Part 29 (1/2)
”Dorine? Living with me? No, no, I won't have her in the house with me.
Why should I?”
”You're so lonely; and, though you've had the servants a long time, somebody ... to sit with you, you know....”
”Somebody sitting with me all day long? No, no....”
”We should like to see it, Mamma.”
”Well, you won't see it.”
And the old woman remained obstinate.
Another afternoon, Adeline said:
”Mamma dear, Constance asked me to tell you that she won't be able to see you for a day or two.”
”And why not? What's the matter with Constance?”
”Nothing, Mamma dear, but she's been sent for to Driebergen....”
”To Driebergen?...”
”Yes, dear. Old Mrs. van der Welcke hasn't been quite so well lately....”
”Is she dead?”
”No, no, Mamma. ... She's only a little unwell....”
The old woman nodded her head comprehendingly. She had already seen Constance standing yonder by the dying woman's sickbed, but she did not say so ... because Adeline would have refused to believe it....
Another afternoon, Cateau said:
”Mamma ... it's ve-ry sad, but _old_ Mrs. Friese-steijn....”
”Oh, I haven't seen her ... for ever so long; and....”
”Yes. And it's ve-ry sad, Mam-ma, because she _was_ a friend of yours.
And, Mam-ma, peo-ple are saying that she's _ill_ and that she won't last very _long_.”
The old woman nodded knowingly:
”Yes, I knew about it,” she said.
”Oh?” said Cateau, round-eyed. ”Has somebody _told_ you?...”
”No, but....”
The old lady had seen her, had seen her old friend dying; and she nearly committed herself, nearly betrayed herself to Cateau.