At the house of the Steenvlaks Anna met with the most cordial reception. There she determined to remain until—Well, yes! until the days of her mourning were passed.
After all this had been properly settled the young men returned to Gombong. Theodoor and Charles at once went to the captain who was in command there, to take leave of him and to thank him for having granted their friend Murowski leave to accompany them.
“Well, gentlemen,” cried the bluff but kind-hearted soldier as he caught sight of them, “have you had any luck?”
“Oh yes,” cried Grenits, “we have had splendid success!”
“That is right, I am glad to hear it. And did you get any good specimens?”
“Glorious specimens, captain!” exclaimed Murowski, roguishly, “splendid specimens! Why, amongst others we have had the luck to catch a magnificent, a unique butterfly—a puella formosa.”
“Very good, I wish you luck with the little beast, but for heaven’s sake don’t bother me with your Latin.”
Even van Nerekool could not refrain from laughing as he thought of the little butterfly they had captured.
Fourteen months later Anna van Gulpendam and Charles van Nerekool became man and wife. The wedding took place very simply and without the slightest display, at the house of Assistant Resident Steenvlak. August van Beneden and Theodoor Grenits gave away the bride, and Edward van Rheijn and the Polish doctor Murowski were witnesses for the bridegroom.
At the conclusion of the marriage ceremony, who should suddenly turn up but William Verstork. After the death of Resident van Gulpendam, he had been at once recalled to Santjoemeh where his merits were well known and where he was highly esteemed. No one expected to see him at the wedding; for a telegram had brought the news that the steamer in which he travelled from Batavia had run ashore and had stuck fast somewhere about Tegal. But, when he found that getting the ship off the shallows would be a long business, Verstork had left her and gone ashore, and then had posted all the way to Karang Anjer. He was determined, at any cost, to be present at his friend’s wedding. But, on his journey, he had been unavoidably delayed, and thus came too late to take part in the actual ceremony, though in ample time to join, on that auspicious day, in the warm congratulations which were showered on the young couple. Yes, if ever there were hearty congratulations and sincere good wishes they were indeed those which the young people received from the friends who, in the absence of nearer relations on either side, were then gathered around them.