YouvisitedthetownofRotterdamsomefourmonthsago，andthenIsawinthechurchofSt。Lawrenceyourniece，RoseVelderkaust。Idesiretomarryher，andifIsatisfyyouastothefactthatIamverywealthy——morewealthythananyhusbandyoucoulddreamofforher——I
　　expectthatyouwillforwardmyviewstotheutmostofyourauthority。Ifyouapprovemyproposal，youmustclosewithitatonce，forIcannotcommandtimeenoughtowaitforcalculationsanddelays。’
　　GerardDouwwas，perhaps，asmuchastonishedasanyonecouldbebytheveryunexpectednatureofMynherVanderhausen’scommunication；buthedidnotgiveventtoanyunseemlyexpressionofsurprise，forbesidesthemotivessuppliedbyprudenceandpoliteness，thepainterexperiencedakindofchillandoppressivesensation，somethinglikethatwhichissupposedtoaffectamanwhoisplacedunconsciouslyinimmediatecontactwithsomethingtowhichhehasanaturalanti-
　　pathy——anundefinedhorroranddreadwhilestandinginthepresenceoftheeccentricstranger，whichmadehimveryunwillingtosayanythingwhichmightreasonablyproveoffensive。
　　’Ihavenodoubt，’saidGerard，aftertwoorthreeprefatoryhems，’thattheconnectionwhichyouproposewouldprovealikeadvantageousandhonourabletomyniece；butyoumustbeawarethatshehasawillofherown，andmaynotacquiesceinwhatWEmaydesignforheradvantage。’
　　’Donotseektodeceiveme，SirPainter，’
　　saidVanderhausen；’youareherguardian——sheisyourward。SheismineifYOUliketomakeherso。’
　　ThemanofRotterdammovedforwardalittleashespoke，andGerardDouw，hescarceknewwhy，inwardlyprayedforthespeedyreturnofSchalken。
　　’Idesire，’saidthemysteriousgentleman，’toplaceinyourhandsatonceanevidenceofmywealth，andasecurityformyliberaldealingwithyourniece。Theladwillreturninaminuteortwowithasuminvaluefivetimesthefortunewhichshehasarighttoexpectfromahusband。
　　Thisshalllieinyourhands，togetherwithherdowry，andyoumayapplytheunitedsumassuitsherinterestbest；itshallbeallexclusivelyherswhileshelives。Isthatliberal？’
　　Douwassented，andinwardlythoughtthatfortunehadbeenextraordinarilykindtohisniece。Thestranger，hethought，mustbebothwealthyandgenerous，andsuchanofferwasnottobedespised，thoughmadebyahumourist，andoneofnoveryprepossessingpresence。
　　Rosehadnoveryhighpretensions，forshewasalmostwithoutdowry；indeed，altogetherso，exceptingsofarasthedeficiencyhadbeensuppliedbythegenerosityofheruncle。Neitherhadsheanyrighttoraiseanyscruplesagainstthematchonthescoreofbirth，forherownoriginwasbynomeanselevated；andastootherobjections，Gerardresolved，and，indeed，bytheusagesofthetimewaswarrantedinresolving，nottolistentothemforamoment。
　　’Sir，’saidhe，addressingthestranger，’yourofferismostliberal，andwhateverhesitationImayfeelinclosingwithitimmediately，arisessolelyfrommynothavingthehonourofknowinganythingofyourfamilyorstation。Uponthesepointsyoucan，ofcourse，satisfymewithoutdifficulty？’
　　’Astomyrespectability，’saidthestranger，drily，’youmusttakethatforgrantedatpresent；pestermewithnoinquiries；youcandiscovernothingmoreaboutmethanIchoosetomakeknown。
　　Youshallhavesufficientsecurityformyrespectability——myword，ifyouarehonourable：
　　ifyouaresordid，mygold。’
　　’Atestyoldgentleman，’thoughtDouw；
　　’hemusthavehisownway。But，allthingsconsidered，Iamjustifiedingivingmyniecetohim。Wereshemyowndaughter，Iwoulddothelikebyher。I
　　willnotpledgemyselfunnecessarily，however。’
　　’Youwillnotpledgeyourselfunnecessarily，’
　　saidVanderhausen，strangelyutteringtheverywordswhichhadjustfloatedthroughthemindofhiscompanion；’butyouwilldosoifitISnecessary，Ipresume；
　　andIwillshowyouthatIconsideritin-
　　dispensable。IfthegoldImeantoleaveinyourhandssatisfyyou，andifyoudesirethatmyproposalshallnotbeatoncewithdrawn，youmust，beforeIleavethisroom，writeyournametothisengagement。’
　　Havingthusspoken，heplacedapaperinthehandsofGerard，thecontentsofwhichexpressedanengagemententeredintobyGerardDouw，togivetoWilkenVanderhausen，ofRotterdam，inmarriage，RoseVelderkaust，andsoforth，withinoneweekofthedatehereof。
　　Whilethepainterwasemployedinreadingthiscovenant，Schalken，aswehavestated，enteredthestudio，andhavingdeliveredtheboxandthevaluationoftheJewintothehandsofthestranger，hewasabouttoretire，whenVanderhausencalledtohimtowait；and，presentingthecaseandthecertificatetoGerardDouw，hewaitedinsilenceuntilhehadsatisfiedhimselfbyaninspectionofbothastothevalueofthepledgeleftinhishands。Atlengthhesaid：
　　’Areyoucontent？’
　　Thepaintersaidhewouldfainhaveanotherdaytoconsider。
　　’Notanhour，’saidthesuitor，coolly。
　　’Well，then，’saidDouw，’Iamcontent；
　　itisabargain。’
　　’Thensignatonce，’saidVanderhausen；
　　’Iamweary。’
　　Atthesametimeheproducedasmallcaseofwritingmaterials，andGerardsignedtheimportantdocument。
　　’Letthisyouthwitnessthecovenant，’
　　saidtheoldman；andGodfreySchalkenunconsciouslysignedtheinstrumentwhichbestoweduponanotherthathandwhichhehadsolongregardedastheobjectandrewardofallhislabours。
　　Thecompactbeingthuscompleted，thestrangevisitorfoldedupthepaper，andstoweditsafelyinaninnerpocket。
　　’Iwillvisityouto-morrownight，atnineoftheclock，atyourhouse，GerardDouw，andwillseethesubjectofourcontract。Farewell。’Andsosaying，WilkenVanderhausenmovedstiffly，butrapidlyoutoftheroom。
　　Schalken，eagertoresolvehisdoubts，hadplacedhimselfbythewindowinordertowatchthestreetentrance；buttheexperimentservedonlytosupporthissuspicions，fortheoldmandidnotissuefromthedoor。Thiswasverystrange，veryodd，veryfearful。Heandhismasterreturnedtogether，andtalkedbutlittleontheway，foreachhadhisownsub-
　　jectsofreflection，ofanxiety，andofhope。
　　Schalken，however，didnotknowtheruinwhichthreatenedhischerishedschemes。
　　GerardDouwknewnothingoftheattachmentwhichhadsprungupbetweenhispupilandhisniece；andevenifhehad，itisdoubtfulwhetherhewouldhaveregardeditsexistenceasanyseriousobstructiontothewishesofMynherVanderhausen。
　　Marriageswerethenandtheremattersoftrafficandcalculation；anditwouldhaveappearedasabsurdintheeyesoftheguardiantomakeamutualattachmentanessentialelementinacontractofmarriage，asitwouldhavebeentodrawuphisbondsandreceiptsinthelanguageofchivalrousromance。
　　Thepainter，however，didnotcommunicatetohisniecetheimportantstepwhichhehadtakeninherbehalf，andhisresolutionarosenotfromanyanticipationofoppositiononherpart，butsolelyfromaludicrousconsciousnessthatifhiswardwere，assheverynaturallymightdo，toaskhimtodescribetheappearanceofthebridegroomwhomhedestinedforher，hewouldbeforcedtoconfessthathehadnotseenhisface，and，ifcalledupon，wouldfinditimpossibletoidentifyhim。
　　Uponthenextday，GerardDouwhavingdined，calledhisniecetohim，andhavingscannedherpersonwithanairofsatisfaction，hetookherhand，andlookinguponherpretty，innocentfacewithasmileofkindness，hesaid：
　　’Rose，mygirl，thatfaceofyourswillmakeyourfortune。’Roseblushedandsmiled。’Suchfacesandsuchtempersseldomgotogether，and，whentheydo，thecompoundisalove-potionwhichfewheadsorheartscanresist。Trustme，thouwiltsoonbeabride，girl。Butthisistrifling，andIampressedfortime，somakereadythelargeroombyeighto’clockto-night，andgivedirectionsforsupperatnine。Iexpectafriendto-night；andobserveme，child，dothoutrickthyselfouthandsomely。Iwouldnothavehimthinkuspoororsluttish。’
　　Withthesewordsheleftthechamber，andtookhiswaytotheroomtowhichwehavealreadyhadoccasiontointroduceourreaders——thatinwhichhispupilsworked。
　　Whentheeveningclosedin，GerardcalledSchalken，whowasabouttotakehisdeparturetohisobscureandcomfortlesslodgings，andaskedhimtocomehomeandsupwithRoseandVanderhausen。
　　Theinvitationwasofcourseaccepted，andGerardDouwandhispupilsoonfoundthemselvesinthehandsomeandsomewhatantique-lookingroomwhichhadbeenpreparedforthereceptionofthestranger。
　　Acheerfulwood-fireblazedinthecapacioushearth；alittleatonesideanold-
　　fashionedtable，withrichly-carvedlegs，wasplaced——destined，nodoubt，toreceivethesupper，forwhichpreparationsweregoingforward；andrangedwithexactregularity，stoodthetall-backedchairs，whoseungracefulnesswasmorethancounterbalancedbytheircomfort。
　　Thelittleparty，consistingofRose，heruncle，andtheartist，awaitedthearrivaloftheexpectedvisitorwithconsiderableimpatience。
　　Nineo’clockatlengthcame，andwithitasummonsatthestreet-door，which，beingspeedilyanswered，wasfollowedbyaslowandemphatictreaduponthestaircase；thestepsmovedheavilyacrossthelobby，thedooroftheroominwhichthepartywhichwehavedescribedwereassembledslowlyopened，andthereenteredafigurewhichstartled，almostappalled，thephlegmaticDutchmen，andnearlymadeRosescreamwithaffright；itwastheform，andarrayedinthegarb，ofMynherVanderhausen；
　　theair，thegait，theheightwasthesame，butthefeatureshadneverbeenseenbyanyofthepartybefore。
　　Thestrangerstoppedatthedooroftheroom，anddisplayedhisformandfacecompletely。Heworeadark-colouredclothcloak，whichwasshortandfull，notfallingquitetotheknees；hislegswerecasedindarkpurplesilkstockings，andhisshoeswereadornedwithrosesofthesamecolour。Theopeningofthecloakinfrontshowedtheunder-suittoconsistofsomeverydark，perhapssablematerial，andhishandswereenclosedinapairofheavyleathergloveswhichranupconsiderablyabovethewrist，inthemannerofagauntlet。
　　Inonehandhecarriedhiswalking-
　　stickandhishat，whichhehadremoved，andtheotherhungheavilybyhisside。
　　Aquantityofgrizzledhairdescendedinlongtressesfromhishead，anditsfoldsrestedupontheplaitsofastiffruff，whicheffectuallyconcealedhisneck。
　　Sofarallwaswell；buttheface!——allthefleshofthefacewascolouredwiththebluishleadenhuewhichissometimespro-
　　ducedbytheoperationofmetallicmedicinesadministeredinexcessivequantities；
　　theeyeswereenormous，andthewhiteappearedbothaboveandbelowtheiris，whichgavetothemanexpressionofinsanity，whichwasheightenedbytheirglassyfixedness；thenosewaswellenough，butthemouthwaswrithedconsiderablytooneside，whereitopenedinordertogiveegresstotwolong，discolouredfangs，whichprojectedfromtheupperjaw，farbelowthelowerlip；thehueofthelipsthemselvesboretheusualrelationtothatoftheface，andwasconsequentlynearlyblack。Thecharacterofthefacewasmalignant，evensatanic，tothelastdegree；and，indeed，suchacombinationofhorrorcouldhardlybeaccountedfor，exceptbysupposingthecorpseofsomeatrociousmalefactor，whichhadlonghungblackeninguponthegibbet，tohaveatlengthbecomethehabitationofademon——thefrightfulsportofSatanicpossession。
　　Itwasremarkablethattheworshipfulstrangersufferedaslittleaspossibleofhisfleshtoappear，andthatduringhisvisithedidnotonceremovehisgloves。
　　Havingstoodforsomemomentsatthedoor，GerardDouwatlengthfoundbreathandcollectednesstobidhimwelcome，and，withamuteinclinationofthehead，thestrangersteppedforwardintotheroom。
　　Therewassomethingindescribablyodd，evenhorrible，aboutallhismotions，somethingundefinable，thatwasunnatural，un-
　　human——itwasasifthelimbswereguidedanddirectedbyaspiritunusedtothemanagementofbodilymachinery。