For some reason, long forgotten, the prospective bridegroom had failed to win the favour of his aunt, the young lady's mother, who emphatically refused her consent to the marriage. vShe was not one whose will was lightly disregarded in her household. Mistress Harriet, we may well believe, was in despair and would, no doubt, have wept her pretty eyes out if she had not received secret comfort and encouragement from her father, who was proud of his handsome and valiant nephew, and promised to assist the lovers in spite of maternal opposition. Having formed this insurrectionary resolve, but doubting, evidently, his ability to cope openly with a power to which he was no stranger. Van Rensselaer set about accomplishing his ]iurpose without unnecessary publicity. One autumn day, while Madame his wife was enjoymg her after-dinner nap in the library, he gathered the young people and their witnesses in an adjoining room and smuggled in the minister to marry them. The deep and regular respirations from the

An Old Dutch Town 525

library were an immediate assurance of safety, so without dela}' or noise the \'ows were made and the customary blessing pronounced. But just as the knot was firmly tied and the arch-conspirator was gleefully shaking hands with the domine, while the bride, half frightened, was clinging to the bridegroom and receix'ing the

VAN RENSSELAER MANOR-HOUSE, 1765

congratulations of the witnesses, the sounds from the library suddenly ceased. Madame Van Rensselaer was waking. It is not difficult to be l)rave before or after a crisis. The thing that is really hard is to display moral heroism at the \'ery moment of sur|)rise or danger. Tf Van Rensselaer had had time to consider this he would, no doubt, have stayed and faced the situation, but as it was, no one ])aused to consider.