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〃He sent me here； mynheer。 In his last illness； only of three days'
duration； he bade me gather all together and come to this city； where I was
to ask for a Mevrouw Baake； his cousin。〃
〃Mevrouw Baake； of the Sigaren Fabrijk；〃 said Dortje； in an aside； to
the others。 〃I lived servant with her before I came here。〃
〃I had heard very little about her； only my father had sometimes
mentioned his cousin to me； they had once been betrothed；〃 the stranger
continued。 〃But when I reached Utrecht I found she was dead two years
dead； but we had never heard of it。〃
〃Dear； dear； dear！〃 exclaimed the professor； pityingly。 〃Well； you had
better let Koosje put you to bed； and we will see what can be done for you
in the morning。〃
〃Am I to make up a bed？〃 Koosje asked； following him along the
passage。
The professor wheeled round and faced her。
〃She had better sleep in the guest room；〃 he said； thoughtfully；
regardless of the cold which struck to his slippered feet from the marble
floor。 〃That is the only room which does not contain specimens that would
probably frighten the poor child。 I am very much afraid； Koosje；〃 he
concluded； doubtfully； 〃that she is a lady； and what we are to do with a
lady I can't think。〃
With that the old gentleman shuffled off to his cosey room； and Koosje
turned back to her kitchen。
〃He'll never think of marrying her；〃 mused Koosje； rather blankly。 If
she had spoken the thoughts to the professor himself； she would have
received a very emphatic assurance that； much as the study of osteology
and the Stradivari had blinded him to the affairs of this workaday world；
he was not yet so thoroughly foolish as to join his fossilised wisdom to the
ignorance of a child of sixteen or seventeen。
However； on the morrow matters assumed a somewhat different aspect。
Gertrude van Floote proved to be not exactly a gentlewoman。 It is true that
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her father had been a well…to…do man for his station in life； and had very
much spoiled and indulged his one motherless child。 Yet her education
was so slight that she could do little more than read and write； besides
speaking a little English； which she had picked up from the yachtsmen
frequenting her native town。 The professor found she had been but a
distant relative of the Mevrouw Baake； to seek whom she had come to
Utrecht； and that she had no kinsfolk upon whom she could dependa fact
which accounted for the profusion of her jewellery； all her golden trinkets
having descended to her as heirlooms。
〃I can be your servant； mynheer；〃 she suggested。 〃Indeed； I am a very
useful girl； as you will find if you will but try me。〃
Now； as a rule； the professor vigorously set his face against admitting
young servants into his house。 They broke his china； they disarranged his
bones； they meddled with his papers； and made general havoc。 So； in truth；
he was not very willing to have Gertrude van Floote as a permanent
member of his household； and he said so。
But Koosje had taken a fancy to the girl； and having an eye to her own
departure at no very distant date；for she had been betrothed more than
two years；she pleaded so hard to keep her； promising to train her in all
the professor's ways； to teach her the value of old china and osteologic
specimens； that eventually； with a good deal of grumbling； the old
gentleman gave way； and； being a wise as well as an old gentleman； went
back to his studies； dismissing Koosje and the girl alike from his thoughts。
Just at first Truide； poor child； was charmed。
She put away her splendid ornaments； and some lilac frocks and black
skirts were purchased for her。 Her box； which she had left at the station；
supplied all that was necessary for Sunday。
It was great fun！ For a whole week this young person danced about the
rambling old house； playing at being a servant。 Then she began to grow a
little weary of it all。 She had been accustomed； of course； to performing
such offices as all Dutch ladies fulfilthe care of china； of linen； the
dusting of rooms； and the like； but she had done them as a mistress； not as
an underling。 And that was not the worst； it was when it came to her pretty
feet having to be thrust into klompen； and her having to take a pail and
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syringe and mop and clean the windows and the pathway and the front of
the house； that the game of maid… servant began to assume a very different
aspect。 When； after having been as free as air to come and go as she chose；
she was only permitted to attend service on Sundays； and to take an hour's
promenade with Dortje； who was dull and heavy and stupid； she began to
feel positively desperate； and the result of it all was that when Jan van der
Welde came； as he was accustomed to do nearly every evening； to see
Koosje； Miss Truide； from sheer longing for excitement and change； began
to make eyes at him； with what effect I will endeavour to show。
Just at first Koosje noticed nothing。 She herself was of so faithful a
nature that an idea； a suspicion； of Jan's faithlessness never entered her
mind。 When the girl laughed and blushed and dimpled and smiled； when
she cast her great blue eyes at the big young fellow； Koosje only thought
how pretty she was； and it was must a thousand pities she had not been
born a great lady。
And thus weeks slipped over。 Never very demonstrative herself；
Koosje saw nothing； Dortje； for her part； saw a great deal； but Dortje was
a woman of few words； one who quite believed in the saying； 〃If speech is
silver； silence is gold；〃 so she held her peace。
Now Truide； rendered fairly frantic by her enforced confinement to the
house； grew to look upon Jan as her only chance of excitement and
distraction； and Jan； poor； thick…headed noodle of six feet high； was
thoroughly wretched。 What to do he knew not。 A strange； mad； fierce
passion for Truide had taken possession of him； and an utter distaste；
almost dislike； had come in place of the old love for Koosje。 Truide was
unlike anything he had ever come in contact with before； she was so fairy…
like； so light； so delicate； so