In which Mr Vanslyperken treats the ladies.


On the second day after his arrival, Vanslyperken, as agreed, went up to
the syndic's house to call upon Ramsay. The latter paid him down one
hundred pounds for his passage and services, and Vanslyperken was so
pleased, that he thought seriously, as soon as he had amassed sufficient
money, to withdraw himself from the service, and retire with his
ill-gotten gains; but when would a miser like Vanslyperken have amassed
sufficient money? Alas! never, even if the halter were half round his
neck. Ramsay then gave his instructions to Vanslyperken, advising him to
call for letters previously to his sailing, and telling him that he must
open the government despatches in the way to which he had been witness,
take full memorandums of the contents, and bring them to him, for which
service he would each time receive fifty pounds as a remuneration.
Vanslyperken bowed to his haughty new acquaintance, and quitted
the house.

"Yes," thought Ramsay, "that fellow is a low, contemptible traitor, and
how infamous does treason appear in that wretch! but--I--I am no
traitor--I have forfeited my property and risked my life in fidelity to
my king, and in attempting to rid the world of a usurper and a tyrant.
Here, indeed, I am playing a traitor's part to my host, but still I am
doing my duty. An army without spies would be incomplete, and one may
descend to that office for the good of one's country without tarnish or
disgrace. Am I not a traitor to her already? Have not I formed visions
in my imagination already of obtaining her hand, and her heart, and her
fortune? Is not this treachery? Shall I not attempt to win her
affections under disguise as her father's friend and partisan? But what