingoftruesublimity，hadneverthelessdiscernmentenoughtopreventhisbeingbyanymeanssatisfiedwithhiswork；andmanywerethepatienterasuresandcorrectionswhichthelimbsandfeaturesofsaintanddevilunderwent，yetallwithoutproducingintheirnewarrangementanythingofimprovementorincreasedeffect。
　　Thelarge，old-fashionedroomwassilent，and，withtheexceptionofhimself，quitedesertedbyitsusualinmates。Anhourhadpassed——nearlytwo——withoutanyimprovedresult。Daylighthadalreadydeclined，andtwilightwasfastgivingwaytothedarknessofnight。Thepatienceoftheyoungmanwasexhausted，andhestoodbeforehisunfinishedproduction，absorbedinnoverypleasingruminations，onehandburiedinthefoldsofhislongdarkhair，andtheotherholdingthepieceofcharcoalwhichhadsoillexecuteditsoffice，andwhichhenowrubbed，withoutmuchregardtothesablestreakswhichitproduced，withirritablepressureuponhisampleFlemishinexpressibles。
　　’Pshaw!’saidtheyoungmanaloud，’wouldthatpicture，devils，saint，andall，werewheretheyshouldbe——inhell!’
　　Ashort，suddenlaugh，utteredstartlinglyclosetohisear，instantlyrespondedtotheejaculation。
　　Theartistturnedsharplyround，andnowforthefirsttimebecameawarethathislabourshadbeenoverlookedbyastranger。
　　Withinaboutayardandahalf，andratherbehindhim，therestoodwhatwas，orappearedtobe，thefigureofanelderlyman：heworeashortcloak，andbroad-
　　brimmedhatwithaconicalcrown，andinhishand，whichwasprotectedwithaheavy，gauntlet-shapedglove，hecarriedalongebonywalking-stick，surmountedwithwhatappeared，asitglittereddimlyinthetwilight，tobeamassiveheadofgold，anduponhisbreast，throughthefoldsofthecloak，thereshonewhatappearedtobethelinksofarichchainofthesamemetal。
　　Theroomwassoobscurethatnothingfurtheroftheappearanceofthefigurecouldbeascertained，andthefacewasaltogetherovershadowedbytheheavyflapofthebeaverwhichoverhungit，sothatnotafeaturecouldbediscerned。A
　　quantityofdarkhairescapedfrombeneaththissombrehat，acircumstancewhich，connectedwiththefirm，uprightcarriageoftheintruder，provedthathisyearscouldnotyetexceedthreescoreorthereabouts。
　　Therewasanairofgravityandimportanceaboutthegarbofthisperson，andsomethingindescribablyodd，Imightsayawful，intheperfect，stone-likemovelessnessofthefigure，thateffectuallycheckedthetestycommentwhichhadatoncerisentothelipsoftheirritatedartist。
　　Hetherefore，assoonashehadsuf-
　　ficientlyrecoveredthesurprise，askedthestranger，civilly，tobeseated，anddesiredtoknowifhehadanymessagetoleaveforhismaster。
　　’TellGerardDouw，’saidtheunknown，withoutalteringhisattitudeinthesmallestdegree，’thatMynherVanderhausenyofRotterdam，desirestospeakwithhimto-morroweveningatthishour，and，ifheplease，inthisroom，uponmattersofweight——thatisall。Good-night。’
　　Thestranger，havingfinishedthismessage，turnedabruptly，and，withaquickbutsilentstep，quittedtheroom，beforeSchalkenhadtimetosayawordinreply。
　　TheyoungmanfeltacuriositytoseeinwhatdirectiontheburgherofRotterdamwouldturnonquittingthestudio，andforthatpurposehewentdirectlytothewindowwhichcommandedthedoor。
　　Alobbyofconsiderableextentintervenedbetweentheinnerdoorofthepainter’sroomandthestreetentrance，sothatSchalkenoccupiedthepostofobservationbeforetheoldmancouldpossiblyhavereachedthestreet。
　　Hewatchedinvain，however。Therewasnoothermodeofexit。
　　Hadtheoldmanvanished，orwashelurkingabouttherecessesofthelobbyforsomebadpurpose？ThislastsuggestionfilledthemindofSchalkenwithavaguehorror，whichwassounaccountablyintenseastomakehimalikeafraidtoremainintheroomaloneandreluctanttopassthroughthelobby。
　　However，withaneffortwhichap-
　　pearedverydisproportionedtotheoccasion，hesummonedresolutiontoleavetheroom，and，havingdouble-lockedthedoorandthrustthekeyinhispocket，withoutlookingtotherightorleft，hetraversedthepassagewhichhadsorecently，perhapsstill，containedthepersonofhismysteriousvisitant，scarcelyventuringtobreathetillhehadarrivedintheopenstreet。
　　’MynherVanderhausen，’saidGerardDouwwithinhimself，astheappointedhourapproached，’MynherVanderhausenofRotterdam!Ineverheardofthemantillyesterday。Whatcanhewantofme？
　　Aportrait，perhaps，tobepainted；orayoungersonorapoorrelationtobeapprenticed；oracollectiontobevalued；or——pshawIthere’snooneinRotterdamtoleavemealegacy。Well，whateverthebusinessmaybe，weshallsoonknowitall。’
　　Itwasnowthecloseofday，andeveryeasel，exceptthatofSchalken，wasdeserted。GerardDouwwaspacingtheapartmentwiththerestlessstepofimpatientexpectation，everynowandthenhummingapassagefromapieceofmusicwhichhewashimselfcomposing；for，thoughnogreatproficient，headmiredtheart；sometimespausingtoglanceovertheworkofoneofhisabsentpupils，butmorefrequentlyplacinghimselfatthewindow，fromwhencehemightobservethepassengerswhothreadedtheobscureby-streetinwhichhisstudiowasplaced。
　　’Saidyounot，Godfrey，’exclaimedDouw，afteralongandfruitlessgazefromhispostofobservation，andturningtoSchalken——’saidyounotthehourofap-
　　pointmentwasataboutsevenbytheclockoftheStadhouse？’
　　’IthadjusttoldsevenwhenIfirstsawhim，sir，’answeredthestudent。
　　’Thehouriscloseathand，then，’saidthemaster，consultingahorologeaslargeandasroundasafull-grownorange。
　　’MynherVanderhausen，fromRotterdam——isitnotso？’
　　’Suchwasthename。’
　　’Andanelderlyman，richlyclad？’
　　continuedDouw。
　　’AswellasImightsee，’repliedhispupil；’hecouldnotbeyoung，noryetveryoldneither，andhisdresswasrichandgrave，asmightbecomeacitizenofwealthandconsideration。’
　　AtthismomentthesonorousboomoftheStadhouseclocktold，strokeafterstroke，thehourofseven；theeyesofbothmasterandstudentweredirectedtothedoor；anditwasnotuntilthelastpealoftheoldbellhadceasedtovibrate，thatDouwexclaimed：
　　’So，so；weshallhavehisworshippresently——thatis，ifhemeanstokeephishour；ifnot，thoumaystwaitforhim，Godfrey，ifyoucourttheacquaintanceofacapriciousburgomaster。Asforme，I
　　thinkouroldLeydencontainsasufficiencyofsuchcommodities，withoutanimportationfromRotterdam。’
　　Schalkenlaughed，asindutybound；
　　andafterapauseofsomeminutes，Douwsuddenlyexclaimed：
　　’Whatifitshouldallproveajest，apieceofmummerygotupbyVankarp，orsomesuchworthy!Iwishyouhadrunallrisks，andcudgelledtheoldburgomaster，stadholder，orwhateverelsehemaybe，soundly。IwouldwageradozenofRhenish，hisworshipwouldhavepleadedoldacquaintancebeforethethirdapplication。’
　　’Herehecomes，sir，’saidSchalken，inalowadmonitorytone；andinstantly，uponturningtowardsthedoor，GerardDouwobservedthesamefigurewhichhad，onthedaybefore，sounexpectedlygreetedthevisionofhispupilSchalken。
　　Therewassomethingintheairandmienofthefigurewhichatoncesatisfiedthepainterthattherewasnomummeryinthecase，andthathereallystoodinthepresenceofamanofworship；andso，withouthesitation，hedoffedhiscap，andcourteouslysalutingthestranger，requestedhimtobeseated。
　　Thevisitorwavedhishandslightly，as，ifinacknowledgmentofthecourtesy，butremainedstanding。
　　’IhavethehonourtoseeMynherVanderhausen，ofRotterdam？’saidGerardDouw。
　　’Thesame，’wasthelaconicreplyofhisvisitant。
　　’Iunderstandyourworshipdesirestospeakwithme，’continuedDouw，’andI
　　amherebyappointmenttowaityourcommands。’
　　’Isthatamanoftrust？’saidVanderhausen，turningtowardsSchalken，whostoodatalittledistancebehindhismaster。
　　’Certainly，’repliedGerard。
　　’Thenlethimtakethisboxandgetthenearestjewellerorgoldsmithtovalueitscontents，andlethimreturnhitherwithacertificateofthevaluation。’
　　Atthesametimeheplacedasmallcase，aboutnineinchessquare，inthehandsofGerardDouw，whowasasmuchamazedatitsweightasatthestrangeabruptnesswithwhichitwashandedtohim。
　　Inaccordancewiththewishesofthestranger，hedelivereditintothehandsofSchalken，andrepeatingHISdirections，despatchedhimuponthemission。
　　Schalkendisposedhispreciouschargesecurelybeneaththefoldsofhiscloak，andrapidlytraversingtwoorthreenarrowstreets，hestoppedatacornerhouse，thelowerpartofwhichwasthenoccupiedbytheshopofaJewishgoldsmith。
　　Schalkenenteredtheshop，andcallingthelittleHebrewintotheobscurityofitsbackrecesses，heproceededtolaybeforehimVanderhausen’spacket。
　　Onbeingexaminedbythelightofalamp，itappearedentirelycasedwithlead，theoutersurfaceofwhichwasmuchscrapedandsoiled，andnearlywhitewithage。Thiswaswithdifficultypartiallyremoved，anddisclosedbeneathaboxofsomedarkandsingularlyhardwood；this，too，wasforced，andaftertheremovaloftwoorthreefoldsoflinen，itscontentsprovedtobeamassofgoldeningots，closepacked，and，astheJewdeclared，ofthemostperfectquality。
　　EveryingotunderwentthescrutinyofthelittleJew，whoseemedtofeelanepicureandelightintouchingandtestingthesemorselsofthegloriousmetal；andeachoneofthemwasreplacedintheboxwiththeexclamation：
　　’MeinGott，howveryperfect!notonegrainofalloy——beautiful，beautiful!’
　　Thetaskwasatlengthfinished，andtheJewcertifiedunderhishandthevalueoftheingotssubmittedtohisexaminationtoamounttomanythousandrix-dollars。
　　Withthedesireddocumentinhisbosom，andtherichboxofgoldcarefullypressedunderhisarm，andconcealedbyhiscloak，heretracedhisway，andenteringthestudio，foundhismasterandthestrangerincloseconference。
　　Schalkenhadnosoonerlefttheroom，inordertoexecutethecommissionhehadtakenincharge，thanVanderhausenaddressedGerardDouwinthefollowingterms：
　　’Imaynottarrywithyouto-nightmorethanafewminutes，andsoIshallbrieflytellyouthematteruponwhichIcome。