Dean and Emily hang a portrait of Elizabeth Bas in the Disappointed House:

“I’m going to hang old Elizabeth Bas by the fireplace,” said Dean. “‘Engraving from a portrait by Rembrandt.’ Isn’t she a delightful old woman, Star, in her white cap and tremendous white ruff collar? And did you ever see such a shrewd, humorous, complacent, slightly contemptuous old face?”

“I don’t think I should want to have an argument with Elizabeth,” reflected Emily. “One feels that she is keeping her hands folded under compulsion and might box your ears if you disagreed with her.”

“She has been dust for over a century,” said Dean dreamily. “Yet here she is living on this cheap reprint of Rembrandt’s canvas. You are expecting her to speak to you. And I feel, as you do, that she wouldn’t put up with any nonsense.”

“But likely she has a sweetmeat stored away in some pocket of her gown for you. That fine, rosy, wholesome old woman. SHE ruled her family–not a doubt of it. Her husband did as she told him–but never knew it.”

“HAD she a husband?” said Dean doubtfully. “There’s no wedding- ring on her finger.”

“Then she must have been a most delightful old maid,” averred Emily.

“What a difference between her smile and Mona Lisa’s,” said Dean, looking from one to the other. “Elizabeth is tolerating things– with just a hint of a sly, meditative cat about her. But Mona Lisa’s face has that everlasting lure and provocation that drives men mad and writes scarlet pages on dim historical records. La Gioconda would be a more stimulating sweetheart. But Elizabeth would be nicer for an aunt.”

-Emily’s Quest ch.9

Elizabeth Bas
by Rembrandt