reading　this　covenant；　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　waited　in　silence　until　he　had　satisfied
  himself　by　an　inspection　of　both　as　to　the
  value　of　the　pledge　left　in　his　hands。　At
  length　he　said：
  'Are　you　content？'
  The　painter　said　he　would　fain　have　an
  other　day　to　consider。
  'Not　an　hour；'　said　the　suitor；　coolly。
  'Well；　then；'　said　Douw；　'I　am　content；
  it　is　a　bargain。'
  'Then　sign　at　once；'　said　Vanderhausen；
  '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　signed　the　instrument　which
  bestowed　upon　another　that　hand　which
  he　had　so　long　regarded　as　the　object　and
  reward　of　all　his　labours。
  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　of　the　clock；　at　your　house；　Gerard
  Douw；　and　will　see　the　subject　of　our
  contract。　Farewell。'　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；　very
  odd；　very　fearful。　He　and　his　master
  returned　together；　and　talked　but　little　on
  the　way；　for　each　had　his　own　sub…
  jects　of　reflection；　of　anxiety；　and　of
  hope。
  Schalken；　however；　did　not　know　the
  ruin　which　threatened　his　cherished
  schemes。
  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　Mynher　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　marriage；
  as　it　would　have　been　to　draw　up　his　bonds
  and　receipts　in　the　language　of　chivalrous
  romance。
  The　painter；　however；　did　not　communicate
  to　his　niece　the　important　step　which
  he　had　taken　in　her　behalf；　and　his　resolution
  arose　not　from　any　anticipation　of
  opposition　on　her　part；　but　solely　from　a
  ludicrous　consciousness　that　if　his　ward
  were；　as　she　very　naturally　might　do；　to
  ask　him　to　describe　the　appearance　of　the
  bridegroom　whom　he　destined　for　her；　he
  would　be　forced　to　confess　that　he　had　not
  seen　his　face；　and；　if　called　upon；　would　find
  it　impossible　to　identify　him。
  Upon　the　next　day；　Gerard　Douw　having
  dined；　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…potion　which　few
  heads　or　hearts　can　resist。　Trust　me；　thou
  wilt　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　to…night；　and
  observe　me；　child；　do　thou　trick　thyself　out
  handsomely。　I　would　not　have　him　think
  us　poor　or　sluttish。'
  With　these　words　he　left　the　chamber；
  and　took　his　way　to　the　room　to　which　we
  have　already　had　occasion　to　introduce
  our　readersthat　in　which　his　pupils
  worked。
  When　the　evening　closed　in；　Gerard
  called　Schalken；　who　was　about　to　take　his
  departure　to　his　obscure　and　comfortless
  lodgings；　and　asked　him　to　come
  home　and　sup　with　Rose　and　Vanderhausen。
  The　invitation　was　of　course　accepted；
  and　Gerard　Douw　and　his　pupil　soon
  found　themselves　in　the　handsome　and
  somewhat　antique…looking　room　which
  had　been　prepared　for　the　reception　of　the
  stranger。
  A　cheerful　wood…fire　blazed　in　the　capacious
  hearth；　a　little　at　one　side　an　old…
  fashioned　table；　with　richly…carved　legs；
  was　placeddestined；　no　doubt；　to　receive
  the　supper；　for　which　preparations　were
  going　forward；　and　ranged　with　exact
  regularity；　stood　the　tall…backed　chairs；
  whose　ungracefulness　was　more　than
  counterbalanced　by　their　comfort。
  The　little　party；　consisting　of　Rose；　her
  uncle；　and　the　artist；　awaited　the　arrival　of
  the　expected　visitor　with　considerable　impatience。
  Nine　o'clock　at　length　came；　and　with　it
  a　summons　at　the　street…door；　which；　being
  speedily　answered；　was　followed　by　a　slow
  and　emphatic　tread　upon　the　staircase；　the
  steps　moved　heavily　across　the　lobby；　the
  door　of　the　room　in　which　the　party　which
  we　have　described　were　assembled　slowly
  opened；　and　there　entered　a　figure　which
  startled；　almost　appalled；　the　phlegmatic
  Dutchmen；　and　nearly　made　Rose　scream
  with　affright；　it　was　the　form；　and　arrayed
  in　the　garb；　of　Mynher　Vanderhausen；
  the　air；　the　gait；　the　height　was　the　same；
  but　the　features　had　never　been　seen　by
  any　of　the　party　before。
  The　stranger　stopped　at　the　door　of　the
  room；　and　displayed　his　form　and　face
  completely。　He　wore　a　dark…coloured
  cloth　cloak；　which　was　short　and　full；　not
  falling　quite　to　the　knees；　his　legs　were
  cased　in　dark　purple　silk　stockings；　and　his
  shoes　were　adorned　with　roses　of　the　same
  colour。　The　opening　of　the　cloak　in　front
  showed　the　under…suit　to　consist　of　some
  very　dark；　perhaps　sable　material；　and　his
  hands　were　enclosed　in　a　pair　of　heavy
  leather　gloves　which　ran　up　considerably
  above　the　wrist；　in　the　manner　of　a　gauntlet。
  In　one　hand　he　carried　his　walking…
  stick　and　his　hat；　which　he　had　removed；
  and　the　other　hung　heavily　by　his　side。
  A　quantity　of　grizzled　hair　descended　in
  long　tresses　from　his　head；　and　its　folds
  rested　upon　the　plaits　of　a　stiff　ruff；　which
  effectually　concealed　his　neck。
  So　far　all　was　well；　but　the　face！all
  the　flesh　of　the　face　was　coloured　with　the
  bluish　leaden　hue　which　is　sometimes　pro…
  duced　by　the　operation　of　metallic
  medicines　administered　in　excessive　quantities；
  the　eyes　were　enormous；　and　the　white
  appeared　both　above　and　below　the　iris；
  which　gave　to　them　an　expression　of
  insanity；　which　was　heightened　by　their
  glassy　fixedness；　the　nose　was　well　enough；
  but　the　mouth　was　writhed　considerably　to
  one　side；　where　it　opened　in　order　to　give
  egress　to　two　long；　discoloured　fangs；　which
  projected　from　the　upper　jaw；　far　below　the
  lower　lip；　the　hue　of　the　lips　themselves
  bore　the　usual　relation　to　that　of　the　face；
  and　was　consequently　nearly　black。　The
  character　of　the　face　was　malignant；　even
  satanic；　to　the　last　degree；　and；　indeed；
  such　a　combination　of　horror　could　hardly
  be　accounted　for；　except　by　supposing　the
  corpse　of　some　atrocious　malefactor；　which
  had　long　hung　blackening　upon　the　gibbet；
  to　have　at　length　become　the　habitation　of
  a　demonthe　frightful　sport　of　Satanic
  possession。
  It　was　remarkable　that　the　worshipful
  stranger　suffered　as　little　as　possible　of　his
  flesh　to　appear；　and　that　during　his　visit　he
  did　not　once　remove　his　gloves。
  Having　stood　for　some　moments　at　the
  door；　Gerard　Douw　at　length　found　breath
  and　collectedness　to　bid　him　welcome；　and；
  with　a　mute　inclination　of　the　head；　the
  stranger　stepped　forward　into　the　room。
  There　was　something　indescribably　odd；
  even　horrible；　about　all　his　motions；
  something　undefinable；　that　was　unnatural；　un…
  humanit　was　as　if　the　limbs　were　guided
  and　directed　by　a　spirit　unused　to　the
  management　of　bodily　machinery。
  The　stranger　said　hardly　anything　during
  his　visit；　which　did　not　exceed　half　an
  hour；　and　the　host　himself　could　scarcely
  muster　courage　enough　to　utter　the　few
  necessary　salutations　and　courtesies：　and；
  indeed；　such　was　the　nervous　terror　which
  the　presence　of　Vanderhausen　inspired；
  that　very　little　would　have　made　all　his
  entertainers　fly　bellowing　from　the　room。
  They　had　not　so　far　lost　all　self…
  possession；　however；　as　to　fail　to　observe　two
  strange　peculiarities　of　their　visitor。
  During　his　stay　he　did　not　once　suffer
  his　eyelids　to　close；　nor　even　to　move　in
  the　slightest　degree；　and　further；　there
  was　a　death…like　stillness　in　his　whole
  person；　owing　to　the　total　absence　of　the
  heaving　motion　of　the　chest；　caused　by　the
  process　of　respiration。
  These　two　peculiarities；　thoug