Ricketicketack and Wooden Clara; Two Tales in One Volume (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 edition. Excerpt: ...is a very torment of hell to me; there are moments when I could tell him all." "Take heed how you do that, senora; his Spanish blood would surely boil up at the news. His life would be empoisoned by a knowledge that would be intolerable to him; and God knows how your lot would then shape itself. Better were it to go back to Spain, and try to forget why it was we came to the Netherlands." The duenna's last words touched the lady most painfully. Proudly she reared her head, as though to repel an affront, and, with a dark lookvat her old servant, she said--"How can you dare to speak of such a thing, Ines? Leave Antwerp without seeing her You must be jesting; you know as well as I do it is not possible. Give me my mantilla, and let us go." There stands in the Spital street an old-fashioned, Gothic-looking house, with its gable toward the street, the highest story of which is decorated with an allegorical representation of the Holy Trinity. Over the principal entrance is a relief in stone, representing a number of young girls receiving instruction from a mistress, with others standing at the door of the establishment. Under this work of art may be read the following somewhat doggerel explanation of the objects and origin of the institution: --"For decent bringing up of little maids Who else in want and misery might have perish'd, A godly man this house of God did raise; Himself unknown, his soul compassion cherish'd." "This good man departed this life November the 19th, 1562. He lived seventy-three years. His name was Jan Van der Meere, merchant here." It was yet betimes in the morning when the Countess de Almata, with her duenna, stood at this door. The latter raised the iron knocker and let it...