Part 4 (2/2)
”The idiot!”
”And I had a mind to see whether it was 'like maid like master:' for there is sooth in bywords.”
William Johnson blushed purple. He saw Margaret was keen, and suspected him. He did the wisest thing under the circ.u.mstances, trusted to deeds not words. He insisted on their coming home with him at once, and he would show them whether they were welcome to Rotterdam or not.
”Who doubts it, cousin? Who doubts it?” said the scholar.
Margaret thanked him graciously, but demurred to go just now: said she wanted to hear the minstrels again. In about a quarter of an hour Johnson renewed his proposal, and bade her observe that many of the guests had left. Then her real reason came out.
”It were ill manners to our friend: and he will lose us. He knows not where we lodge in Rotterdam, and the city is large, and we have parted company once already.”
”Oh!” said Johnson, ”we will provide for that. My young man, ahem! I mean my secretary, shall sit here and wait, and bring him on to my house: he shall lodge with me and with no other.”
”Cousin, we shall be too burdensome.”
”Nay, nay; you shall see whether you are welcome, or not, you and your friends, and your friends' friends if need be: and I shall hear what the princess would with him.”
Margaret felt a thrill of joy that Gerard should be lodged under the same roof with her; then she had a slight misgiving. ”But if your young man should be thoughtless, and go play, and Gerard miss him?”
”He go play? He leave that spot where I put him? and bid him stay? Ho!
Stand forth, Hans Cloterman.”
A figure clad in black serge and dark violet hose arose, and took two steps and stood before them without moving a muscle: a solemn, precise young man, the very statue of gravity and starched propriety. At his aspect Margaret, being very happy, could hardly keep her countenance.
But she whispered Johnson, ”I would put my hand in the fire for him. We are at your command, cousin, as soon as you have given him his orders.”
Hans was then instructed to sit at the table and wait for Gerard, and conduct him to Ooster-Waagen Straet. He replied, not in words, but by calmly taking the seat indicated, and Margaret, Peter, and William Johnson went away together.
”And, indeed, it is time you were abed, father, after all your travel,”
said Margaret. This had been in her mind all along.
Hans Cloterman sat waiting for Gerard, solemn and business-like. The minutes flew by, but excited no impatience in that perfect young man.
Johnson did him no more than justice when he laughed to scorn the idea of his secretary leaving his post, or neglecting his duty, in pursuit of sport or out of youthful hilarity and frivolity.
As Gerard was long in coming, the patient Hans--his employer's eye being no longer on him--improved the time by quaffing solemnly, silently, and at short but accurately measured intervals, goblets of Corsican wine.
The wine was strong, so was Cloterman's head: and Gerard had been gone a good hour ere the model secretary imbibed the notion that Creation expected Cloterman to drink the health of all good fellows, and ”nommement” of the Duke of Burgundy there present. With this view he filled b.u.mper nine, and rose gingerly but solemnly and slowly. Having reached his full height, he instantly rolled upon the gra.s.s, goblet in hand, spilling the cold liquor on more than one ankle--whose owners frisked--but not disturbing a muscle in his own long face, which, in the total eclipse of reason, retained its gravity, primness, and infallibility.
The seneschal led Gerard through several pa.s.sages to the door of the pavilion, where some young n.o.blemen, embroidered and feathered, sat sentinel, guarding the heir-apparent, and playing cards by the red light of torches their servants held. A whisper from the seneschal, and one of them rose reluctantly, stared at Gerard with haughty surprise, and entered the pavilion. He presently returned, and, beckoning the pair, led them through a pa.s.sage or two and landed them in an ante-chamber, where sat three more young gentlemen, feathered, furred, and embroidered like pieces of fancy work, and deep in that instructive and edifying branch of learning, dice.
”You can't see the princess--it is too late,” said one.
<script>