1666, Pages 203 - 229 Summary

One evening, Vermeer calls for Griet to bring Catharina a glass of wine while she is getting ready for a party and is wearing her pearls. Once she is in the room, Vermeer's eyes travel from the pearl earrings to Griet's face. She knows what he will ask her to do, and is terrified. Griet knows that if Catharina ever hears that Griet was wearing her pearls, she would be kicked out onto the street. This, she realizes, is what van Leeuwenhoek was warning her about: Vermeer cares not for his subjects, only for his paintings. He wouldn't care what happened to Griet as long as his painting was complete. Vermeer orders Griet to change into her headdress again. When Griet walks to the storeroom to change, she turns around to see that Vermeer has followed her and has seen her...