She said to herself, "Thinking me dead, he comes home, and now, because I am alive, he goes back to Italy, for that is where he has gone."Joan advised her to consult the hermit of Gouda.
"Why, sure he is dead by this time."
"Yon one, belike.But the cave is never long void; Gouda ne'er wants a hermit."But Margaret declined to go again to Gouda on such an errand, "What can he know, shut up in a cave? less than I, belike.Gerard hath gone back t' Italy.He hates me for not being dead."Presently a Tergovian came in with a word from Catherine that Ghysbrecht Van Swieten had seen Gerard later than any one else.On this Margaret determined to go and see the house and goods that had been left her, and take Reicht Heynes home to Rotterdam.And as may be supposed, her steps took her first to Ghysbrecht's house.She found him in his garden, seated in a chair with wheels.
He greeted her with a feeble voice, but cordially; and when she asked him whether it was true he had seen Gerard since the fifth of August, he replied, "Gerard no more, but Friar Clement.Ay, Isaw him; and blessed be the day he entered my house."He then related in his own words his interview with Clement.
He told her, moreover, that the friar had afterwards acknowledged he came to Tergou with the missing deed in his bosom on purpose to make him disgorge her land; but that finding him disposed towards penitence, he had gone to work the other way.
"Was not this a saint; who came to right thee, but must needs save his enemy's soul in the doing it?"To her question, whether he had recognized him, he said, "I ne'er suspected such a thing.'Twas only when he had been three days with me that he revealed himself, Listen while I speak my shame and his praise.
"I said to him, 'The land is gone home, and my stomach feels lighter; but there is another fault that clingeth to me still;'
then told I him of the letter I had writ at request of his brethren, I whose place it was to check them.Said I, 'Yon letter was writ to part two lovers, and the devil aiding, it hath done the foul work.Land and houses I can give back, but yon mischief is done for ever.' 'Nay,' quoth he, 'not for ever, but for life.
Repent it then while thou livest.' 'I shall,' said I, 'but how can God forgive it? I would not,' said I, 'were I He.'
'Yet will He certainly forgive it,' quoth he; 'for He is ten times more forgiving than I am, and I forgive thee.' I stared at him;and then he said softly, but quavering like, 'Ghysbrecht, look at me closer.I am Gerard, the son of Eli.' And I looked, and looked, and at last, lo! it was Gerard.Verily I had fallen at his feet with shame and contrition, but he would not suffer me.'That became not mine years and his, for a particular fault.I say not Iforgive thee without a struggle,' said he, 'not being a saint.But these three days thou hast spent in penitence, I have worn under thy roof in prayer; and I do forgive thee.' Those were his very words."Margaret's tears began to flow, for it was in a broken and contrite voice the old man told her this unexpected trait in her Gerard.He continued, "And even with that he bade me farewell.
"'My work here is done now,' said he.I had not the heart to stay him; for let him forgive me ever so, the sight of me must be wormwood to him.He left me in peace, and may a dying man's blessing wait on him, go where he will.Oh, girl, when I think of his wrongs, and thine, and how he hath avenged himself by saving this stained soul of mine, my heart is broken with remorse, and these old eyes shed tears by night and day.""Ghysbrecht," said Margaret, weeping, "since he hath forgiven thee, I forgive thee too: what is done, is done; and thou hast let me know this day that which I had walked the world to hear.But oh, burgomaster, thou art an understanding man, now help a poor woman, which hath forgiven thee her misery.'
She then told him all that had befallen, "And," said she, "they will not keep the living for him for ever.He bids fair to lose that, as well as break all our hearts.""Call my servant," cried the burgomaster, with sudden vigour.
He sent him for a table and writing materials, and dictated letters to the burgomasters in all the principal towns in Holland, and one to a Prussian authority, his friend.His clerk and Margaret wrote them, and he signed them."There," said he, "the matter shall be despatched throughout Holland by trusty couriers, and as far as Basle in Switzerland; and fear not, but we will soon have the vicar of Gouda to his village."She went home animated with fresh hopes, and accusing herself of ingratitude to Gerard."I value my wealth now," said she.
She also made a resolution never to blame his conduct till she should hear from his own lips his reason.
Not long after her return from Tergou a fresh disaster befell.
Catherine, I must premise, had secret interviews with the black sheep, the very day after they were expelled; and Cornelis followed her to Tergou, and lived there on secret contributions, but Sybrandt chose to remain in Rotterdam.Ere Catherine left, she asked Margaret to lend her two gold angels."For," said she, "all mine are spent." Margaret was delighted to lend them or give them;but the words were scarce out of her mouth ere she caught a look of regret and distress on Kate's face, and she saw directly whither her money was going.She gave Catherine the money, and went and shut herself up with her boy.Now this money was to last Sybrandt till his mother could make some good excuse for visiting Rotterdam again, and then she would bring the idle dog some of her own industrious savings.
But Sybrandt, having gold in his pocket, thought it inexhaustible:
