J. S. Le Fanus Ghostly Tales, Volume 1 | Page 5

gold."
"A testy old gentleman," thought Douw, "he must have his own way;
but, all things considered, I am not justified to declining his offer. I will
not pledge myself unnecessarily, however."
"You will not pledge yourself unnecessarily," said Vanderhausen,
strangely uttering the very words which had just floated through the
mind of his companion; "but you will do so if it is necessary, I presume;
and I will show you that I consider it indispensable. If the gold I mean
to leave in your hands satisfy you, and if you don't wish my proposal to
be at once withdrawn, you must, before I leave this room, write your
name to this engagement."

Having thus spoken, he placed a paper in the hands of the master, the
contents of which expressed an engagement entered into by Gerard
Douw, to give to Wilken Vanderhausen of Rotterdam, in marriage,
Rose Velderkaust, and so forth, within one week of the date thereof.
While the painter was employed in reading this covenant, by the light
of a twinkling oil lamp in the far wall of the room, Schalken, as we
have stated, entered the studio, and having delivered the box and the
valuation of the Jew, into the hands of the stranger, he was about to
retire, when Vanderhausen called to him to wait; and, presenting the
case and the certificate to Gerard Douw, he paused in silence until he
had satisfied himself, by an inspection of both, respecting the value of
the pledge left in his hands. At length he said----
"Are you content?"
The painter said he would fain have another day to consider.
"Not an hour," said the suitor, apathetically.
"Well then," said Douw, with a sore effort, "I am content, it is a
bargain."
"Then sign at once," said Vanderhausen, "for I am weary."
At the same time he produced a small case of writing materials, and
Gerard signed the important document.
"Let this youth witness the covenant," said the old man; and Godfrey
Schalken unconsciously attested the instrument which for ever bereft
him of his dear Rose Velderkaust.
The compact being thus completed, the strange visitor folded up the
paper, and stowed it safely in an inner pocket.
"I will visit you to-morrow night at nine o'clock, at your own house,
Gerard Douw, and will see the object of our contract;" and so saying
Wilken Vanderhausen moved stiffly, but rapidly, out of the room.

Schalken, eager to resolve his doubts, had placed himself by the
window, in order to watch the street entrance; but the experiment
served only to support his suspicions, for the old man did not issue
from the door. This was very strange, odd, nay fearful. He and his
master returned together, and talked but little on the way, for each had
his own subjects of reflection, of anxiety, and of hope. Schalken,
however, did not know the ruin which menaced his dearest projects.
Gerard Douw knew nothing of the attachment which had sprung up
between his pupil and his niece; and even if he had, it is doubtful
whether he would have regarded its existence as any serious
obstruction to the wishes of Minheer Vanderhausen. Marriages were
then and there matters of traffic and calculation; and it would have
appeared as absurd in the eyes of the guardian to make a mutual
attachment an essential element in a contract of the sort, as it would
have been to draw up his bonds and receipts in the language of
romance.
The painter, however, did not communicate to his niece the important
step which he had taken in her behalf, a forebearance caused not by any
anticipated opposition on her part, but solely by a ludicrous
consciousness that if she were to ask him for a description of her
destined bridegroom, he would be forced to confess that he had not
once seen his face, and if called upon, would find it absolutely
impossible to identify him. Upon the next day, Gerard Douw, after
dinner, called his niece to him and having scanned her person with an
air of satisfaction, he took her hand, and looking upon her pretty
innocent face with a smile of kindness, he said:----
"Rose, my girl, that face of yours will make your fortune." Rose
blushed and smiled. "Such faces and such tempers seldom go together,
and when they do, the compound is a love charm, few heads or hearts
can resist; trust me, you will soon be a bride, girl. But this is trifling,
and I am pressed for time, so make ready the large room by eight
o'clock to-night, and give directions for supper at nine. I expect a friend;
and observe me, child, do you trick yourself out handsomely. I will not
have him think us poor or sluttish."

With these words