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their pipes and beer。＇*＇
＇*＇ Flanders was parcelled into three divisions； of which Eastern
Flanders； capital Ghent； and Western Flanders； capital Bruges； are
two provinces of Belgium。 French Flanders； capital Lille； is the
Departement du Nord of France。 Douai； about twenty miles from
Lille； is the chief town of the arrondissement du Nord。
After assimilating； by constant sober regulation of conduct； the
products and the ideas of its masters and its neighbors； this country
of Flanders； by nature so tame and devoid of poetry； worked out for
itself an original existence； with characteristic manners and customs
which bear no signs of servile imitation。 Art stripped off its
ideality and produced form alone。 We may seek in vain for plastic
grace； the swing of comedy； dramatic action； musical genius； or the
bold flight of ode and epic。 On the other hand； the people are fertile
in discoveries； and trained to scientific discussions which demand
time and the midnight oil。 All things bear the ear…mark of temporal
enjoyment。 There men look exclusively to the thing that is： their
thoughts are so scrupulously bent on supplying the wants of this life
that they have never risen； in any direction； above the level of this
present earth。 The sole idea they have ever conceived of the future is
that of a thrifty； prosaic statecraft： their revolutionary vigor came
from a domestic desire to live as they liked； with their elbows on the
table； and to take their ease under the projecting roofs of their own
porches。
The consciousness of well…being and the spirit of independence which
comes of prosperity begot in Flanders； sooner than elsewhere； that
craving for liberty which； later； permeated all Europe。 Thus the
compactness of their ideas； and the tenacity which education grafted
on their nature made the Flemish people a formidable body of men in
the defence of their rights。 Among them nothing is half…done；neither
houses； furniture； dikes； husbandry； nor revolutions； and they hold a
monopoly of all that they undertake。 The manufacture of linen； and
that of lace； a work of patient agriculture and still more patient
industry； are hereditary like their family fortunes。 If we were asked
to show in human form the purest specimen of solid stability； we could
do no better than point to a portrait of some old burgomaster；
capable； as was proved again and again； of dying in a commonplace way；
and without the incitements of glory； for the welfare of his Free…
town。
Yet we shall find a tender and poetic side to this patriarchal life；
which will come naturally to the surface in the description of an
ancient house which； at the period when this history begins； was one
of the last in Douai to preserve the old…time characteristics of
Flemish life。
Of all the towns in the Departement du Nord； Douai is； alas； the most
modernized： there the innovating spirit has made the greatest strides；
and the love of social progress is the most diffused。 There the old
buildings are daily disappearing； and the manners and customs of a
venerable past are being rapidly obliterated。 Parisian ideas and
fashions and modes of life now rule the day； and soon nothing will be
left of that ancient Flemish life but the warmth of its hospitality；
its traditional Spanish courtesy； and the wealth and cleanliness of
Holland。 Mansions of white stone are replacing the old brick
buildings； and the cosy comfort of Batavian interiors is fast yielding
before the capricious elegance of Parisian novelties。
The house in which the events of this history occurred stands at about
the middle of the rue de Paris； and has been known at Douai for more
than two centuries as the House of Claes。 The Van Claes were formerly
one of the great families of craftsmen to whom； in various lines of
production； the Netherlands owed a commercial supremacy which it has
never lost。 For a long period of time the Claes lived at Ghent； and
were； from generation to generation； the syndics of the powerful Guild
of Weavers。 When the great city revolted under Charles V。； who tried
to suppress its privileges； the head of the Claes family was so deeply
compromised in the rebellion that； foreseeing a catastrophe and bound
to share the fate of his associates； he secretly sent wife； children；
and property to France before the Emperor invested the town。 The
syndic's forebodings were justified。 Together with other burghers who
were excluded from the capitulation； he was hanged as a rebel； though
he was； in reality； the defender of the liberties of Ghent。
The death of Claes and his associates bore fruit。 Their needless
execution cost the King of Spain the greater part of his possessions
in the Netherlands。 Of all the seed sown in the earth； the blood of
martyrs gives the quickest harvest。 When Philip the Second； who
punished revolt through two generations； stretched his iron sceptre
over Douai； the Claes preserved their great wealth by allying
themselves in marriage with the very noble family of Molina； whose
elder branch； then poor； thus became rich enough to buy the county of
Nourho which they had long held titularly in the kingdom of Leon。
At the beginning of the nineteenth century； after vicissitudes which
are of no interest to our present purpose； the family of Claes was
represented at Douai in the person of Monsieur Balthazar Claes…Molina；
Comte de Nourho； who preferred to be called simply Balthazar Claes。 Of
the immense fortune amassed by his ancestors； who had kept in motion
over a thousand looms； there remained to him some fifteen thousand
francs a year from landed property in the arrondissement of Douai； and
the house in the rue de Paris； whose furniture in itself was a
fortune。 As to the family possessions in Leon； they had been in
litigation between the Molinas of Douai and the branch of the family
which remained in Spain。 The Molinas of Leon won the domain and
assumed the title of Comtes de Nourho； though the Claes alone had a
legal right to it。 But the pride of a Belgian burgher was superior to
the haughty arrogance of Castile： after the civil rights were
instituted； Balthazar Claes cast aside the ragged robes of his Spanish
nobility for his more illustrious descent from the Ghent martyr。
The patriotic sentiment was so strongly developed in the families
exiled under Charles V。 that； to the very close of the eighteenth
century； the Claes remained faithful to the manners and customs and
traditions of their ancestors。 They married into none but the purest
burgher families； and required a certain number of aldermen and
burgomasters in the pedigree of every bride…elect before admitting her
to the family。 They sought their wives in Bruges or Ghent； in Liege or
in Holland； so that the time…honored domestic customs might be
perpetuated around their hearthstones。 This social group became more
and more restricted； until； at the close of the last century； it
mustered only some seven o