He had been a faithful friend of her father, now numbered with the dead.  Her brother-in-law too had attached himself, with all the enthusiasm of youth, to the older, fully-matured champion of liberty, Van der Werff.  When he had spoken of Peter to Maria, it was always with expressions of the warmest admiration and love.  Peter had come to Delft soon after her father’s death and the violent end of the young wedded pair, and when he expressed his sympathy and strove to comfort her, did so in strong, tender words, to which she could cling, as if to an anchor, in the misery of her heart.  The valiant citizen of Leyden came to Delft more and more frequently, and was always a guest at Doctor Groot’s house.  When the men were engaged in consultation, Maria was permitted to fill their glasses and be present at their conferences.  Words flew to and fro and often seemed to her neither clear nor wise; but what Van der Werff said was always sensible, and a child could understand his plain, vigorous speech.  He appeared to the young girl like an oak-tree among swaying willows.  She knew of many of his journeys, undertaken at the peril of his life, in the service of the Prince and his native land, and awaited their result with a throbbing heart.

More than once in those days, the thought had entered her mind that it would be delightful to be borne through life in the strong arms of this steadfast man.  Then he extended these arms, and she yielded to his wish as proudly and happily as a squire summoned by the king to be made a knight.  She now remembered this by-gone time, and every hope with which she had accompanied him to Leyden rose vividly before her soul.

Her newly-wedded husband had promised her no spring, but a pleasant summer and autumn by his side.  She could not help thinking of this comparison, and what entirely different things from those she had anticipated, the union with him had offered to this day.  Tumult, anxiety, conflict, a perpetual alternation of hard work and excessive fatigue, this was his life, the life he had summoned her to share at his side, without even showing any desire to afford her a part in his cares and labors.  Matters ought not, should not go on so.  Everything that had seemed to her beautiful and pleasant in her parents’ home—­was being destroyed here.  Music and poetry, that had elevated her soul, clever conversation, that had developed her mind, were not to be found here.  Barbara’s kind feelings could never supply the place of these lost possessions; for her husband’s love she would have resigned them all—­but what had become of this love?

With bitter emotions, she replaced the casket in the chest and obeyed the summons to dinner, but found no one at the great table except Adrian and the servants.  Barbara was watching Bessie.

Never had she seemed to herself so desolate, so lonely, so useless as to-day.  What could she do here?  Barbara ruled in kitchen and cellar, and she—­she only stood in the way of her husband’s fulfilling his duties to the city and state.