"Too true, too true, your Royal Highness. For instance, I have discovered a girl--O Prince, there is not such another in this city or in the whole world! Few have seen this angel.--Pooh! Rollina is nothing to her. Listen--a girl tall and slender as a palm tree--with a complexion like the red glow of evening upon snow--eyes like sunbeams--rich golden tresses,--in short, the most beautiful creature I ever beheld--a Venus--a goddess in rustic attire. Your Highness, we must give her chase." "A peasant girl?" "A mere rustic; but then you must see her yourself, and you will love her. But my descriptions are nothing. Imagine the embodiment of all that you can conceive most charming--add to that, artlessness, grace, and innocence. But the difficulty is to catch sight of her. She seldom leaves her mother. I know her seat in church, and have watched her for many Sundays past, as she walked with her mother to the Elm-Gate. I have ascertained that a handsome young fellow, a gardener, is making court to her. He can't marry her, for he is a poor devil, and she has nothing. The mother is the widow of a poor weaver." "And the mother's name is?" "Widow Bittner, in Milk Street; and the daughter, fairest of flowers, is in fact called Rose." Philip's blood boiled at the sound of the beloved name. His first inclination was to knock the communicative Dutchman down. He restrained himself, however, and only asked: "Are you the devil himself?" "'T is good news, is it not? I have taken some steps in the matter already, but you must see her first. But perhaps such a pearl has not altogether escaped your keen observation? Do you know her?" "Intimately." "So much the better. Have I been too lavish of my praises? You confess their truth? She sha'n't escape us. We must go together to the widow; you must play the philanthropist. You have heard of the widow's poverty, and must insist on relieving it. You take an interest in the good woman; enter into her misfortunes; leave a small present at each visit, and by this means become acquainted with Rose. The rest follows, of course. The gardener can be easily got out of the way, or perhaps a dozen or two dollars slipped quietly into his hand may--" Philip's rage broke forth. "I'll throttle you--" "If the gardener makes a fuss?" interposed the Dutchman. "Leave me to settle this matter. I'll get him kidnapped, and sent to the army to fight for his country. In the meantime you get possession of the field; for the girl has a peasant's attachment for the fellow, and it will not be easy to get the nonsense out of her head, which she has been taught by the canaille. But I will give her some lessons, and then--" "I'll break your neck." "Your Highness is too good. But if your Highness would use your influence with the King to procure me the Chamberlain's key--" "I wish I could procure you--" "Oh, don't flatter me, your Highness. Had I only known you thought so much of her beauty, she would have been yours long ago."