it. As he offered to be my companion, we were soon on our way to Crown
Street, in which Mr. Mordaunt owned and inhabited a very excellent house.
We were admitted by Mr. Mordaunt himself, not one of his blacks, having yet
returned from the Pinkster field.

Dirck appeared to be on the best terms, not only with Herman Mordaunt, but
with his charming daughter. I had observed that the latter always called
him "_cousin_ Dirck," and I hardly knew whether to interpret this as a sign
of particular or of family regard. That Dirck was fonder of Anneke Mordaunt
than of any other human being, I could easily see; and I confess that the
discovery already began to cause uneasiness. I loved Dirck, and wished he
loved any one else but the very being I feared he did.

Herman Mordaunt showed me the way, up the noble, wide, mahogany-garnished
staircase of his dwelling, and ushered us into a very handsome, though not
very large, but well-lighted drawing-room. There sat Anneke, his daughter,
in the loveliness of her maiden charms, a little more dressed than usual,
perhaps, for she had three or four young and lovely girls with her, and
five or six young men; among whom were no less than three scarlet coats.

I shall not attempt to conceal my weakness. Only twenty, inexperienced and
unaccustomed to town society, I felt awkward and unpleasantly the instant I
entered the room; nor did the feeling subside during the first half-hour.
Anneke came forward, one or two steps, to meet me; and I could see, she was
almost as much confused, as I was myself. She blushed, as she thanked me
for the service I had rendered, and expressed her satisfaction that her
father had been fortunate enough to find me at home, and had had an
opportunity of saying a little of what he felt, on the occasion. She then
invited me to be seated, naming me to the company, and telling me who
two or three of the young ladies were. From these last I received sundry