I have, believing that you would
not take it wrongly, paid in to your account with the paymaster of
your regiment the sum of two hundred pounds, and have told him that
the same sum would be paid to your account annually so long as the
regiment might be in Flanders, and that he may further cash any
order drawn by you upon my house.
"There now, my daughter is waiting, and the hour for sailing is at
hand. Do not let us say any more about it."
So saying he hurried Rupert out into the hall where Maria Von Duyk
was waiting, before he could have raised any objection, had he
wished to do so. But in truth Rupert felt that he could not refuse
the kind offer without giving pain, and he knew moreover that this
allowance, which to the rich merchant was a mere trifle, would add
greatly to his comfort, and enable him to enter more freely than he
had yet done in the plans and pursuits of his brother officers, who
were for the most part young men of fortune. With a word or two of
sincere thanks therefore, he accompanied the worthy Dutchman, and
twelve minutes later the party were on their way down to the quay.
"A surly looking knave is your captain," Mynheer Von Duyk said as
they stood by the boat while the men prepared for a start. "I see
he belongs not to this town, but to Bergen. However, the voyage is
not a long one, and as you know but little of our language it will
matter but slightly whether his temper be good or bad.
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