Chapter XXXIV
Besides other Matter, containing an Argument.
We left Ramsay domiciliated in the house of the syndic Van Krause, onexcellent terms with his host, who looked upon him as the mirror ofinformation, and not a little in the good graces of the syndic'sdaughter, Wilhelmina. There could not be a more favourable opportunity,perhaps, for a handsome and well-informed young man to prosecute hisaddresses and to gain the affections of the latter, were he so inclined.Wilhelmina had been brought up in every luxury, but isolated from theworld. She was now just at the age at which it was her father'sintention to introduce her; but romantic in her disposition, she caredlittle for the formal introduction which it was intended should takeplace. Neither had she seen, in any of the young Dutch aristocracy, mostof whom were well known to her by sight, as pointed out to her by herfather when riding with him, that form and personal appearance which hermind's eye had embodied in her visions of her future lover. Her mind wasnaturally refined, and she looked for that elegance and grace ofdeportment which she sought for in vain among her countrymen, but whichhad suddenly been presented to her in the person of Edward Ramsay.
In the few meetings of her father's friends at their house, theconversation was uninteresting, if not disgusting; for it was aboutgoods and merchandise, money and speculation, occasionally interruptedby politics, which were to her of as little interest. How different wasthe demeanour, the address, and the conversation of the youngEnglishman, who had been bred in courts, and, at the same time, hadtravelled much! There was an interest in all he said, so muchinformation blended with novelty and amusement, so much wit andpleasantry crowning all, that Wilhelmina was fascinated without herbeing aware of it; and, before the terms of intimacy had warranted herreceiving his hand on meeting, she had already unconsciously given herheart. The opportunities arising from her father's close attention tohis commercial affairs, and the mutual attraction which brought themtogether during the major part of the day, she, anxious to be amused,and he attracted by her youth and beauty, were taken advantage of bythem both, and the consequence was that, before ten days, they wereinseparable.
The syndic either did not perceive the danger to which his child wasexposed, provided that there was any objection to the intimacy, or else,equally pleased with Ramsay, he had no objection to matters takingtheir course.
As for Ramsay, that he had at first cultivated the intimacy withWilhelmina more perhaps from distraction than with any definite purpose,is certain; but he soon found that her attractions were too great topermit him to continue it, if he had not serious intentions. When he hadentered his own room, before he had been a week in the house, he hadtaxed himself severely as to the nature of his feelings, and he was thenconvinced that he must avoid her company, which was impossible if heremained in the house, or, as a man of honour, make a timely retreat;for Ramsay was too honourable to trifle with the feelings of an innocentgirl. Having well weighed this point, he then calculated the probabilityof his being discovered, and the propriety of his continuing hisattentions to the daughter of one whom he was deceiving, and whosepolitical opinions were at such variance with his own--but this was apoint on which he could come to no decision. His duty to the cause hesupported would not allow him to quit the house--to remain in the housewithout falling in love was impossible.
Why should his political opinions ever be known? and why should notWilhelmina be of the same opinion as he was?--and why--Ramsay fellasleep, putting these questions to himself, and the next morning heresolved that things should take their chance.
It was about a fortnight since the cutter had left for England. Ramsaywas rather impatient for intelligence, but the cutter had not yetreturned. Breakfast had been over some time, Mynheer Van Krause haddescended to his warehouses, and Ramsay and Wilhelmina were sittingtogether upon one of the sofas in the saloon, both reclining and freefrom that restraint of which nothing but extreme intimacy willdivest you.
"And so, my Wilhelmina," said Ramsay, taking up her hand, which laylistless at her side, and playing with her taper fingers, "you reallythink William of Nassau is a good man."
"And do not you, Ramsay?" replied Wilhelmina, surprised.
"However I may rejoice at his being on the throne of England, I doubtwhether I can justify his conduct to the unfortunate King James; inleaguing against his own father-in-law and dispossessing him of hiskingdom. Suppose now, Wilhelmina, that any fortunate man should becomeone day your husband: what a cruel--what a diabolical conduct it wouldbe on his part--at least, so it appears to me--if, in return for yourfather putting him in possession of perhaps his greatest treasure onearth, he were to seize upon all your father's property, and leave hima beggar, because other people were to invite him so to do."
"I never heard it placed in that light before, Ramsay; that the alliancebetween King William and his father-in-law should have made him veryscrupulous, I grant, but when the happiness of a nation depended uponit, ought not a person in William's situation to waive all minorconsiderations?"
"The happiness of a nation, Wilhelmina? In what way would you prove thatso much was at stake?"
"Was not the Protestant religion at stake? Is not King James a bigotedCatholic?"
"I grant that, and therefore ought not to reign over a Protestantnation; but if you imagine that the happiness of any nation depends uponhis religion, I am afraid you are deceived. Religion has been made theexcuse for interfering with the happiness of a nation whenever no betterexcuse could be brought forward; but depend upon it, the mass of thepeople will never quarrel about religion if they are left alone, andtheir interests not interfered with. Had King James not committedhimself in other points, he might have worshipped his Creator in anyform he thought proper. That a Protestant king was all that wasnecessary to quiet the nation, is fully disproved by the present stateof the country, now that the sceptre has been, for some years, swayed byKing William, it being, at this moment, in a state very nearlyapproaching to rebellion."
"But is not that occasioned by the machinations of the Jacobite party,who are promoting dissension in every quarter?" replied Wilhelmina.
"I grant that they are not idle," replied Ramsay; "but observe the stateof bitter variance between William and the House of Commons, whichrepresents the people of England. What can religion have to do withthat? No, Wilhelmina; although, in this country there are few who do notrejoice at their king being called to the throne of England, there aremany, and those the most wise, in that country, who lament it quiteas much."
"But why so?"
"Because mankind are governed by interest, and patriotism is little morethan a cloak. The benefits to this country, by the alliance withEngland, are very great, especially in a commercial point of view, andtherefore you will find no want of patriots; but to England the case isdifferent; it is not her interest to be involved and mixed up incontinental wars and dissensions, which must now inevitably be the case.Depend upon it, that posterity will find that England will have paidvery dear for a Protestant king; religion is what everyone is willing toadmit the propriety and necessity of, until they are taxed to pay forit, and then it is astonishing how very indifferent, if not disgusted,they become to it."
"Why, Ramsay, one would never imagine you to be such a warm partisan ofthe present government, as I believe you really are, to hear you talkthis morning," replied Wilhelmina.
"My public conduct, as belonging to a party, does not prevent my havingmy private opinions. To my party, I am, and ever will be steadfast; butknowing the world, and the secret springs of most people's actions, as Ido, you must not be surprised at my being so candid with you,Wilhelmina. Our conversation, I believe, commenced upon the character ofKing William; and I will confess to you, that estimating the twocharacters in moral worth, I would infinitely prefer being the exiledand Catholic James than the unnatural and crowned King William?"
"You will say next, that you would just as soon be a Catholic as aProtestant."
"And if I had been brought up in the tenets of the one i
nstead of theother, what difference would it have made, except that I should haveadhered to the creed of my forefathers, and have worshipped the Almightyafter their fashion, form, and ceremonies? And are not all religionsgood if they be sincere?--do not they all tend to the same object, andhave the same goal in view--that of gaining heaven? Would you not prefera good, honest, conscientious man, were he a Catholic, to a mean,intriguing, and unworthy person, who professed himself a Protestant?"
"Most certainly; but I should prefer to the just Catholic, a man who wasa just Protestant."
"That is but natural; but recollect, Wilhelmina, you have seen andheard, as yet, but one side of the question; and if I speak freely toyou, it is only to give you the advantage of my experience from havingmixed with the world. I am true to my party, and, as a man, I mustbelong to a party, or I become a nonentity. But were I in a condition sounshackled that I might take up or lay down my opinions as I pleased,without loss of character--as a woman may, for instance--so little do Icare for party--so well balanced do I know the right and the wrong to beon both sides--that I would, to please one I loved, at once yield up myopinions, to agree with her, if she would not yield up hers to agreewith mine."
"Then you think a woman might do so? that is no compliment to the sex,Ramsay; for it is as much as to assert that we have not only no weightor influence in the world, but also that we have no character orstability."
"Far from it; I only mean to say that women do not generally entersufficiently into politics to care much for them; they generally imbibethe politics of those they live with, without further examination, andthat it is no disgrace to them if they change them. Besides, there isone feeling in women so powerful as to conquer all others, and when oncethat enters the breast, the remainder are absorbed or become obedientto it."
"And that feeling is"
"Love, Wilhelmina; and if a woman happens to have been brought up in oneway of thinking by her parents, when she transfers her affections to herhusband, should his politics be adverse, she will soon come round to hisopinion, if she really loves him."
"I am not quite so sure of that, Ramsay."
"I am quite sure she ought. Politics and party are ever a subject ofdispute, and therefore should be avoided by a wife; besides, if a womanselects one as her husband, her guide and counsellor through life, onewhom she swears to love, honour, cherish, and obey, she gives but a poorproof of it, if she does not yield up her judgment in all matters morepeculiarly his province."
"You really put things in such a new light, Ramsay, that I hardly knowhow to answer you, even when I am not convinced."
"Because you have not had sufficient time for reflection, Wilhelmina;but weigh well, and dwell upon what I have said, and then you willeither acknowledge that I am right, or find arguments to prove that I amwrong. But you promised me some singing. Let me lead you into themusic-room."
We have introduced this conversation between Wilhelmina and Ramsay, toshow not only what influence he had already gained over the artless, yetintelligent girl, but also the way by which he considerately preparedher for the acknowledgment which he resolved to make to her on somefuture opportunity; for, although Ramsay cared little for deceiving thefather, he would not have married the daughter without her being fullyaware of who he was. These conversations were constantly renewed, as ifaccidentally, by Ramsay; and long before he had talked in direct termsof love, he had fully prepared her for it, so that he felt she would notreceive a very severe shock when he threw off the mask, even when shediscovered that he was a Catholic, and opposed to her father in religionas well as in politics. The fact was, that Ramsay, at first, was as muchattracted by her wealth as by her personal charms; but, like many othermen, as his love increased, so did he gradually become indifferent toher wealth, and he was determined to win her for his wife in spite ofall obstacles, and even if he were obliged, to secure her hand, bycarrying her off without the paternal consent.
Had it been requisite, it is not certain whether Ramsay might not havebeen persuaded to have abandoned his party, so infatuated had he at lastbecome with the really fascinating Wilhelmina.
But Ramsay was interrupted in the middle of one of his most favouritesongs by old Koops, who informed him that the lieutenant of the cutterwas waiting for him in his room. Apologising for the necessary absence,Ramsay quitted the music-room, and hastened to meet Vanslyperken.
Mr Vanslyperken had received his orders to return to the Hague a fewdays after the fright he had received from the nasal organ of thecorporal. In pursuance of his instructions from Ramsay, he had notfailed to open all the government despatches, and extract theircontents. He had also brought over letters from Ramsay's adherents.
"You are sure these extracts are quite correct?" said Ramsay, after hehad read them over.
"Quite so, sir," replied Vanslyperken.
"And you have been careful to seal the letters again, so as to avoidsuspicion?"
"Does not my life depend upon it, Mr Ramsay?"
"Very true, and also upon your fidelity to us. Here's your money. Let meknow when you sail, and come for orders."
Vanslyperken then took his bag of money, made his bow, and departed, andRamsay commenced reading over the letters received from his friends.Mynheer Van Krause observed Vanslyperken as he was leaving the house,and immediately hastened to Ramsay's room to inquire the news. A portionof the contents of the despatches were made known to him, and the syndicwas very soon afterwards seen to walk out, leaving his people to markand tally the bales which were hoisting out from a vessel in the canal.The fact was, that Mynheer Van Krause was so anxious to get rid of hissecret, that he could not contain himself any longer, and had set off tocommunicate to one of the authorities what he had obtained.
"But from whence did you receive this intelligence, Mynheer Krause,"demanded the other. "The despatches have not yet been opened; we arewaiting for Mynheer Van Wejen. I suppose we shall learn something there.You knew all before we did, when the cutter arrived last time. You musthave some important friends at the English court, Mynheer Van Krause."
Here Mynheer Krause nodded his head, and looked very knowing, andshortly afterwards took his leave.
But this particular friend of Mynheer Krause was also his particularenemy. Krause had lately imparted secrets which were supposed to beknown and entrusted to none but those in the entire confidence of thegovernment. How could he have obtained them unless by the treachery ofsome one at home; and why should Mynheer Krause, who was not trusted bythe government there, notwithstanding his high civil office, because hewas known to be unsafe, be trusted by some one at home, unless it werefor treacherous purposes? So argued Mr Krause's most particular friend,who thought it proper to make known his opinions on the subject, and tosubmit to the other authorities whether this was not a fair subject forrepresentation in their next despatches to England; and in consequenceof his suggestion, the representation was duly made. Mynheer Krause wasnot the first person whose tongue had got him into difficulties.
So soon as Vanslyperken had delivered his despatches to Ramsay, heproceeded to the widow Vandersloosh, when, as usual, he was receivedwith every apparent mark of cordial welcome, was again installed on thelittle sofa, and again drank the beer of the widow's own brewing, andwas permitted to take her fat hand. Babette inquired after the corporal,and, when rallied by the lieutenant, appeared to blush, and turned herhead away. The widow also assisted in the play, and declared that itshould be a match, and that Babette and herself should be married on thesame day. As the evening drew nigh, Vanslyperken took his leave, andwent on board, giving permission to the corporal to go on shore, andvery soon the corporal was installed in his place.
This is a sad world of treachery and deceit.
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