h one glare of greediness and another glare of envy at Kate,
who had got two pieces. Giles seized his and rolled it along the floor
and gambolled after it. Kate put down her crutches and sat down, and
held out her little arms to Gerard with a heavenly gesture of love and
tenderness; and the mother, fairly benumbed at first by the shower of
gold that fell on her apron, now cried out, "Leave kissing him, Kate;
he is my son, not yours. Ah. Gerard! my boy! I have not loved you as you
deserved."

Then Gerard threw himself on his knees beside her, and she flung her
arms round him and wept for joy and pride upon his neck.

"Good lad! good lad!" cried the hosier, with some emotion. "I must go
and tell the neighbours. Lend me the medal, Gerard; I'll show it my good
friend Peter Buyskens; he is ever regaling me with how his son Jorian
won the tin mug a shooting at the butts."

"Ay, do, my man; and show Peter Buyskens one of the angels. Tell him
there are fourteen more where that came from. Mind you bring it me
back!"

"Stay a minute, father; there is better news behind," said Gerard,
flushing with joy at the joy he caused.

"Better! better than this?"

Then Gerard told his interview with the Countess, and the house rang
with joy.

"Now, God bless the good lady, and bless the dame Van Eyck! A benefice?
our son! My cares are at an end. Eli, my good friend and master, now we
two can die happy whenever our time comes. This dear boy will take our
place, and none of these loved ones will want a home or a friend."

From that hour Gerard was looked upon as the stay of the family. He
was a son apart, but in another sense. He was always in the right, and
nothing too good for him. Cornelis and Sybrandt became more and more
jealous of him, and longed for the day he should go to his benefice;
they would get rid of the favourite, and his reverence's purse would be
open to them. With these views he co-operated. The wound love had
given him throbbed duller and duller. His success and the affection and
admiration of his parents made him think more highly of himself, and
resent with more spirit Margaret's ingratitude and discourtesy. For all
that, she had power to cool him towards the rest of her sex, and now for
every reason he wished to be ordained priest as soon as he could pass
the intermediate orders. He knew the Vulgate already better than most of
the clergy, and studied the rubric and the dogmas of the Church with
his friends the