“Neil, what of him?”

“Unconscious he was when I left him at his home.  I stayed not there.  His father and his mother were by his side; Bram also.  Does Katherine know?”

“She knows.”

“How then?”

“O Joris, if in her room thou could have heard her crying!  My heart for her aches, the sorrowful one!”

“See, then, that this lesson she miss not.  It is a hard one, but learn it she must.  If thy love would pass it by, think this, for her good it is.  Many bitter things are in it.  What unkind words will now be said!  Also, my share in the matter I must tell in the kirk session; and Dominie de Ronde is not one slack in giving the reproof.  With our own people a disgrace it will be counted.  Can I not hear Van Vleek grumble, ’Well, now, I hope Joris Van Heemskirk has had enough of his fine English company;’ and Elder Brouwer will say, ’He must marry his daughter to an Englishman; and, see, what has come of it;’ and that evil old woman, Madam Van Corlaer, will shake her head and whisper, ’Yes, neighbours, and depend upon it, the girl is of a light mind and bad morals, and it is her fault; and I shall take care my nieces to her speak no more.’  So it will be; Katherine herself will find it so.”

“The poor child!  Sorry am I she ever went to Madam Semple’s to see Mrs. Gordon.  If thy word I had taken, Joris!”

“If my word the elder also had taken.  When first, he told me that his house he would offer to the Gordons, I said to him, ’So foolish art them!  In the end, what does not fit will fight.’  If to-night them could have seen Mistress Gordon when she heard of her nephew’s hurt.  Without one word of regret, without one word of thanks, and in a great passion, she left the house.  For Neil she cared not.  ’He had been ever an envious kill-joy.  He had ever hated her dear Dick.  He had ever been jealous of any one handsomer than himself.  He was a black dog in the manger; and she hoped, with all her heart, that Dick had done for him.’  Beside herself with grief and passion she was, or the elder had not borne so patiently her words.”

“As her own son, she loved him.”

“Yea, Lysbet; but just one should be.  Weary and sad am I to-night.”

The next morning was the sabbath, and many painful questions suggested themselves to Joris and Lysbet Van Heemskirk.  Joris felt that he must not take his seat among the deacons until he had been fully exonerated of all blame of blood-guiltiness by the dominie and his elders and deacons in full kirk session.  Madam could hardly endure the thought of the glances that would be thrown at her daughter, and the probable slights she would receive.  Batavius plainly showed an aversion to being seen in Katherine’s company.  But these things did not seem to Joris a sufficient reason for neglecting worship.  He thought it best for people to face the unpleasant consequences of wrong-doing; and he added, “In trouble also, my dear ones, where should we go but into the house of the good God?”