t not
be betrayed, "least of all to his people. I do hate them, they drove
him from me. And even when he was gone, their hearts turned not to me as
they would an if they had repented their cruelty to him."

The Van Eyck was perplexed. At last she made a confidante of Reicht. The
secret ran through Reicht, as through a cylinder, to Catherine.

"Ay, and is she turned that bitter against us?" said that good woman.
"She stole our son from us, and now she hates us for not running into
her arms. Natheless it is a blessing she is alive and no farther away
than Rotterdam."

The English princess, now Countess Charolois, made a stately
progress through the northern states of the duchy, accompanied by her
stepdaughter the young heiress of Burgundy, Marie de Bourgogne. Then the
old duke, the most magnificent prince in Europe, put out his splendour.
Troops of dazzling knights, and bevies of fair ladies gorgeously
attired, attended the two princesses; and minstrels, jongleurs, or
story-tellers, bards, musicians, actors, tumblers followed in the train;
and there was fencing, dancing, and joy in every town they shone on.
Richart invited all his people to meet him at Rotterdam and view the
pageant.

They had been in Rotterdam some days, when Denys met Catherine
accidentally in the street, and after a warm greeting on both sides,
bade her rejoice, for he had found the she-comrade, and crowed; but
Catherine cooled him by showing him how much earlier he would have found
her by staying quietly at Tergou, than by vagabondizing it all over
Holland. "And being found, what the better are we? her heart is set dead
against us now."

"Oh, let that flea stick; come you with me to her house."

No, she would not go where she was sure of an ill welcome. "Them that
come unbidden sit unseated." No, let Denys be mediator, and bring the
parties to a good understanding. He undertook the office at once, and
with great pomp and confidence. He trotted off to Margaret and said,
"She-comrade, I met this day a friend of thine."

"Thou didst look into the Rotter then, and see thyself."

"Nay, 'twas a female, and one that seeks thy regard; 'twas Catherine,
Gerard's mother."

"Oh, was it?" said Margaret; "then you may tell her she comes too late.
There was a time I longed and longed for her; but she held aloof in my
hour of most need, so now we will be as we ha' been."

Denys tried to shake this resolution. He coaxed her, but she was bitter
and sullen,