built out into the floor in the Dutch manner; and being alongside, each
had the same prospect from the window of the top of a tree below us in a
little court, of a piece of the canal, and of houses in the Hollands
architecture and a church spire upon the further side. A full set of
bells hung in that spire and made delightful music; and when there was
any sun at all, it shone direct in our two chambers. From a tavern hard
by we had good meals sent in.

The first night we were both pretty weary, and she extremely so. There
was little talk between us, and I packed her off to her bed as soon as
she had eaten. The first thing in the morning I wrote word to Sprott to
have her mails sent on, together with a line to Alan at his chief's; and
had the same dispatched, and her breakfast ready, ere I waked her. I was
a little abashed when she came forth in her one habit, and the mud of
the way upon her stockings. By what inquiries I had made, it seemed a
good few days must pass before her mails could come to hand in Leyden,
and it was plainly needful she must have a shift of things. She was
unwilling at first that I should go to that expense; but I reminded her
she was now a rich man's sister and must appear suitably in the part,
and we had not got to the second merchant's before she was entirely
charmed into the spirit of the thing, and her eyes shining. It pleased
me to see her so innocent and thorough in this pleasure. What was more
extraordinary was the passion into which I fell on it myself; being
never satisfied that I had bought her enough or fine enough, and never
weary of beholding her in different attires. Indeed, I began to
understand some little of Miss Grant's immersion in that interest of
clothes; for the truth is, when you have the ground of a beautiful
person to adorn, the whole business becomes beautiful. The Dutch
chintzes I should say were extraordinary cheap and fine; but I would be
ashamed to set down what I paid for stockings to her. Altogether I spent