Now, it so
happened, that the corporal had gone over to the Jesuit's house to agree
to the proposals, and was actually in the house conversing with him,
when Vanslyperken arrived and knocked at the door. The corporal
ascertaining who it was by a small clear spot left in the painted window
for scrutiny, begged that he might be concealed, and was immediately
shown into the next room by a door, which was hid behind a screen. The
Jesuit did not exactly shut the door, as he supposed he did, and the
corporal, who wondered what could have brought Vanslyperken there, kept
it ajar during the whole of the interview and the counting out of the
money. Vanslyperken left, and as he shut the other door the corporal
did the same with the one he held ajar, and took a seat at the other end
of the room, that the Jesuit might not suspect his having overheard all
that had passed.
Now the Jesuit had made up his mind that it was better to treat with the
principal than with a second, and therefore did not further require the
services of Corporal Van Spitter. He told him that the lieutenant having
received private information that one of the people of the cutter had
been seen at his house, and knowing that he was the French agent, had
come to inform him that if he attempted to employ any of his men in
carrying letters, that he would inform against him to the authorities.
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