mained so for a long
time, and at length the widow Papegay cited the widow de La Grange
before the court, claiming as her right, payment in full, or
restitution of the land, as de La Grange had been in possession of the
land for some years, and had enjoyed the profits, and the time for the
last payment had also expired some years before. In the mean time
comes one M. La Motte, who it seems was to assist Madam de La Grange,
either by discharging the debt or by defending the suit, and in order
the better to do so, he buys the island from the widow de La Grange,
seeking her also in marriage. But as Madam Papegay persevered, and the
affair of Mons. La Motte and the widow de La Grange came to nothing,
and on the other hand the widow de La Grange could not deliver the
land to La Motte, and La Motte could not pay, the widow de La Grange
was therefore condemned to restore the island to Madam Papegay, and
pay her costs, and also to pay the income which she had received from
the island for the time she had lived upon it, and for the buildings
which she had allowed to go to waste. Madam de La Grange, conceiving
this decree to be unjust, appealed to the high court--the country
having in the mean time been taken by the English--and was again
condemned, and therefore, had to deliver up the land.[205] Now, in
this last war with Sweden,[206] Madam Papegay, who has two brothers in
Sweden, in the service of the crown,[207] was sent for by them to come
home, whereupon, she sold the island to Mr. Otto Kuif[208] a
Holsteiner, who now lives upon it, for fifteen hundred guilders in
_zeewant_, as it was very much decayed and worn out. This is three
hundred guilders in the money of Holland. Hereupon, Madam Papegay
delivered full possession thereof to this Otto. Now, M. Arnout de La
Grange, as heir of his father, when he was here last year laid claim
to the island from Mr. Otto, who told him he did not know him in the
matter, and if M. de La Grange had any lawful claim, he must not apply
to him, but to the court, as his possession was under its judgment;
but if M. de La Grange wished to buy it from him, he would let him
have it for three hundred pounds sterling, or as they might agree.
Whereupon, de La Grange flew into a passion, and threatened to appeal
to London. "That you can do," said Otto, "if you have money enough.
All this affects me not, since I have bought and paid for it, and have
been put in possession of it by order of the court." De