The Golden Tulip Read Online Free PDF

she went to an upper room. After turning the key in the lock, she began searching in a cupboard for a certain parchment document she knew to be stored there. Finding it, she took it across to a writing table where there was pen and ink, and sat down to copy the wording of Hendrick’s indentures to the late Frans Hals of Haarlem onto the sheet of paper bearing his signature and that of Francesca, incorporating them in the right places. She then did the same with Aletta’s and Sybylla’s. It was unlikely that Sybylla would develop into an artist at a later date, but it was not right to leave her out.
    When all was done, the ink dry and the document returned to its drawer, Anna rolled up the three improvised indentures, tied them with a ribbon, took them into her bedchamber and placed them in her Oriental lacquered box, which held Janetje’s correspondence and other items of importance to her. It was the only time in her life she had carried out a deception against Hendrick, but one day she would explain to him it had been for his good and that of their daughters. She smoothed the lace of her cuffs and brushed her hands down her skirt as if some evidence of what she had done might be clinging to her. Then, quite composed, she went downstairs.
    It was almost time for the evening prayers and the family was gathering with Griet in the parlor. Anna knelt in her place beside Hendrick and glanced around at the little circle to make sure the children had folded their hands and were ready. Only Maria sat, for she could no longer get down on her knees. Then Anna bowed her head. Her religious faith was strong. She felt she was particularly blessed in having seen the face of Christ in Rembrandt’s painting of Him. The Dutch Reformed Church rarely commissioned works of art, preferring its walls to be bare, and she thought it a sad loss to thousands of people that only a few of them would ever see the painting. Rembrandt, a devout man himself, had surely come as close as was humanly possible to portraying the Master’s intense compassion and love. She knew that through the painting she had come nearer to Him.
             
    M ARIA HAD BEEN anxious about Anna’s health, able to see that this pregnancy was taking its toll on her. Fortunately Francesca was a great help in relieving her mother of numerous chores, although Anna did not like any extra duties keeping the girl away from the time she could spend in the studio. Then, as the months went by, Maria was thankful to see color returning to Anna’s cheeks while her step grew more vigorous and her energy returned. It was clear she was set on a steady course for the birth, which was due early in April. She was just into her seventh month when she came home from visiting a neighbor. Maria, who was teaching Sybylla a new embroidery stitch, told her that Aletta was playing at the Korvers’ house. Leaving them, Anna went to look in at the studio. Both Hendrick and Francesca were at their individual easels, painting a landscape from sketches they had made, he having retained the colors in his memory while she, less experienced, had made some notes on her drawings to help her. Neither saw Anna and she went out silently again. She thought, as she had often done before, what a pity it was that painting out of doors on location was not possible. The sheer weight of a large, heavy easel and a good-sized canvas on its stretcher made carrying them prohibitive from the start, quite apart from transporting everything else that was needed. No wonder artists chose to go unhampered with nothing more than their sketch pads and then paint afterward what they had seen.
    At the Korvers’ house Aletta was getting tired of waiting for someone to take her home. Heer Korver was with a buyer and his wife was supervising the arrangements for a family banquet to be held there that evening. Jacob, who would have taken her, was not home yet. He was serving an apprenticeship with another diamond merchant and,