The Laughing Cavalier by Baroness Orczy (best 7 inch ereader .TXT) 📕

he began dryly, and seeing that the man still eyed him with suspicion, “if you would cease to deny that you are Ben Isaje, jeweller of Rotterdam. I have here some papers which I must deliver into the said Ben Isaje’s own hands: they are writ by Mynheer Nicolaes Beresteyn of Haarlem and do explain the purport of my visit here.”

“From Nicolaes Beresteyn,” quoth the other with an obvious sigh of relief. “Why did you not name him before, sir? I am always at Mynheer Nicolaes Beresteyn’s commands. Indeed my name is Ben Isaje. An you have cause to doubt it, sir.⁠ ⁠…”

“Dondersteen! but I never did doubt it, man, from the moment I saw the end of your hooked nose through the aperture of your door. So no more talk now, I pray you. Time is getting on. Here is the letter which Mynheer Beresteyn bade me present to you.”

He handed over the letter to Ben Isaje which was writ in Beresteyn’s own hand and duly signed with his own name. The Jew took it from him and drawing a chair close to the light on the table he unfolded the paper and began to read.

Diogenes the while examined him attentively. He was the man who after this night would have charge of Gilda, at the bidding of her own brother; he⁠—Diogenes⁠—would after this night become a free agent, his pledge to Beresteyn would be redeemed and he would be free⁠—in an hour’s time mayhap⁠—to work for his own ends⁠—to restore the jongejuffrouw to her sorrowing father, by taking her by force from this old Jew’s keeping and returning with utmost speed and in utmost secrecy the very way he had just come. A fortune of 500,000 guilders awaited him in Haarlem, provided he could cajole or threaten Gilda in keeping his share of her original abduction a secret for all times.

How this could be done he had not yet thought on; but that it could be done he had no manner of doubt. An interview with the lady either this night or on the morrow, a promise to take her back to her father at once if she swore a solemn oath never to betray him, and he might be back in Leyden with her tomorrow eve and in possession of a fortune the following day.

No wonder then, that with these happy thoughts whirling in his head, he could scarcely restrain his temper while Ben Isaje read the long letter through, and then reread it again a second time.

“Have you not finished, sir?” he exclaimed at last with marked impatience, “meseems the letter is explicit enough.”

“Quite explicit, sir, I thank you,” replied Ben Isaje, as he slowly folded up the letter and slipped it into the pocket of his kaftan. “I am to assure myself that the Jongejuffrouw Gilda Beresteyn, who is in your charge, is safe and well and hath no grave complaints to make against you, beyond that you did seize her by force in the streets of Haarlem. After which I am to see that she is conveyed with respect and safety to my own private house which is situate outside this city, or to any other place which I might think fitting, and there to keep her in comfort until such time as Mynheer Beresteyn desires. All that is quite clearly set forth in the letter, sir, and also that in payment for your services you are to receive the sum of 3,000 guilders which I am to give you in exchange for the formal bond which you will duly present.”

The Jew spoke very deliberately⁠—too deliberately, in fact, for Diogenes’ endurance. Now he broke in impatiently.

“Is that all that is set forth in the letter?”

The Jew smiled somewhat sardonically.

“Not quite all,” he said, “there is, of course, question in it of payment to myself.”

“And certain conditions too, I imagine, attached to such payment. I know that Mynheer Nicolaes Beresteyn is prudent beyond his years.”

“There is but one condition, sir, which enjoins me to keep a watchful eye on the jongejuffrouw once she is under my roof: to set a watch over her and her movements, and never, if possible, to let her out of my sight; he suggests that she might at any time make an attempt at escape, which he strictly commands me to frustrate, and in point of fact he desires me to look upon his sister as a prisoner of war not even to be let out on parole.”

Diogenes’ low, prolonged whistle was his only comment on what he had just heard.

“Mynheer Beresteyn also suggests to me, sir,” continued the Jew with marked affability, “the advisability of keeping a watchful eye over you until such time as the jongejuffrouw is safely housed under my roof.”

“You will find that injunction somewhat more difficult to follow, my friend, than you imagine,” retorted Diogenes with a ringing laugh, “an you’ll take my advice you will have extra watchmen posted outside your door.”

“I have valuable things as well as monies stored in this house, sir,” rejoined the Jew simply. “I have a picked guard of ten men sleeping here every night, and two watchmen outside my door until dawn.”

Once more a long, low whistle escaped from the philosopher’s lips.

“You are careful, my friend!” he said lightly.

“One has to be careful, sir, against thieves and housebreakers.”

“And will your picked guard of ten men escort the jongejuffrouw to your private house this night?”

But the other slowly shook his head in response.

“The lady and her escort,” he said, “must, I fear me, accept the hospitality of this hovel for tonight.”

“But⁠ ⁠…”

“My wife is away, sir, visiting her father in Dordrecht. She will only be home tomorrow. In the meanwhile my house is empty, and I am spending my nights here as well as my days.”

“But⁠ ⁠…”

“It will not be a great hardship for the jongejuffrouw, sir,” broke in the Jew again, “she will be made as comfortable for the