go to
bed; though, on parting for the night, he squeezed Dolph heartily by
the hand, looked kindly in his face, and shook his head knowingly; for
the Heer well remembered what he himself had been at the youngster's
age.

The chamber in which our hero was lodged was spacious, and panelled
with oak. It was furnished with clothes-presses, and mighty chests of
drawers, well waxed, and glittering with brass ornaments. These
contained ample stock of family linen; for the Dutch housewives had
always a laudable pride in showing off their household treasures to
strangers.

Dolph's mind, however, was too full to take particular note of the
objects around him; yet he could not help continually comparing the
free, open-hearted cheeriness of this establishment with the
starveling, sordid, joyless housekeeping at Doctor Knipperhausen's.
Still there was something that marred the enjoyment--the idea that he
must take leave of his hearty host and pretty hostess and cast himself
once more adrift upon the world. To linger here would be folly; he
should only get deeper in love; and for a poor varlet like himself to
aspire to the daughter of the great Heer Vander Heyden--it was madness
to think of such a thing! The very kindness that the girl had shown
towards him prompted him, on reflection, to hasten his departure; it
would be a poor return for the frank hospitality of his host to
entangle his daughter's heart in an injudicious attachment. In a word,
Dolph was like many other young reasoners, of exceeding good hearts
and giddy heads, who think after they act, and act differently from
what they think; who make excellent determinations overnight and
forget to keep them the next morning.

"This is a fine conclusion, truly, of my voyage," said he, as he
almost buried himself in a sumptuous feather-bed, and drew the fresh
white sheets up to his chin. "Here am I, instead of finding a bag of
money to carry home, launched in a strange place, with scarcely a
stiver in my pocket; and, what is worse, have jumped ashore up to my
very ears in love into the bargain. However," added he, after some
pause, stretching himself and turning himself in bed, "I'm in good
quarters for the present, at least; so I'll e'en enjoy the present
moment, and let the next take care of itself; I dare say all will work
out, 'some hew or other,' for the best."

As he said these words, he reached out his hand to extinguish the
candle, when he was suddenly struck with a