So she kept her own counsel, and doubted and debated the matter in her heart until the hands of the great clock were rising quickly to the hour of fate.  Then she laid down her fine sewing, and said, “Mother, I want to walk in the garden.  When I come back my task I will finish.”

“That is well.  Joanna, too, has let her work fall down to her lap.  Go, both of you, and get the fine air from the river.”

This was not what Katherine wished; but nothing but assent was possible, and the girls strolled slowly down the box-bordered walks together.  Madam Van Heemskirk watched them from the window for a few minutes.  A smile of love and pleasure was on her fine, placid face; but she said with a sigh, as she turned away,—­

“Well, well, if it is the will of God they should not rise in the world, one must be content.  To the spider the web is as large as to the whale the whole wide sea; that is the truth.”

Joanna was silent; she was thinking of her own love-affairs; but Katherine, doubtful of herself, thought also that her sister suspected her.  When they reached the river-bank, Joanna perceived that the lilacs were in bloom, and at their root the beautiful auriculas; and she stooped low to inhale their strange, nameless, earthy perfume.  At that moment a boat rowed by with two English soldiers, stopped just below them, and lay rocking on her oars.  Then an officer in the stern rose and looked towards Katherine, who stood in the full sunlight with her large hat in her hand.  Before she could make any sign of recognition, Joanna raised herself from the auriculas and stood beside her sister; yet in the slight interval Katherine had seen Captain Hyde fling back from his left shoulder his cloak, in order to display the bow of orange ribbon on his breast.

The presence of Joanna baffled and annoyed him; but he raised his beaver with a gallant grace, and Joanna dropped a courtesy, and then, taking Katherine’s hand, turned toward home with her, saying, “That is the boat of Captain Hyde.  What comes he this way for?”

“The river way is free to all, Joanna.”  And Joanna looked sharply at her sister and remained silent.

But Katherine was merry as a bird.  She chattered of this and of that, and sang snatches of songs, old and new.  And all the time her heart beat out its own glad refrain, “My bow of orange ribbon, my bow of orange ribbon!” Her needle went to her thoughts, and her thoughts went to melody; for, as she worked, she sang,—­

“Will you have a pink knot? 
Is it blue you prize? 
One is like a fresh rose,
One is like your eyes. 
No, the maid of Holland,
For her own true love,
Ties the splendid orange,
Orange still above!
O oranje boven!
Orange still above.

“Will you have the white knot? 
No, it is too cold. 
Give me splendid orange,
Tint of flame and gold;
Rich and glowing orange,
For the heart I love;
Under, white and pink and blue;
Orange still above!
O oranje boven!
Orange still above!”