Belotti now led him courteously into a small room at the side of the great hall, took off his cloak, and then went upstairs.  As minute after minute passed, until at last a whole quarter of an hour elapsed, and neither servant nor cloak appeared, the young man lost his patience, though it was not easily disturbed, and when the door at last opened serious peril threatened the leaden panes on which he was drumming loudly with his fingers.  Wilhelm doubtless heard it, yet he drummed with redoubled vehemence, to show the Italian that the time was growing long to him.  But he hastily withdrew his fingers from the glass, for a girl’s musical voice said behind him in excellent Dutch: 

“Have you finished your war-song, sir?  Belotti is bringing your cloak.”

Wilhelm had turned and was gazing in silent bewilderment into the face of the young noblewoman, who stood directly in front of him.  These features were not unfamiliar, and yet—­years do not make even a goddess younger, and mortals increase in height and don’t grow smaller; but the, lady whom he thought he saw before him, whom he had known well in the eternal city and never forgotten, had been older and taller than the young girl, who so strikingly resembled her and seemed to take little pleasure in the young man’s surprised yet inquiring glance.  With a haughty gesture she beckoned to the steward, saying in Italian: 

“Give the gentleman his cloak, Belotti, and tell him I came to beg him to pardon your forgetfulness.”

With these words Henrica Van Hoogstraten turned towards the door, but Wilhelm took two hasty strides after her, exclaiming: 

“Not yet, not yet, Fraulein!  I am the one to apologize.  But if you have ever been amazed by a resemblance—­”

“Anything but looking like other people!” cried the girl with a repellent gesture.

“Ah, Fraulein, yet—­”

“Let that pass, let that pass,” interrupted Henrica in so irritated a tone that the musician looked at her in surprise.  “One sheep looks just like another, and among a hundred peasants twenty have the same face.  All wares sold by the dozen are cheap.”

As soon as Wilhelm heard reasons given, the quiet manner peculiar to him returned, and he answered modestly: 

“But nature also forms the most beautiful things in pairs.  Think of the eyes in the Madonna’s face.”

“Are you a Catholic?”

“A Calvinist, Fraulein.”

“And devoted to the Prince’s cause?”

“Say rather, the cause of liberty.”

“That accounts for the drumming of the war-song.”

“It was first a gentle gavotte, but impatience quickened the time.  I am a musician, Fraulein.”

“But probably no drummer.  The poor panes!”

“They are an instrument like any other, and in playing we seek to express what we feel.”

“Then accept my thanks for not breaking them to pieces.”

“That wouldn’t have been beautiful, Fraulein, and art ceases when ugliness begins.”