eagles, ermines, bands and
crosses of gold, silver, green, and blue quartz, so numerous and
sparkling, that when the noonday sun penetrated into the hall, the eye
could with difficulty bear the dazzling magnificence.

The armorial bearings of the Van de Werves, Lords of Schilde, painted in
larger proportions than the others, were at the extremity of the hall.
They consisted of a black boar on a field of gold, quartered by three
chevrons of silver on black, surmounted by a helmet ornamented by
mantlings of black and gold, and above this was a boar's head.

Around these family arms shone a large number of escutcheons of smaller
size; among others, the coat of arms of the Wyneghem, the Van Immerseel,
the Van Wilre, the Van Mildert, the Van Coolput, the Van Bruloch, and the
Van Zymaer, families the most nearly related to that of Van de Werve.

Above the wainscot, within the niches formed by the pillars, hung the
portraits of some of the most illustrious ancestors of William Van de
Werve, as well as his own, in which he was represented as captain of a
German company in the service of Charles V.

The portraits did not occupy all the panels formed in the richly carved
oak. In a large number appeared valuable paintings from the pencil of the
most celebrated masters of Netherlands. The eye rested on the creations of
the immortal brothers Van Eyck, the touching Quintin Massys, the
intellectual Roger Van der Weydens, the spiritual Jerome Bosch, the
laborious Lucas de Leyde, and others whose names were favorably mentioned
in the world of art.

In a corner of the room, beside the fireplace, stood a piano richly
enamelled in woods of different colors, and upon it lay two lutes and a
violin--a proof that the charming art of music was cultivated by the
family of Mr. Van de Werve.

From the ceiling were suspended six gilded chandeliers; on the mantelpiece
were two candelabras; along the walls, where the pillars formed
projections, numerous sconces were fastened; and when Mr. Van de Werve
received his friends in the evening, the reflection of the numberless wax
candles from the many gold and silver ornaments gave a princely air to the
hall.

Three days after the attempted assassination of Geronimo by the ruffian
Bufferio, Mr. Van de Werve was to entertain his friends in the evening, it
being the time appointed for their reunion. Although he had been deeply
moved by the murderous assault, and his daughter Mary had scarcely
recover