He is a good sort of fellow, fond of his bottle, tells funny stories, and moreover is very free with his money, so as always to be ready to stand a treat." "You don't know anything further of him ?" asked Cornelius, surprised.
"No," she answered; "it's only for about a fortnight that my father has taken such a fancy to this friend who is so assiduous in visiting him." "Ah, so," said Cornelius, shaking his head uneasily as every new incident seemed to him to forebode some catastrophe; "very likely some spy, one of those who are sent into jails to watch both prisoners and their keepers." "I don't believe that," said Rosa, smiling; "if that worthy person is spying after any one, it is certainly not after my father." "After whom, then ?" "Me, for instance." "You ?" "Why not ?" said Rosa, smiling.
"Ah, that's true," Cornelius observed, with a sigh.

"You will not always have suitors in vain; this man may become your husband." "I don't say anything to the contrary." "What cause have you to entertain such a happy prospect ?" "Rather say, this fear, Mynheer Cornelius." "Thank you, Rosa, you are right; well, I will say then, this fear ?" "I have only this reason----" "Tell me, I am anxious to hear." "This man came several times before to the Buytenhof, at the Hague.

I remember now, it was just about the time when you were confined there.
When I left, he left too; when I came here, he came after me.

At the Hague his pretext was that he wanted to see you." "See me ?" "Yes, it must have undoubtedly been only a pretext for now, when he could plead the same reason, as you are my father's prisoner again, he does not care any longer for you; quite the contrary,--I heard him say to my father only yesterday that he did not know you." "Go on, Rosa, pray do, that I may guess who that man is, and what he wants." "Are you quite sure, Mynheer Cornelius, that none of your friends can interest himself for you ?" "I have no friends, Rosa; I have only my old nurse, whom you know, and who knows you.

Alas, poor Sue! she would come herself, and use no roundabout ways.