“Very well,” mutters Guy, the painter’s advice being sound but unpalatable. “I’ll get on board at once.”
“You can’t. You’ve got to stay with me to-night. The gates are closed and you have no young lady to give you the word of the night or offer you a government barge to take you safely out of Antwerp!” laughs Oliver, then continues more seriously: “Tête Dieu! that was a narrow squeeze. They had report you were here. Nothing on earth but Alva’s daughter could have saved you. Remember that Hermoine de [[143]]Alva that night kept you and perhaps me from the faggot or the cord. And now five thousand crowns on your head,” the artist sighs.
Notwithstanding this gloomy suggestion, these two young men, so accustomed to danger, have a very pleasant night over a bottle of wine in the painter’s studio, discussing Antony’s altar piece, which is quite near completion, the beautiful eyes of Hermoine de Alva gazing from the canvas upon her English sweetheart, as if welcoming him once more, not to the city of his enemies—but to the city of his love.
CHAPTER XII.
“GET YOUR DAUGHTER OUT OF ANTWERP.”
The next morning each sets about the business he has given himself.
Chester goes down to the quay very early, fearing, perhaps, some indiscretion of his seamen, who are not much accustomed to mercantile ways, and warping his vessel up to the dock, begins to unload his cargo with a speed that pleases his consignees very greatly.
Jan Olins comes down personally to inspect the discharging of the vessel, and pats Guy upon the shoulder, saying: “You’re doing well,” then goes down into the hold and himself carefully inspects all its contents, rather to Chester’s surprise, but he, not being a merchant captain, puts it out of his mind, supposing it is the custom for traders to look thus carefully after their cargoes.
That afternoon Chester, still continuing his labor, suddenly bolts into his cabin and locks himself in. For he has seen the junior partner, Olins, approaching the vessel in company with Niklaas Bodé Volcker, and fears recognition by the father of the fair Mina, whose hospitality he has once enjoyed.