And Rosa, after having returned to her room, repeated in her solitude
the reading lessons, and at the same time recalled all the delight which
she had felt whilst receiving them.

One evening she came half an hour later than usual. This was too
extraordinary an instance not to call forth at once Cornelius's
inquiries after its cause.

"Oh! do not be angry with me," she said, "it is not my fault. My father
has renewed an acquaintance with an old crony who used to visit him at
the Hague, and to ask him to let him see the prison. He is a good sort
of fellow, fond of his bottle, tells funny stories, and moreover is very
free with his money, so as always to be ready to stand a treat."

"You don't know anything further of him?" asked Cornelius, surprised.

"No," she answered; "it's only for about a fortnight that my father has
taken such a fancy to this friend who is so assiduous in visiting him."

"Ah, so," said Cornelius, shaking his head uneasily as every new
incident seemed to him to forebode some catastrophe; "very likely some
spy, one of those who are sent into jails to watch both prisoners and
their keepers."

"I don't believe that," said Rosa, smiling; "if that worthy person is
spying after any one, it is certainly not after my father."

"After whom, then?"

"Me, for instance."

"You?"

"Why not?" said Rosa, smiling.

"Ah, that's true," Cornelius observed, with a sigh. "You will not always
have suitors in vain; this man may become your husband."

"I don't say anything to the contrary."

"What cause have you to entertain such a happy prospect?"

"Rather say, this fear, Mynheer Cornelius."

"Thank you, Rosa, you are right; well, I will say then, this fear?"

"I have only this reason----"

"Tell me, I am anxious to hear."

"This man came several times before to the Buytenhof, at the Hague. I
remember now, it was just about the time when you were confined there.
When I left, he left too; when I came here, he came after me. At the
Hague his pretext was that he wanted to see you."

"See me?"

"Yes, it must have undoubtedly been only a pretext for now, when he
could plead the same reason, as you are my father's prisoner again, he
does not care any longer for you; quite the contrary,--I heard him say
to my father only yesterday that he did not know you."

"Go on, Rosa, pray do, that I may guess who that man is, and what he
wants."

"Are you quite sure, Mynheer Cornelius, that none of your frien