IN WHICH WE HAVE AT LAST INTRODUCED A DECENT SORT OF HEROINE, WHO,
HOWEVER, ONLY PLAYS A SECOND IN OUR HISTORY, SNARLEYYOW BEING THE FIRST
FIDDLE.
But we must leave Mr Vanslyperken, and the widow, and the Yungfrau, and
all connected with her, for the present, and follow the steps of Ramsay,
in doing which we shall have to introduce new personages in our little
drama.
As soon as Ramsay had taken leave of Vanslyperken, being a stranger at
Amsterdam, he inquired his way to the Golden street, in which resided
Mynheer Van Krause, syndic of the town, and to whom he had obtained his
principal letters of introduction. The syndic's house was too well
known not to be immediately pointed out to him, and in ten minutes he
found himself, with the sailors at his heels who had been ordered to
carry up his baggage, at a handsomely-carved door painted in bright
green, and with knockers of massive brass which glittered in the sun.
Ramsay, as he waited a few seconds, looked up at the house, which was
large, and with a noble front to the wide street in face of it, not, as
usual with most of the others, divided in the centre by a canal running
the whole length of it. The door was opened, and led into a large paved
yard, the sides of which were lined with evergreens in large tubs,
painted of the same bright-green colour; adjoining to the yard was a
small garden enclosed with high walls, which was laid out with great
precision, and in small beds full of tulips, ranunculuses, and other
bulbs now just appearing above the ground. The sailors waited outside
while the old grey-headed servitor who had opened the gate ushered
Ramsay through the court to a second door which led into the house. The
hall into which he entered was paved with marble, and the staircase bold
and handsome which led to the first floor, but on each side of the hall
there were wooden partitions and half-glass doors, through which Ramsay
could see that the rest of the basement was appropriated to warehouses,
and that in the warehouse at the back of the building there were people
busily employed hoisting out merchandise from the vessels in the canal,
the water of which adjoined the very walls. Ramsay followed the man
upstairs, who showed him into a very splendidly-furnished apartment, and
then went to summon his master, who, he said, was below in the
warehouse. Ramsay had but a minute or two to examine the various
objects which decorated the room, particularly some very fine pictures,
when Mynheer Van Krause made his appearance, with some open tablets in
his hand and his pen across his mouth. He was a very short man, with a
respectable paunch, a very small head, quite bald, a keen blue eye,
reddish but straight nose, and a very florid complexion. There was
nothing vulgar about his appearance, although his figure was against
him. His countenance was one of extreme frankness, mixed with
considerable intelligence, and his whole manner gave you the idea of
precision and calculation.
"You would--tyfel--I forgot my pen," said the syndic, catching it as it
fell out of his mouth. "You would speak with me, mynheer? To whom have
I the pleasure of addressing myself?"
"These letters, sir," replied Ramsay, "will inform you."
Mynheer Van Krause laid his tablets on the table, putting his pen across
to mark the leaf where he had them open, and, taking the letters, begged
Ramsay to be seated. He then took a chair, pulled a pair of
hand-glasses out of his pocket, laid them on his knees, broke the seals,
and falling back so as to recline, commenced reading. As soon as he had
finished the first letter, he put his glasses down from his eyes, and
made a bow to Ramsay, folded the open letter the length of the sheet,
took out his pencil, and on the outside wrote the date of the letter,
the day of the month, name, and the name of the writer. Having done
this, he laid the first letter down on the table, took up the second,
raised up his glasses, and performed the same duty towards it, and thus
he continued until he had read the whole six: always, as he concluded
each letter, making the same low bow to Ramsay which he had after the
perusal of the first. Ramsay, who was not a little tired of all this
precision, at last fixed his eyes upon a Wouvermann which hung near him,
and only took them off when he guessed the time of bowing to be at hand.
The last having been duly marked and numbered, Mynheer Van Krause turned
to Ramsay, and said, "I am most happy, mynheer, to find under my roof a
young gentleman so much recommended by many valuable friends; moreover,
as these letters give me to understand, so warm a friend to our joint
sovereign, and so inimical to the Jacobite party. I am informed by
these letters that you intend to remain at Amsterdam. If so, I trust
that you will take up your quarters in this house."
To this proposal Ramsay, who fully expected it, gave a willing consent,
saying, at the same time, that he had proposed going to an hotel; but
Mynheer Van Krause insisted on sending for Ramsay's luggage. He had not
far to send, as it was at the door.
"How did you come over?" inquired the host.
"In a king's cutter," replied Ramsay, "which waited for me at
Portsmouth."
This intimation produced another very low bow from Mynheer Van Krause;
as it warranted the importance of his guest; but he then rose, and
apologising for his presence being necessary below, as they were
unloading a cargo of considerable value, he ordered his old porter to
show Mr Ramsay into his rooms, and to take up his luggage, informing
his guest that, it being now twelve o'clock, dinner would be on the
table at half-past one, during which interval he begged Ramsay to amuse
himself, by examining the pictures, books, etcetera, with which the room
was well furnished. Then, resuming his tablets and pen, and taking the
letters with him, Mynheer Van Krause made a very low bow, and left
Ramsay to himself, little imagining that he had admitted an attainted
traitor under his roof.
Ramsay could speak Dutch fluently, for he had been quartered two years
at Middleburg, when he was serving in the army. As soon as the sailors
had taken up his portmanteau, and he had dismissed them with a gratuity,
the extent of which made the old porter open his eyes with astonishment,
and gave him a favourable opinion of his master's new guest, he entered
into conversation with the old man, who, like Eve upon another occasion,
was tempted, nothing loth, for the old man loved to talk; and in a house
so busy as the syndic's there were few who had time to chatter, and
those who had, preferred other conversation to what, it must be
confessed, was rather prosy.
"Mein Gott, mynheer, you must not expect to have company here all day.
My master has the town business and his own business to attend to: he
can't well get through it all: besides, now is a busy time, the schuyts
are bringing up the cargo of a vessel from a far voyage, and Mynheer
Krause always goes to the warehouse from breakfast till dinner, and then
again from three or four o'clock till six. After that he will stay
above, and then sees company, and hears our young lady sing."
"Young lady! has he a daughter, then?"
"He has a daughter, mynheer--only one--only one child--no son, it is a
pity; and so much money too, they say. I don't know how many stivers
and guilders she will have by-and-bye."
"Is not Madame Krause still alive?"
"No, mynheer, she died when this maiden was born. She was a good lady,
cured me once of the yellow jaundice."
Ramsay, like all young men, wondered what sort of a person this lady
might be; but he was too discreet to put the question. He was, however,
pleased to hear that there was a young female in the house, as it would
make the time pass away more agreeably; not that he expected much.
Judging from the father, he made up his mind, as he took his clothes out
of his valise, that she was very short, very prim, and had a hooked
nose.
The old man now left the room to allow Ramsay to dress, and telling him
that if he wanted anything, he had only to call for Koops, which was his
name; but going out, he returned to say, that Ramsay must call rather
loud, as he was a little hard of hearing.
"Well," thought Ramsay, as he was busy with his toilet, "here I am safe
lodged at last, and everything appears as if it would prosper. There is
something in my position which my mind revolts at, but stratagem is
necessary in war. I am in the enemy's camp to save my own life, and to
serve the just cause. It is no more than what they attempt to do with
us. It is my duty to my lawful sovereign, but still--I do not like it.
Then the more merit in performing a duty so foreign to my inclinations."
Such were the thoughts of Ramsay, who, like other manly and daring
dispositions, was dissatisfied with playing the part of a deceiver,
although he had been selected for the service, and his selection had
been approved of at the court of St. Germains.
Open warfare would have suited him better; but he would not repine at
what he considered he was bound in fealty to perform, if required,
although he instinctively shrank from it. His toilet was complete, and
Ramsay descended into the reception-room: he had been longer than usual,
but probably that was because he wished to commune with himself; or it
might be, because he had been informed that there was a young lady in
the house.
The room was empty when Ramsay entered it, and he took the advice of his
host, and amused himself by examining the pictures, and other articles
of _vertu_ with which the room was filled.
At last, having looked at everything, Ramsay examined a splendid clock
on the mantelpiece, before a line glass, which mounted to the very top
of the lofty room, when, accidentally casting his eyes to the
looking-glass, he perceived in it that the door of the room, to which
his back was turned, was open, and that a female was standing there,
apparently surprised to find a stranger, and not exactly knowing whether
to advance or retreat. Ramsay remained in the same position, as if he
did not perceive her, that he might look at her without her being aware
of it. It was, as he presumed, the syndic's daughter; but how different
from the person he had conjured up in his mind's eye, when at his
toilet! Apparently about seventeen or eighteen years of age, she was
rather above the height of woman, delicately formed, although not by any
means thin in her person: her figure possessing all that feminine
luxuriance, which can only be obtained when the bones are small but well
covered. Her face was oval, and brilliantly fair. Her hair of a dark
chestnut, and her eyes of a deep blue. Her dress was simple in the
extreme. She wore nothing but the white woollen petticoats of the time,
so short, as to show above her ankles, and a sort of little jacket of
fine green cloth, with lappets, which descended from the waist, and
opened in front. Altogether, Ramsay thought that he had never in his
life seen a young female so peculiarly attractive at first sight: there
was a freshness in her air and appearance so uncommon, so unlike the
general crowd. As she stood in a state of uncertainty, her mouth
opened, and displayed small and beautifully white teeth.
Gradually she receded, supposing that she had not been discovered, and
closed the door quietly after her, leaving Ramsay for a few seconds at
the glass, with his eyes fixed upon the point at which she had
disappeared.
Ramsay of course fell into a reverie, as most men do in a case of this
kind; but he had not proceeded very far into it before he was
interrupted by the appearance of the syndic, who entered by another
door.
"I am sorry to have been obliged to leave you to your own company,
Mynheer Ramsay, so soon after your arrival; but my arrangement of time
is regular, and I cannot make any alteration. Before you have been with
us long, I trust that you will find means of amusement. I shall have
great pleasure in introducing you to many friends whose time is not so
occupied as mine. Once again let me say how happy I am to receive so
distinguished a young gentleman under my roof. Did the cutter bring
despatches for the States General, may I inquire?"
"Yes," replied Ramsay, "she did; and they are of some importance."
"Indeed!" rejoined mynheer, inquisitively.
"My dear sir," said Ramsay, blushing at his own falsehood, "we are, I
believe, both earnest in one point, which is to strengthen the good
cause. Under such an impression, and having accepted your hospitality,
I have no right to withhold what I know, but with which others are not
acquainted."
"My dear sir," interrupted Krause, who was now fully convinced of the
importance of his guest, "you do me justice; I am firm and steadfast in
the good cause. I am known to be so, and I am also, I trust, discreet;
confiding to my tried friends, indeed, but it will be generally
acknowledged that Mynheer Krause has possessed, and safely guarded, the
secrets of the State."
Now, in the latter part of this speech, Mynheer Krause committed a small
mistake. He was known to be a babbler, one to whom a secret could not
be imparted, without every risk of its being known; and it was from the
knowledge of this failing in Mynheer Krause that Ramsay had received
such very particular recommendations to him. As syndic of the town, it
was impossible to prevent his knowledge of Government secrets, and when
these occasionally escaped, they were always traced to his not being
able to hold his tongue.
Nothing pleased Mynheer Krause so much as a secret, because nothing gave
him so much pleasure as whispering it confidentially into the ear of a
dozen confidential friends. The consequence was, the Government was
particularly careful that he should not know what was going on, and did
all they could to prevent it; but there were many others who, although
they could keep a secret, had no objection to part with it for a
consideration, and in the enormous commercial transactions of Mynheer
Krause, it was not unfrequent for a good bargain to be struck with him
by one or more of the public functionaries, the difference between the
sum proposed and accepted being settled against the interest of Mynheer
Krause, by the party putting him in possession of some Government
movement which had hitherto been kept _in petto_. Every man has his
hobby, and usually pays dear for it; so did Mynheer Krause.
Now when it is remembered that Ramsay had opened and read the whole of
the despatches, it may at once be supposed what a valuable acquaintance
he would appear to Mynheer Krause; but we must not anticipate. Ramsay's
reply was, "I feel it my bounden duty to impart all I am possessed of to
my very worthy host, but allow me to observe, mynheer, that prudence is
necessary--we may be overheard."
"I am pleased to find one of your age so circumspect," replied Krause;
"perhaps it would be better to defer our conversation till after supper;
but in the meantime, could you not just give me a little inkling of what
is going on?"
Ramsay had difficulty in stifling a smile at this specimen of Mynheer
Krause's eagerness for intelligence. He very gravely walked up to him,
looked all round the room as if he was afraid that the walls would hear
him, and then whispered for a few seconds into the ear of his host.
"Indeed!" exclaimed Krause, looking up into Ramsay's face.
Ramsay nodded his head authoritatively.
"Gott in himmel!" exclaimed the syndic; but here the bell for dinner
rang a loud peal. "Dinner is on the table, mynheer," continued the
syndic; "allow me to show you the way. We will talk this over to-night.
Gott in himmel! Is it possible?"
Mynheer Krause led the way to another saloon, where Ramsay found not
only the table prepared, but, as he had anticipated, the daughter of his
host, to whom he was introduced. "Wilhelmina," said Mynheer Krause,
"our young friend will stay with us, I trust, some time, and you must do
all you can to make him comfortable. You know, my dear, that business
must be attended to. With me, time is money; so much so, that I can
scarcely do justice to the affairs of the State devolving upon me in
virtue of my office. You must, therefore, join with me, and do your
best to amuse our guest."
To this speech, Wilhelmina made no reply, but by a gracious inclination
of her head towards Ramsay, which was returned with all humility. The
dinner was excellent, and Ramsay amused himself very well indeed until
it was over. Mynheer Krause then led the way to the saloon, called for
coffee, and, as soon as he had finished it, made an apology to his guest
and left him alone with his beautiful daughter.
Wilhelmina Krause was a young person of a strong mind irregularly
cultivated; she had never known the advantage of a mother's care, and
was, indeed, self-educated. She had a strong tinge of romance in her
character, and, left so much alone, she loved to indulge in it.
In other points she was clever, well read, and accomplished; graceful in
her manners, open in her disposition, to a fault; for, like her father,
she could not keep a secret, not even the secrets of her own heart; for
whatever she thought she gave utterance to, which is not exactly the
custom in this world, and often attended with unpleasant consequences.
The seclusion in which she had been kept added to the natural timidity
of her disposition--but when once intimate, it also added to her
confiding character. It was impossible to see without admiring her, to
know her without loving her; for she was Nature herself, and, at the
same time, in her person one of Nature's masterpieces.
As we observed, when they retired to the saloon, Mynheer Krause very
shortly quitted them, to attend to his affairs below, desiring his
daughter to exert herself for the amusement of his guest; the contrary,
however, was the case, for Ramsay exerted himself to amuse her, and very
soon was successful, for he could talk of courts and kings, of courtiers
and of people, and of a thousand things, all interesting to a young girl
who had lived secluded; and as his full-toned voice, in measured and low
pitch, fell upon Wilhelmina's ear, she never perhaps was so much
interested. She seldom ventured a remark, except it was to request him
to proceed; and the eloquent language with which Ramsay clothed his
ideas added a charm to the novelty of his conversation. In the course
of two hours Ramsay had already acquired a moral influence over
Wilhelmina, who looked up to him with respect, and another feeling which
we can only define by saying that it was certainly anything but
ill-will.
The time passed so rapidly, that the two young people could hardly
believe it possible that it was past six o'clock, when they were
interrupted by the appearance of Mynheer Krause, who came from his
counting-house, the labours of the day being over. In the summer-time
it was his custom to take his daughter out in the carriage at this hour,
but the weather was too cold, and, moreover, it was nearly dark. A
conversation ensued on general topics, which lasted till supper-time;
after this repast was over Wilhelmina retired, leaving Ramsay and the
syndic alone.
It was then that Ramsay made known to his host the contents of the
despatches, much to Mynheer Krause's surprise and delight, who felt
assured that his guest must be strong in the confidence of the English
Government, to be able to communicate such intelligence. Ramsay, who
was aware that the syndic would sooner or later know what had been
written, of course was faithful in his detail: not so, however, when
they canvassed the attempts of the Jacobite party; then Mr Krause was
completely mystified.
It was not till a late hour that they retired to bed. The next morning,
the syndic, big with his intelligence, called upon his friends in
person, and much to their surprise told them the contents of the
despatches which had been received--and, much to his delight, discovered
that he had been correctly informed. He also communicated what Ramsay
had told him relative to the movements of the court of St. Germain, and
thus, unintentionally, false intelligence was forwarded to England as
from good authority. It hardly need be observed, that, in a very short
time, Ramsay had gained the entire confidence of his host, and we may
add also, of his host's daughter; but we must leave him for the present
to follow up his plans, whatever they may be, and return to the
personages more immediately connected with this narrative.