There was momentarily contempt on the lip of the handsome smuggler, but it disappeared in an expression of evident and painful sadness.

“Thou hast softened my heart, ere now, most liberal burgher,” he answered, “by these allusions to my parent; and many is the doubloon that I have paid for his eulogies.”

“I speak as disinterestedly as a parson preaches!  What is a trifle of gold between friends?  Yes, there was happiness in trade during the time of thy predecessor.  He had a comely and a deceptive craft, that might be likened to an untrimmed racer.  There was motion in it, at need, and yet it had the air of a leisurely Amsterdammer.  I have known an Exchequer cruiser hail him, and ask the news of the famous free-trader, with as little suspicion as he have in speaking the Lord High Admiral!  There were no fooleries in his time; no unseemly hussies stuck under his bowsprit, to put an honest man out of countenance; no high-fliers in sail and paint; no singing and luting—­but all was rational and gainful barter.  Then, he was a man to ballast his boat with something valuable.  I have known him throw in fifty ankers of gin, without a farthing for freight, when a bargain has been struck for the finer articles—­ay, and finish by landing them in England for a small premium, when the gift was made!”

“He deserves thy praise, grateful Alderman; but to what conclusion does this opening tend?”

“Well, if more gold must pass between us,” continued the reluctant Myndert, “we shall not waste time in counting it; though, Heaven knows, Master Seadrift, thou hast already drained me dry.  Losses have fallen heavy on me, of late.  There is a gelding, dead, that fifty Holland ducats will not replace on the boom-key of Rotterdam, to say nothing of freight and charges, which come particularly heavy—­”

“Speak to thy offer!” interrupted the other, who evidently wished to shorten the interview.

“Restore the girl, and take five-and-twenty thin pieces.”

“Half-price for a Flemish gelding!  La Belle would blush, with honest pride, did she know her value in the market!”

“Extortion and bowels of compassion!  Let it be a hundred, and no further words between us.”

“Harkee, Mr. Van Beverout; that I sometimes trespass on the Queen’s earnings, is not to be denied and least of all to you; for I like neither this manner of ruling a nation by deputy, nor the principle which says that one bit of earth is to make laws for another.  ’Tis not my humor, Sir, to wear an English cotton when my taste is for the Florentine; nor to swallow beer, when I more relish the delicate wines of Gascony Beyond this, thou knowest I do not trifle, even with fancied rights; and had I fifty of thy nieces, sacks of ducats should not purchase one!”

The Alderman stared, in a manner that might have induced a spectator to believe he was listening to an incomprehensible proposition.  Still his companion spoke with a warmth that gave him no small reason to believe he uttered no more than he felt, and, inexplicable as it might prove, that he valued treasure less than feeling.