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It was oczy that Otto Gutesohnes, as dusty and sweating as his teaoczy&039;s house in A of saltwater, tar, wet stone, vegetation, and hu the canals were filled with traffic and the sound of busy citizens hastening about their business, for Amsterdam was a commercial center and its purpose filled it as a palpable presence, iy

The house had been built in 1662 by a successful merchant; situated at the intersection of two canals the front was boastfully and expensively wide and there were four steps leading up to the front door Ragoczy had acquired the building in 1729 frorandson, and had added his own improvements The house had recently been refaced and a third floor added to expand his laboratory; new draperies hung in the s and the shutters were bright with fresh paint On the narrow, canal-side street, the house stood out for its restrained elegance and advantageous location

"The stable is behind the house, reached by the alley opposite the canal frooczy to Gutesohnes as he got out of the carriage and held out his hand to help Hero get down "The stable-master will tell you where to put the horses and the coach When the tearoomed and fed, and the trunks unloaded, youto yourself"

"Thank you, Co his shoulders to relieve theency, present your report on the teaoczy nodded to hi him to pass on

"I will The horses have done well" He tapped his driving whip as he put it back in its holder, then lifted the reins and kissed the team to move on "Almost done, my lads, almost done," he reassured them

"This is a very impressive house," Hero approved when the coach was out of earshot "Is it the first you have owned here?"

"No," said Ragoczy "I have had others before this one" He did not add that this house had not yet been built when he first visited the island village that had becoes and a small square in front It conveys a sense of prosperity," she said

"It does, does it not?" Ragoczy asked, a in his eyes He escorted her up the steps and lifted the heavy brass ring-knocker "Welcoht bow just as the door was opened

"Cooczy!" the steward exclaimed "We did not expect you until tomorrow"

"You oczy "How do I find you, Kuyskill?"

"You find ," said the ed steward; he stepped back to allow Hero to enter the house "And so is the rest of the household, except for Ursula, whose eyes trouble her now and again I shall present that inher eyes worse? Seaoczy as if he had not noticed Kuyskill&039;s last remark

"She has spectacles and they help, but there is so, and that causes difficulty," said Kuyskill

"I will have a look at her eyes myself, later today Ask her if she will permit me to assess her vision before supper" He indicated Hero with a gallant half-bow to show the respect he required his household deuest She ant the large roo the hot-house for her use: I asked the chamber be made ready in ier, and should be here to supervise unpacking her bags in an hour or so" He favored Kuyskill with a penetrating look "There will be no ruuest, of course"

"Of course," said Kuyskill in a tone of such neutrality that it was obvious he suspected the worst

"My guest and I will observe all the proprieties due a ," said Ragoczy "Youto her presence will begin with them, and I will know it"

"No one will talk," said Kuyskill "I aoczy went on as if he was convinced by Kuyskill&039;s assurances; he moved down the corridor toward the stairs to the upper floors, "can you spare a footman to carry a note around to Klasse van der Boom? I want to speak with him about the press as soon as possible"

"I&039;ll send Koenraad Letaround as a bell sounded at the rear of the house "Your coachs into the house"

"I should think he would," said Ragoczy "Go supervise I rite my note" He offered his arm to Hero "You ant to rest from the journey"

"I ah to demonstrate the truth of her assertion "And a bit tired"

"Then you will be restored after an hour of quiet I ask you to be punctilious until the household is accustomed to your presence, especially this afternoon, when you will be under close observation," he said "By evening, Serilde will be here, and the luggage and baggage will be ready to carry to your room; the household will have found out about you to their satisfaction There will be a supper laid by seven in the evening, but if you want so before then, you have only to ask Kuyskill to bespeak it for you"

"I thank you," said Hero, stifling a yawn "You know me too well, Comte"

"If I had not known you before, I would surely do so now: I have been sharing a carriage with you for a dozen days-I can see when you are tired" He bent to kiss her hand, then indicated a door at the top of the stairs "That is the entrance to your chaood manners, partly as the truth

"I will join you before supper, if you would like After I tend to Ursula"

"For conversation," she said, with the hint of a question in her words

"Yes, and to reviehatever plans you may wish toher brows provocatively "Will you join iving her rooh to open the door "When the servants are less curious"

"I suppose you know best; servants are alondering what their h the door into a rooht froreenhouse that took up half the cobbled courtyard below The walls were papered in a pattern of pale forget-me-nots and the shutters onderfully white The bedspread was of a soft lilac satin, and the hangings were a very pale blue-green "Oh! This is lovely, Co care not to go beyond the limits of the door, and aware of the covert attention of the household staff He bent his head "I hope you will have reason to remember your days here with happiness"

"I&039;m sure I shall," she said, and tossed her reticule onto the bed, watching it fall As she turned back, she discovered that Ragoczy had closed the door She shook her head a little sadly, then began to unfasten the frogs on the front of her traveling coat; like it or not, she eary and glad of a chance to recuperate frooczy encountered Kuyskill struggling with the first of his chests "Mada out"

"But your note?" Kuyskill asked

"I will go along to see Heer van der Booone when he arrives There is no need for you to delay the h I should be back before supperti Kuyskill to position the chest to be carried up two floors

"Suppertioczy "Do not wait for er in my oay" With a curt nod he was off into the brilliant afternoon, o fro water and the anodyne pull of his native earth in the soles of his shoes His stride was long and clean, and in less than fivethat housed the Eclipse Press

Klasse van der Boom himself, a square-faced man with a square body, opened the door to Eclipse Press; his leather apron was heavily stained with ink and his hands were per the door wide "Co into the front office of the press

"It is most fortuitous that you should arrive today," van der Booo, Graf van Ravensberg arrived; he came from Austria to see the preparations for his book on the nature of blood No doubt he will be pleased to meet the patron of Eclipse Press" He said patron with such heavy eoczy had to resist the ioczy inquired levelly

"Not precisely that," van der Booed "But he will prefer to talk to another man with a title, if you don&039;t mind?"

"Whatever suits your purpose, Heer van der Boom," he said, and s coat

"For which I must thank you," said van der Boom under his breath "This Austrian is filled with self-ioczy, and followed van der Boom back into the noise and heat of the press-room

Aular ant dark-blue claw-tail coat, white silk shirt, tapestry waist-coat over buff-colored unmentionables stood with five uncut sheets of printed paper in his hands He was frowning,no attention to the activity around him As van der Boom approached him, he said in aard Dutch, "I have corrections"

"No doubt you do," said van der Boom "And ill attend to them directly, Graf But for now, allow oczy, Comte Franciscus, who is patron of Eclipse Press" He bowed between the two "

"A great pleasure," said Ragoczy with an urbane sloved hand as he looked up at the Austrian

Von Ravensberg set the sheets of paper aside on a rack, clicked his heels, bowed sharply, then took Ragoczy&039;s proffered hand, speaking Geroczy A naoczy cal&039;s talonlike grip without visible effort

"You are of that House?" von Ravensberg pursued

"Another branch than the part of the fao," he said

"Very old blood, then," said von Ravensberg

This tioczy said, "Very"

"You could be a fascinating study," said von Ravensberg "Most of my studies have been conducted with Austrians and Geroczy oczy asked politely, although inwardly taken aback

"In regard to blood, of course," said von Ravensberg, pointing to the pages hanging on the rack "It is the subject of my book, as I assumed you must know" His face was set in accusatory lines