it."

These words were meant for her, and I looked straight at her as I spoke,
so there could be no mistake. Red sprang to her cheeks. She bit her lip,
and what she would have answered or done if left to herself I shall
never know, for Miss Rivers slipped one arm coaxingly within the arm of
her stepsister, and said, with a laugh, to make it seem that all three
were jesting----

"Why, of course she won't refuse. None of us would forgive her for
spoiling our pleasure. Come along, Nell."

So Nell did "come along," like the sweet and sensible girl she really
is, when she has not been driven to defiance by blundering young men;
and we sat down to eat the best dinner that Leiden could provide at
short notice. Nothing that was truly Dutch had been forgotten, but the
most brilliant success was not the _plat_ on which the _chef_ would have
staked his reputation. It was nothing more nor less than the dish with
which all Leiden invariably occupies itself on the 3rd of October,
anniversary of blessed memory. On that day it was, three hundred and
thirty odd years ago, that a little boy ran joyously home from a flying
visit to the deserted Spanish camp, with a pot of carrots and potatoes
mixed together in a hotch-potch; therefore, with hotch-potch does Leiden
to this hour celebrate the Great Relief, eating with thanksgiving.

And my guests ate with compliments, enjoying the idea if not the food,
as if they had been Leideners. Last of all, we had grilled herrings with
mustard, on toasted bread, a quaint conceit which I had to explain by
telling how, on the 3rd of October, bread and herrings are still
distributed to the poor, because it was with herrings and bread that the
Dutch boats, coming to the relief of Leiden, were loaded.

I managed to keep the party long at the table, and when the Chaperon
proposed going, I looked at my watch, counseling patience for half an
hour.

"If you'll wait," I said, "I'll show you something rather special on the
way home--something that can't be seen by every one."

Then I told about my cousin; how this was his great day, and how,
without being invited, we could share the fun. I told how, early this
morning, Jan's Paranymphs had donned evening dress, according to old
custom, and driven in smart carriages (the horses' heads nodding with
plumes) to the railway station to meet their principal's father, mother,
sisters, and pretty cousins; how the party had then come to these rooms,
where Jan had r