But to himself he murmured under his breath: "St. Bavon and the Holy Virgin, do ye both stand by me now!" "I do not know, sir," she began after awhile, "if my coming here at this hour doth greatly surprise you, but in truth the matter which brings me is so grave that I cannot give a thought to your feelings or to mine own." "And mine, mejuffrouw, are of such little consequence," he said good-humouredly seeing that she appeared to wait for a reply, "that it were a pity you should waste precious time in considering them." "Nor have I come to talk of feelings, sir. My purpose is of deadly earnestness. I have come to propose a bargain for your acceptance." "A bargain?" "Yes. A bargain," she reiterated. "One I hope and think that you will find it worth while to accept." "Then may I crave the honour of hearing the nature of that bargain, mejuffrouw?" he asked pleasantly. She did not give him an immediate reply but remained quite still and silent for a minute or even two, looking with wide-open inquiring eyes on the tall figure of the man who had--to her mind--done her such an infinite wrong. She noted and acknowledged quite dispassionately the air of splendour which became him so well--splendour of physique, of youth and of strength, and those laughing eyes that questioned and that mocked, the lips that always smiled and the straight brow with its noble sweep which hid the true secret of his personality. And once again--as on that evening at Leyden--she fell almost to hating him, angered that such a man should be nothing better than a knave, a mercenary rogue paid to lend a hand in unavowable deeds. He stood her scrutiny as best he could, answering her look of haughty condescension with one of humble deference; but the smile of gentle irony never left his lips and tempered the humility of his attitude. "You have owned to me, sir," resumed Gilda Beresteyn at last, "that you have been paid for the infamous work which you are doing now; for laying hands on me in the streets of Haarlem and for keeping me a prisoner at the good will of your employer. To own to such a trade, sir, is to admit oneself somewhat below the level of honest men. Is that not so?" "Below the level of most men, mejuffrouw, I admit," he replied imperturbably. "Had it not been for that admission on your part, I would never have thought of coming to you with a proposal which...." "Which you never would have put before an honest man," he broke in with perfect equanimity, seeing that she hesitated.