YouvisitedthetownofRotterdamsomefourmonthsago，andthenIsawinthechurchofSt。Lawrenceyourniece，RoseVelderkaust。Idesiretomarryher，andifIsatisfyyouastothefactthatIamverywealthy——morewealthythananyhusbandyoucoulddreamofforher——I
expectthatyouwillforwardmyviewstotheutmostofyourauthority。Ifyouapprovemyproposal，youmustclosewithitatonce，forIcannotcommandtimeenoughtowaitforcalculationsanddelays。’
GerardDouwwas，perhaps，asmuchastonishedasanyonecouldbebytheveryunexpectednatureofMynherVanderhausen’scommunication；buthedidnotgiveventtoanyunseemlyexpressionofsurprise，forbesidesthemotivessuppliedbyprudenceandpoliteness，thepainterexperiencedakindofchillandoppressivesensation，somethinglikethatwhichissupposedtoaffectamanwhoisplacedunconsciouslyinimmediatecontactwithsomethingtowhichhehasanaturalanti-
pathy——anundefinedhorroranddreadwhilestandinginthepresenceoftheeccentricstranger，whichmadehimveryunwillingtosayanythingwhichmightreasonablyproveoffensive。
’Ihavenodoubt，’saidGerard，aftertwoorthreeprefatoryhems，’thattheconnectionwhichyouproposewouldprovealikeadvantageousandhonourabletomyniece；butyoumustbeawarethatshehasawillofherown，andmaynotacquiesceinwhatWEmaydesignforheradvantage。’