The rest of the history may be guessed.  At every game the stakes were increased, for since Adrian could not pay, it was a matter of indifference to him how much he wagered.  Moreover, he found a kind of mild excitement in playing at the handling of such great sums of money.  By the end of a week he had lost a queen’s dowry.  As they rose from the table that night his father filled in the usual form, requested him to be so good as to sign it, and a sour-faced woman who had arrived at the mill, Adrian knew not whence, to do the household work, to put her name as witness.

“What is the use of this farce?” asked Adrian.  “Brant’s treasure would scarcely pay that bill.”

His father pricked his ears.

“Indeed?  I lay it at as much again.  What is the use?  Who knows—­one day you might become rich, for, as the great Emperor said, ’Fortune is a woman who reserves her favours for the young,’ and then, doubtless, being the man of honour that you are, you would wish to pay your old gambling debts.”

“Oh! yes, I should pay if I could,” answered Adrian with a yawn.  “But it seems hardly worthy while talking about, does it?” and he sauntered out of the place into the open air.

His father rose, and, standing by the great peat fire, watched him depart thoughtfully.

“Let me take stock of the position,” he said to himself.  “The dear child hasn’t a farthing left; therefore, although he is getting bored, he can’t run away.  Moreover, he owes me more money than I ever saw; therefore, if he should chance to become the husband of the Jufvrouw Brant, and the legal owner of her parent’s wealth, whatever disagreements may ensue between him and me I shall have earned my share of it in a clean and gentlemanly fashion.  If, on the other hand, it should become necessary for me to marry the young lady, which God forbid, at least no harm is done, and he will have had the advantage of some valuable lessons from the most accomplished card-player in Spain.

“And now what we need to enliven this detestable place is the presence of Beauty herself.  Our worthy friends should be back soon—­bringing their sheaves with them, let us hope, for otherwise matters will be complicated.  Let me see:  have I thought of everything, for in such affairs one oversight—­He is a Catholic, therefore can contract a legal marriage under the Proclamations—­it was lucky I remembered that point of law, though it nearly cost us all our lives—­and the priest, I can lay my hands on him, a discreet man, who won’t hear if the lady says No, but filled beyond a question with the power and virtue of his holy office.  No, I have nothing to reproach myself with in the way of precaution, nothing at all.  I have sown the seed well and truly, it remains only for Providence to give the increase, or shall I say—­no, I think not, for between the general and the private familiarity is always odious.  Well, it is time that you met with a little success and settled down, for you have worked hard, Juan, my friend, and you are getting old—­yes, Juan, you are getting old.  Bah! what a hole and what weather!” and Montalvo established himself by the fireside to doze away his ennui.