y fond of him, although she treated him still as a child, and
executed her parental authority as if he were still in petticoats. Her
coming over was a sort of mutual convenience. She had saved money, and
Vanslyperken wished to secure that, and also have a home and a person to
whom he could trust; and she was so abhorred, and the reports against
her so shocking where she resided, that she was glad to leave a place
where every one, as she passed, would get out of her way, as if to avoid
contamination. Yet these reports were vague, although hinting at some
horrid and appalling crimes. No one knew what they exactly were, for the
old woman had outlived her contemporaries, and the tradition was
imperfect, but she had been handed down to the next generation as one to
be avoided as a basilisk.

It was to his mother's abode, one room on the second floor, to which Mr
Vanslyperken proceeded as soon as he had taken the necessary steps for
the replacing of the boat. As he ascended the stairs, the quick ear of
the old woman heard his footstep, and recognised it. It must be
observed, that all the conversation between Vanslyperken and his mother
was carried on in Dutch, of which we, of course, give the translation.

"There you come, Cornelius Vanslyperken; I hear you, and by your hurried
tread you are vexed. Well, why should you not be vexed as well as your
mother, in this world of devils?"

This was a soliloquy of the old woman's before that Vanslyperken had
entered the room, where he found his mother sitting over a few cinders
half ignited in a very small grate. Parsimony would not allow her to use
more fuel, although her limbs trembled as much from cold as palsy; her
nose and chin nearly met; her lips were like old scars, and of an ashy
white; and her sunken hollow mouth reminded you of a small, deep, dark
sepulchre; teeth she had none.

"How fare you, mother?" said Vanslyperken on entering the room.

"I'm alive."

"And long may you live, dear mother."

"Ah," replied the woman, as if doubting.

"I am here but for a short time," continued Vanslyperken.

"Well, child, so much the better; when on board you save money, on shore
you must spend some. Have you brought any with you?"

"I have, mother, which I must leave to your care."

"Give it me then."

Vanslyperken pulled out a bag and laid it on the lap of his mother,
whose trembling hands counted it over.

"Gold, and good gold--while you live, my child, part not with gol