rica!"

"Tell him I won't do so under any circumstances."

"Your aunt won't let you go."

"In short, I won't stay."

"I'll deliver the message, but in somewhat milder terms, if agreeable to
you."

"As you choose. Tell him, too, that I beg him to send for me. If he
doesn't wish to enter this heretic's nest himself, for which I don't
blame him in the least, he need only send horses or the carriage for
me."

"And your reasons?"

"I won't weight your baggage still more heavily. Go, or the saddle will
be wet before you ride off."

"Then I'm to tell Hoogstraten to expect a letter."

"No. Such things can't be written. Besides, it won't be necessary. Tell
my father I won't stay with aunt, and want to go home. Good-bye, Nico.
Your riding-boots and green cloth doublet are much more becoming than
those silk fal-lals."

The young lady kissed her hand to the youth, who had already swung
himself into the saddle, and hurried back to the house. Her uncle
shrugged his shoulders, mounted the roan, wrapped the dark cloak closer
around him, beckoned Nicolas to his side, and rode on with him in
advance of the servants.

No word was exchanged between them, so long as their way led through the
city, but outside the gate, Wibisma said:

"Henrica finds the time long in Leyden; she would like to go back to her
father."

"It can't be very pleasant to stay with aunt," replied the youth.

"She is old and sick, and her life has been a joyless one."

"Yet she was beautiful. Few traces of it are visible, but her eyes are
still like those in the portrait, and besides she is so rich."

"That doesn't give happiness."

"But why has she remained unmarried?" The baron shrugged his shoulders,
and replied: "It certainly didn't suit the men."

"Then why didn't she go into a convent?"

"Who knows? Women's hearts are harder to understand than your Greek
books. You'll learn that later. What were you saying to your aunt as I
came up?"

"Why, just see," replied the boy, putting the bridle in his mouth,
and drawing the glove from his left hand, "she slipped this ring on my
finger."

"A splendid emerald! She doesn't usually like to part with such things."

"She first offered me another, saying she would give it to me to make
amends for the thumps I received yesterday as a faithful follower of the
king. Isn't it comical?"

"More than that, I should think."

"It was contrary to my nature to accept gifts for my bruises, and I
hastily dr