The Castle de Werve presented all the appearances of ancient opulence;
but also of dilapidation dating from a long time back. There was the
feudal drawbridge, immovable through long disuse, leading straight
to the large gate, full of those iron rivets used in olden times as
a defence against the attacks of the hatchet and pike. But the wood
itself was rotting, and the rusty hinges could scarcely sustain their
accustomed weight. In the tumbledown walls I could see loopholes
large enough for a giant to creep through.
The house had been rebuilt in the time of the Stadtholder William
III.--King William III. of England--and the rich, solemn style then
in vogue had been adopted. There was a sort of rotunda in the centre,
kept, relatively speaking, in better repair than the rest of the
building, flanked by two wings, which seemed uninhabited, and in fact
so neglected as to be uninhabitable. Most of the panes were cracked
or broken, and only in some cases had the broken glass been replaced
by gray paper. The aloe-trees, set out to ornament the front of the
house, were planted for the greater part in cracked or broken vases.
As Francis had remarked, before I could follow her into the house
"half the garrison turned out" to salute us in the person of the
Captain, whom I immediately recognized from the description I had
had of him. He wore a blue jacket and trousers, a waistcoat buttoned
close up to his chin, and the military black-leather collar, which
he had not yet been able to dispense with. The William's Order [3]
adorned his breast; and he stood erect in spite of his stiff leg,
which obliged him to support himself with a stick. He had placed
his cap jauntily and soldier-like on one side of his head, and his
entire bearing called up the idea of a military man only half at
his ease in civilian dress. Though deep in the fifties, his hair is
still jet black, and the length and stiffness of his mustachios, a
la Napoleon, indicate a constant use of cosmetics. His face is very
red, his eyes brown and bold, his features rude, and his thick red
lips and short round chin give him a sensual appearance. He had in
his mouth a long German pipe, from which he puffed clouds of smoke,
and after a military salute he accosted us in these words--
"Well, Major, what's this? Have you made a prisoner? or is this some
one to be quartered on us?"
"A visitor for the General, Captain," replied Francis, stepping past
him, and giving me a hint to follow her.
"Had a deuced bad luncheon! Waited half an hour for the Freule;
the eggs too hard, the beefsteak like leather, his Excellency out of
humour--and all this because the Freule takes it into her head to ride
out at inconvenient hours, and return on foot to the fortress leading
the hero of this pretty adventure in triumph behind her," growled
the Captain, in a half-angry, half-jesting tone, as he followed us.
Francis turning round said--
"All this, Captain, is because your Major--you understand me,
your Major--has had the pleasure of meeting with her cousin, Jonker
Leopold van Zonshoven; let that suffice you, and if you have any more
complaints, put them in your report-book."
After this I followed Francis through the vestibule, where a servant
received us with a military salute, and showed us into an immense
drawing-room hung with embossed gilt leather. Here the General was
taking a nap in a high-backed easy-chair. Francis entered the room
softly enough, but the loud heavy step of the Captain, who thought
fit to follow us, awoke the sleeper with a start.
Instead of the pourfendeur I had conjured up in my fancy from old
Aunt Roselaer's accounts, I perceived a little, thin, grey-headed old
man, the traits of whose face showed him to be a person of superior
breeding, wrapped in a very threadbare damask dressing-gown. His
nose was long and straight, his lips thin and pale, his eyes of a
soft blue, with an expression of lethargy or fatigue. His white,
dry hands had very prominent veins; and he wore a large signet-ring,
with which he kept playing in a nervous, agitated manner all the time
he was speaking.
Francis introduced me in her own peculiar way--
"Grandfather, I bring you Jonker Leopold van Zonshoven, to whom you
must give a hearty welcome, for he is a curiosity in our family."
"In our family! Jonker van Zonshoven--ah! yes, I remember, I
understand," he said, in a surprised and embarrassed tone, which
proved his recollection to be of the vaguest; but he bowed politely,
and offered me his hand, which I shook cordially.
"Sit down, Jonker," he said, pointing to a chair behind which the
Captain stood as if he intended to dispute the place with me.
Francis rang the bell, and asked Fritz if the luncheon were still on
the table.
The servant, with a surprised look, answered--
"It is half-past one."
"Right, Fritz. It is the rule of the house: he who is not here at
roll-call is not expected. Bring a plate of cold meat and bread into
this room."
"And a glass of port-wine for the gentleman," put in the Captain.
When Fritz had left the room, the Captain came and stood straight
before me, saying--
"Pardon me, Jonker, I must have a good look at you. There must be
something peculiar in a young man who has so quickly found favour in
the eyes of our Major."
I hesitated about giving him the answer he deserved in the presence
of the General; and, besides, Francis had warned me he was a man of
no education.
However, the General, speaking in a soft yet authoritative voice,
said--
"Rolf, there are jests which may pass amongst ourselves, but you
seem to forget we are not now alone, and you are wanting in respect
to Miss Mordaunt."
"Because I call her Major in the presence of a relation of the
family! Excuse me, your Excellency, but you ought to have given me
the watchword beforehand. I shall not forget again."
"It is no good, grandfather," said Francis; "at his age we cannot break
him of his bad habits, though we might expect him to be respectful
to the granddaughter of General von Zwenken, in spite of his having
taught her her drill when a child. And now, as you have asked for
the watchword of the day, Captain, attend: it is this, 'Politeness
to my visitor.'"
It became clear to me that the Captain had long been indulged in
his vulgar familiarities, and that I ought not to attach too much
importance to them. As soon as Fritz brought in the port-wine he filled
three glasses brimful; presented the first glass to me, then one to the
General, and taking up his own, said in his rough, good-natured way--
"The health of our commandant, and a welcome to you,
Jonker!" apparently thinking this the best amends he could make.
As soon as Francis had taken a slight repast she left the room, and,
at a hint from the General, Rolf did the same.
Now that we were left to our two selves, the General, drawing himself
up with dignity in his chair, said--
"A word with you, Jonker, if you please."
I bowed assent.
"But be so good as to move your chair nearer to me; I am a little
deaf."
I complied with his request.
"Pardon me for asking you a question which may seem somewhat out of
place. Is this the first time you have met my granddaughter?"
"The first time, General;" and I rapidly sketched an account of our
meeting and walk to the Castle.
"Well, I am glad of it," said the old man with a sigh of relief. "My
granddaughter is possessed of many excellent qualities, that I can
truly say; but she has her peculiarities. At times she can be very
brusque, and she has a foible for braving the laws of good society,
and setting all the world at defiance, which has made her many
enemies. It occurred to me she was now trying to make amends for some
misunderstanding which had arisen between herself and you."
I assured him this was not the case, and that I felt my kindly
reception to be the more flattering since Miss Mordaunt was not
accustomed to flatter.
"Then explain to me," he continued, "your relationship to the family,
for, though I remember having heard of a Van Zonshoven who was related
to my deceased wife, it is so long ago----"
"My grandmother, General, was a Freule van Roselaer."
"She married a French nobleman, if I recollect aright?"
"A Belgian, General: Baron d'Hermaele."
"Well, yes, it was during the French occupation of the country under
Napoleon I.; and in those days one did not pay so much attention to
nationality. Our disagreement with Freule Sophia prevented our making
his acquaintance. He settled in Belgium, and I heard afterwards that
Baron d'Hermaele stood in high favour at court in the reign of King
William I."
"This court favour cost him his life," I added, "for he remained
faithful to his king during the Belgian Revolution; his castle near
Larken was pillaged and burnt by the populace, and he himself cruelly
murdered whilst defending his wife and children."
"Another fact out of those sad and confused times which I so well
remember. My men were burning with rage to punish such rebels and
brigands, but, alas! they were kept inactive. What became of the
widow and children?"
"She returned to Holland with one son and seven daughters, of whom the
eldest married my father, Jonker van Zonshoven. I am their only son."
"Then I am your great-uncle, Jonker."
"I have made the same calculation, General, and it is for this
reason----"
"You don't come to talk to me about family affairs, I hope?" he
interrupted, growing uncomfortable.
"But, my dear uncle, we can speak of family affairs without their
necessarily causing unpleasantness."
"Hum! Well, you are a Van Zonshoven, a stranger to all the pitiful
feuds which have separated me from the Roselaers. Whole treasures
have been thrown away on the lawsuits they have brought against
me. Francis and I are both still suffering from such losses. Look
here, if you bring any painful news for Francis, or any humiliating
tidings for me--I know that even the validity of my Swiss marriage is
contested--I beseech you, be generous, spare her as long as possible,
for she is ignorant of this fact. Perhaps, old and broken though I
be by trials, I can ward off the evil day a little longer; but be
sincere and tell me plainly----"
"I assure you, General, my chief desire--as I have already told Miss
Mordaunt--is to save you every kind of trouble I can. I wish simply
to draw family ties closer, and my most ardent desire is that a Van
Zonshoven may have the good fortune to heal the wounds caused by
the Roselaers."
"Many things are necessary! Much money! As we soldiers say, gold
is the sinews of war--and, pardon me if I make a mistake, the Van
Zonshovens are not rich."
"You are not mistaken, General. My grandmother and her children
had to live on the pension allowed the widow of Baron d'Hermaele,
and this pension ceased with her life."
"And did the king do nothing for the daughters?"
"What would you expect from him, uncle? The only son was promoted and
rewarded, but he died in the flower of his age. It was impossible
for the young ladies to keep William II. in constant recollection
of their father's loyalty. Besides, we decided not to petition or
supplicate for favours, preferring to rely on our own energies and
self-help. This principle was instilled into me whilst I was young."
"You surprise me. But is there not a Van Zonshoven Minister for
Foreign Affairs in the present Government?" asked the General. "He
must be a rich man, I fancy. What is your relationship to him?"
"He is my uncle; but I esteem him little. He is married to the
coffee-coloured daughter of a rich Java merchant--for her money,
of course. She is neither intelligent, amiable, nor educated; and
indeed, has got little from him in return for her money except the
right to bear his name and title."
"A pitiful mesalliance, certainly! But for you the consequences are
a rich and childless uncle?" he observed by way of a query.
"Yes, and he is already old. But, unfortunately, I am estranged from
him, for I consider it beneath my dignity to beg favours from him."
The General shook his head. "There spoke the blood of the Roselaers."
"No, General, the Van Zonshovens are not vindictive, but proud. Though
poor, I have always prized my independence above all things. I
have lived soberly, and never indulged in pleasures above my means;
consequently I have not been forced to sacrifice my liberty, which,
to tell you the truth, is dearer to me than my patent of nobility."
"Bravo! bravissimo!" resounded in my ears from the bottom of the
room; and it came from the deep, clear voice of Francis, who had been
entering the room as I spoke these words.
"You see, Jonker," said the General, somewhat fretfully, and knitting
his brows, "your style of speaking has touched my granddaughter's
weak side. Her dreams are of independence, and her illusion is to be
indebted to nobody."
"Not my illusion, grandfather. My principle is rather to be poor and
independent, and appear so; and rather to suffer privations and make
sacrifices, than be guilty of meanness for the sake of supplying
imaginary wants and desires which we ought manfully to resist."
The General bit his lips, shut his eyes, and sank back in his chair, as
if he had received a blow from a club; but unwilling to acknowledge a
defeat, after a few seconds he raised himself up and said to Francis--
"I allow that you far surpass me in bearing privations; but it would
be well for you to learn a little self-restraint. At my time of life
it is hard to bear reproaches. I cannot change my way of living,
though I confess you deny yourself much for my sake."
"Come, come, grandfather, you know my words sound harsher than I
mean them; but you cannot expect me to approve what angers me--such
self-restraint I shall never learn."
"That's unfortunate," replied the General in a bitter tone; "for
what will Leopold think of us if he must listen to such reproaches
at every turn."
"He will think, uncle, that he is on a visit to a family which is
above dissembling to deceive him, and he will esteem such frankness
as an honour and a privilege----"
"Well! that's an advantage you'll enjoy to your heart's content,
Jonker, if you stay here long," interrupted the Captain, who had again
entered the room. "Our Major has the praiseworthy custom of speaking
her mind without respect of persons; and when she's displeased, it is
'parade and proceed to execution,' as we say in the courts-martial."
"Had pardons not been heard of, Captain," retorted Francis, half in
jest, half in earnest, "you would have been dismissed the service
long ere this."
"That only proves my long-suffering and patience, Miss Major; you know
I permit you to treat me like a corporal would a raw recruit. I would
not bear from the Prince Field-Marshal what I have borne from you."
"Captain," said the General, who had been listening nervously,
"Captain, I thought I had given you to understand that I desired to
be en famille."
"And I, General, not guessing the conversation could be so entertaining
for you, came to propose our usual remedy against low spirits: a game
at piquet."
"Thank you, Captain, no cards this afternoon; I am anxious to talk
to my nephew."