University of Virginia Library

11. CHAPTER XI.
THE NEGOTIATION.

The burgomaster gazed upon the
beautiful little Dutch maiden with his
eyes expanded to their fullest periphery.
It is not certain whether he was the most
amazed at her demand or at her denominating
a thousand dollars a `little' sum.

`Well, Slems, have you heard me?
she said impatiently. `Shall I repeat my
words?'

`Bless my souls and podies, Berthas!'

`Well, what is the matter?'

`You dont pe earnests?'

`I never was more so!' she said very
positively.

`One tousants tollars!'

`Slems Van Vow,' cried Bertha, repeating
the burgomaster's name with emphasis.

`Vat, Berthas!'

`You have professed to love me. You
are worth twenty thousand dollars. I ask
you to give proof of your love to lend me
one thousand until the day we are married.'

`One tousant tollars ish great deal
monish.'

`What do you think I am worth?—
Will you give me up and let me marry
another for half you are worth?'

`No, tunder and blixens! Who will
you marries?' cried the burgomaster,
alarmed as if the imagined husband of
Bertha stood before him.

`Well, now you expect to get me,
whom you profess to value so highly,
while you look as if you were going to
be robbed when I, to test your love, ask
you to let me have such a trifle as a thousand
dollars.'

`Is it only to test my loves, Berthas?'
said the burgomaster, who had really begen
to be alarmed; for next to Bertha
Leisler, he loved his money.

`I will not indulge you by replying to
this suspicious question. If you cant trust
me I will try some one else. I dare say
I could find some handsome young gentleman
in the town who would gladly let
me have a great deal more than that, if
I would consent to marry him!'

`You cant marry any podies but me,'
answered the burgomaster very positively.

`I shall not ask you, Mynheer Van
Vow,' she said pouting with partly real
anger and partly affected pique. `So good
evening, sir. I will leave you to your

pipe, which I know very well you love
more than you do me!'

And thus speaking she rose to go.—
Slems looked after her as she slowly
went towards the door. Love for Bertha
got the mastery over love of money.

`You ant goings, Berthas!' he said
deprecatingly.

`Indeed I am. If you cant let me have
this little sum you cant love me.'

`I does love you, Berthas! You shall
have it; but,' he added cautiously as she
returned to him smiling, `but you only
means to tries me, heh? I sees it ish!
So you shall have it, Berthas. But you
will lock it ups in a box ant gives me te
keys till we gets married!'

`I shant promise any such thing. If
you cant trust me, I can't trust you? So,
if you ever expect to find favor in my
eyes, Mynheer Van Vow, you will act
like a true lover and give me the money.'

`Bless my souls! Must you have it
to-morrows?'

`To-night;' she answered very firmly.

`To-nichts!' he repeated with simple
amazement. `What can you wants wit
moniesh—so mush miesh to-nicht?'

`If you let me have the money you
must ask no questions. You must just
trust me. I want the money this very
hour!'

`I hant got so much moniesh apout
me!'

`You have twice as much in your iron
box at home. Don't you remember one
day you counted it out to show me how
rich you were? Now not a word more.
Go at once and get the money and bring
it to me in gold!'

`Vell, I must do it, I sposhe,' he sighed.
`But you'll give it pack agen vhen
you knows I love you; vor if I didn't
loves you, dear Berthas, I wouldn't let
you have so mush moniesh!'

`If you get it at once and bring it to
me I shall know you love me and never
doubt you again!'

`Den I gets it richt away vor you; pecause
you only vishes to try me, and vhen
you gets it you keeps it a little ant gif it
pack to me agens!'

With these words the burgomaster
rose to his feet. Bertha shook his hand
and called him `good Slems,' and his
face shone with joy, as he looked upon
her and thought how happy he was at the
idea of having such a sweet pretty maiden
become vrow Van Vow.

`Now dont stay, Slems. Be just as
quick as you can,' she said, going out of
the door and pushing him as he went to
hurry him. `I shall expect you back in
twenty minutes, as it is only a few steps
to your house!'

`Will you kiss me, Berthas, when I
come back?' he said, stopping full.

`Let me see you back first. Hasten!'

`Pless me, vat a hurrys you pe in. Vat
te tyfil can you vant me to go avter it to-nicht!'

`Don't swear, Slems, its wicked!' she
said as she opened the street door to let
him out.

`But —'

She would not let him speak, but fairly
shoved him out upon the stoope and
closed the door after him.

`Tousant tollars!' he ejaculated as he
recovered his equilibrium. `She ish vera
extravagants!'

The burgomaster then called upon
two of his soldiers to act as a body-guard
and marched off on his reluctant errand
in the direction of his own abode, where
he dwelt with his mother, a little hunchbacked
Dutch dame, who thought there
was no person equal to her son upon the
earth's round ball. But mother's heroes
are always the world's fools.

`Now my heart is relieved,' cried Bertha,
clapping her hands as she closed the
door upon the burgomaster. `Now he

will be saved. In less than three hours'
time he will be out of the power of those
horrid fishermen, and, perhaps, I may see
him here. But I dare not think about it.
It is wrong, I fear, to think about it. He
is a Papist, too. But I will never marry
this simple burgomaster—never, never!
Have I done wickedly in deceiving him?
But what else could I do! I could not
tell him what I needed the money for!—
But he shall have it back again! It seems
a pity to take advantage of the poor man's
love for me to do a favor to one whom I
truly love, and who loves me! But there
is a life at risk, and all other considerations
must yield to the emergency. By
and by, when the young secretary is safe,
I will confess all to Slems and ask his
pardon, perhaps. But I fear my fisher-boy
has got tired looking at the martyrs
all this time.'

She opened the door of the little back
parlor, where she had left Steiny busy
examining the pictures in the Book of
Martyrs. She entered softly to see what
he was doing, and, to her surprise and
alarm, saw him very busily engaged in
fishing with a pin hook for four or five
jet gold fish in a glass globe.

`Why, what are you doing?' she exclaimed,
running up to rescue her favorites,
`and what is this you've got? My
net purse, as I'm alive. You've killed
my fish.'

`What be I doin'? I'm catchin' these
here shiners,' he answered very coolly,
drawing out her last fish as she spoke, by
means of her purse, of which he had
made a dip-net, by fastening it to the end
of a fork.

All the fish lay panting upon the table.
She gazed upon them with horror and
grief.

`What have you done?'

`Cocht every one on 'em clean. I
tried the hook first, you see, and then
made this here dip-net, which works first
rate. What pretty fish they be. I never
seed none o' 'em like 'em down the
bay.'

`I wish you'd been down the bay,'
cried Bertha quickly, taking them up,
one by one, and putting them back in
the globe. One of them turned over on
his back and lay quiet. The other three,
after performing sundry eccentric man
œuvres, seemed to dart about again quite
as lively as ever.

`How could you be so cruel? One of
them is dead. You are very bad.'

`Well, I didn't know as I was doin'
any harm. Fish is made to be cocht all
the world over. I seed 'em here, and
bein tired lookin at blue pictures and
black priests stickin men on forks and
harpoons, and I thought I'd catch them
here fish, so as not to be idle.'

`I'm so sorry.'

`Be you? Well, then, I'm d—d if I
ant.'

`Why, what a boy.'

`What have I done now?' he asked
with amazement.

`You swore.'

`Swore! What is swore?'

`What a strange creature!' she said,
laughing.

`Have you got the silver?'

`It'll be here soon.'

`I'm plaguy glad, coz, you see, I'm
tired waitin'. I'll bring you up a tom-cod
to-morrow for killin' that are fish as
is showin his belly white.'

`No matter. I'll forgive you, as you
didn't know any better.'

In the meanwhile Slems tramped
along to his house which was a one-story
mansion, with a roof twice as high and
almost as steep as the walls. It projected
over the door eight feet, supported by
columns, leaving a piazza in front. He
left his guard at the door, and entered,
sighing as he went. He found a light in

the room where his mother was, and
without replying to any of her questions
of alarm, walked straight to his own bedroom.
He rolled the bed out from the
wall and exposed a small door, which he
unlocked. Within was a large iron-bound
chest, which was securely fastened
by padlocks. He stooped down to it,
and, with many a sigh, opened the chest.
It took him a quarter of an hour to count
out the gold, which he at length effected,
relocked the chest, and restored things
as they were before. The gold he placed
in a leather bag, and carried it out in his
hand, though evidently feeling it to be
a great weight. It weighed down not
only his hand, but his heart. It was the
saddest deed ever performed by the burgomaster
in his peaceful life. Love and
avarice had struggled from the outset,
and more than once the latter came near
getting the victory. But Slems recalled
the bright eyes and sweet voice of Bertha,
and love again kicked the beam.

At length he reached the house and
was admitted. Bertha, when she saw the
bag in his hand, was all smiles; for she
was really overjoyed. She led him into
the parlor, and offered to take the bag
from him, as he seemed to be sweating
under its weight. But he held firmly on
to it.

`No, no, Berthas! You seees I hef
it. Now, doesn't I loves you?'

`You do indeed, Slems.'

`Ten 'tis enough. I've pring te
money, and tat show you dat I loves you.
No dere ish no need tat you haf it.'

`Yes, I must have it! I never shall
believe you love me, unless you are willing
to leave it with me, and not to think
of it, nor ask for it, nor say a word about
it to any body for seven days.'

`Vell, I 'spose I must den lets you
haf it,' he said, laying it down upon a
chair. She immediately took it up, saying,

`Thanks, thanks, good Slems,' and
hastened with it from the room.

He half rose to call after her, for as he
saw it going away his avarice began to
take the alarm; but all at once, as if
struck with a sense of shame at his want
of confidence in her, he sat down again.
As he did so she shut to the door, as he
heard her turn the key he exclaimed,
with misgivings—

`Pless my podies!'

The next moment Bertha was in the
little back parlor.

`Here, Steiny, is the money. There
is one thousand dollars. Hasten with it,'
she said, placing the bag in his hand,
which he found so heavy that he instantly
let it drop. He, however, raised it
again and grappled it with both hands.
`How long will it take you to reach the
island?'

`Not more than half an hour!'

`Then go at once. Free him from the
power of his captors, and send him hither
to-night, that I may know he is freed, for
I shall not rest till I have assurance of it.
You need not leave the money, as you
proposed, for I believe you are honest
and will trust you; besides, unless the
men you say hold him see the gold, they
will not let him come. So take it with
you, and do not deceive me, for you see
I put perfect confidence in you. As you
deceive me so you will have to answer it
at the bar of heaven!'

`I al'ays keeps clear o' bars, especially
at high water, so dont fear me.'

`How ignorant the boy is. Come with
me. I will show you a way out that will
prevent any one from seeing you. When
you come back with Mr. Logan to let me
know he is safe, for that is all I wish to
see him for, you bring him by the same
way.'

She then led him out by the rear of
the house through a small garden, and
let him out into a lane that run along between

garden fences quite to the water
side. Here she parted with him, cautioning
him to let her learn within two
hours of the safety of the prisoner. This
Steiny swore she should do, and then
marched off with Slem's `tousan tollar,'
his heart as light at his two-fold success,
both for Logan's interests and his own, as
Slem's had been heavy when he was lugging
it from his own house to Bertha's.

As soon as Bertha got back into the
house, which she re-entered with a bounding
and happy heart, she hastened to her
prisoner, Slems.

`Vhere ish te monish?' he called out.
the moment she unlocked the door and
made her appearance.

`It is safe, dear Slems! you dont know
how much I am flattered to think you
have put such confidence in me and
shown you love me!'

`Yesh, I half show it one tousan tollar!
Vere ish te bags?'

`Dont concern yourself about it at all.'

`I hopes it ish safes!'

`Dont fear. But you know you were
not to think or speak of it under seven
days!'

`Vell I vont.'

`That's a good Slems.'

`Now vhere ish te kiss?' he said, holding
his round shining cheek towards her.

`Did I promise?'

`Yesh, you promises;' and the cheek
was still presented like a target to an
archer's bow.

`There then!' she cried, placing
adroitly two of her soft fingers, almost as
soft as her lips, on his cheek, covering
his eyes with her other soft, warm hand,
and then kissing her two taper fingers,
which as the same moment she tapped
upon his cheek. More experienced persons
than the burgomaster might have
detected the cheat; but Bertha had never
kissed the burgomaster, and his cheek
had all his life been sacred to the mater
nal salutation. It was easy to deceive
the inexperienced lover, and he was deceived.
Moreover, the innocent young
Dutchman did not know that a kiss is a
compound article, consisting of two
parts; that it is, indeed, the nuptial
of the lips. But he was made happy, nevertheless,
and began to think, with
sparkling eyes, that it was worth a thousand
dollars to be kissed by Bertha!—
Certainly it was worth this sum to have
to kiss him.

`Now, Berthas, vhen shall I haf anoder
kisses?' he said complacently.

`I dont know. But you must'nt smoke
in here!'

`Vhy not?' he asked, suspending a
fresh pipe, which he had taken from his
pouch in his hand midway in the air, just
as her voice arrested it.

`Because it gets into the curtains and
embroidery; and besides, your soldiers
will be wondering where you are.'

`No tey wont; lets em mind teir own
pusiness; I'm happy.'

`But I must shut up the house!' she
continued, resolved to get him off before
there was any danger of his coming in
contact with Logan.

`Den you cans shut me up in it.'

`But that would be decidedly improper!'

`Ant we to be married in elefen tays
after te middle of te next veeks!'

`Slems, you will make me vexed!'

`I vould'nt for te worlts!'

`Then go!'

`Bless my podies; who'd think I half
ony ten minutes ago let her haf a tousan
tollars!' he grumbled, as he rose up and
slowly went out. `Vhen shall I sees you
agen, and haf anoder kisses?'

`Not until you are more obedient!'

`Vera vells, I vill goes. I will smokes
on te stoopes, ant keeps guarts, tat noting
hurt you nor puts you into alarms!
Who would tink I haf give her tousant

tollar!' he repeated, with strong emphasis,
as he went out of the door. `Put I
loves her ant vill not make her angrys.'

With these words and with looks of
very great reluctance and discomposure
at being thus summarily ejected from the
house by the firm little maiden, he made
his appearance at the door. Logan, it
will be remembered, was at the moment
seated by the well-curb, talking with the
soldiers, and beheld him as he came out

`There is our Captain,' said the corporal,
`he puffs and blows as if he was
mad at sometings!'

`May I speak to your Captain?' asked
Logan.

`Yash, dere he ish,' responded the corporal.

Logan crossed to the stoope where
Slems sat with his sword across his knees
muttering words, all that could be distinguished
of which was, `tousant tollars.'

`Are you the brave Captain Van Vow?'
asked Logan.

`Bless my podies, here ish a man as
speaks like a gentlemans, if he ish a
fishersman. Yes, I am the braves ant
valiants Captains Van Vow!' answered
the burgomaster, condescendingly.

`I am glad to see you. Have you seen
any thing of my son, a lad of fourteen?
He has strayed, and I fear he'll get into
mischief in this soldierly town.'

`No, I has not seen te lads. Asks
mine soltiers.'

`They have not.'

`Den I dont knows noting apout him.
Go thy vays, or I'll put thee into the
prisons!'

`Where can he be,' thought Logan, as
he left the door and walked slowly down
the street, resolved to endeavour to get
into the house and learn what had become
of him. He had reached the corner
when Steiny came full upon him.

`So, you are safe, then,' he exclaimed.

`I was beginning to fear you had got
into difficulty. What have you got there
so heavy?'

`A bag o' rocks to pepper the soldiers
with.'

`It wont do to assail them. You had
best throw it away.'

`No, I'll just hide it under this stone
here so as to be handy, if I want it.'

`Well, do with it as you please, only
tell me quickly if you saw the maiden.'

Steiny hid the bag under a shelving
stone by the fence, where he knew it
would be safe for a while, and then turning
to Logan gave him, as they walked
along out of the way of the guards, a full
account of all that had passed, save the
negotiation about the money. This, for
private reasons, he was inclined to keep
a secret.

`When I made her think you were
about to be hanged,' said Steiny, `she
looked as if she would have gived her
pretty eyes to save you. She certainly
loves you chappy, and all you've got to
do is to go ahead. I told her you loved
her too, and she's expecting you.'

`Where?'

`Come, and I'll show you. But you
must keep up my game. Make her think
you were going to be hanged down on
the island for stealing dad's scow, and
that you owe your life to her; for I tell'd
her for her sake I'd have you let off.'

`Did she believe I was in danger?'

`Yes, so you must keep it up; coz
she'll believe when she sees you that you
are free, coz she begged for you!'

`She will?'

`Yah. But don't say nothin about the
money.'

`What money?'

`Did I say money?'

`Yes.'

`I meant rocks!'

`What rocks?'

`Them I got hid there.'

“I shant trouble them, boy! But where
are you leading me?'

`A round about way to get into the
house.'

`Did she say she wished to see me?'

`Did she? Ask her! She said I
must bring you, for she could not sleep
till she know'd you was safe.'

`Sweet, dear Bertha!'

`Yah, she is a beauty. She's handsome
as a gold fish. If she leaves you
alone don't go to fishin after her gold
fishes!'

`Is this the place?'

`Yah, a nice snug little door in the
fence. Now keep strait on—turn to the
left, go up two steps and knock at the
first door you see under the dark gallery.
She'll open it. If she's surprised
to see you, tell her they brought you
over to give you up to the Governor, but
let you go when they saw me and had
three minutes private talk. Now remember.'

`I will, answered Logan, laughing.

`And dont mention money and she
wont!' continued Steiny as he was entering
the gate.

`What do you mean?'

`She said she'd give a thousand dollars
to keep you from bein hurt, that's
all. So if you mention money she'll
think you've come after it!'

`Well, I wont mention money if it will
relieve you.'

`It will 'mazingly,' answered Steiny
coolly.

`Be by the boat waiting for me till I
come,' said Logan as he was closing the
garden door.

`I rather think I'll look out and find a
safe place for my rocks,' said Steiney
hurrying away to the spot where he had
deposited his bag of gold.

Logan did not knock at the door in
the habit of a fisherman. This he took
off in the garden, and even went so far
as to stop at the cistern and wash his
face and hands so as to get rid of his
brown complexion. This delay to arrange
his toilet will be overlooked by the
reader when all the circumstances are
taken into consideration. As it was
moonlight he used his sword for a mirror
to arrange his hair and make himself look
presentable. He then advanced to the
door and rapped with inconsiderable confidence.

`Who is there?' called the rich voice
of Bertha within.

`One whom you expect!'

She well knew the voice. Her heart
bounded with delight. He was safe!—
How soon had he flown to her to thank
her for his life! He was safe! And now
that he was no longer in danger should
she interest herself in him? Would it be
proper to let him come in?

These thoughts chased one another
rapidly through her mind; and yet she
kept turning the lock till the door opened,
as it seemed to her, of itself.