Part 51 (1/2)
”Constance! Constance!” cried Adeline, calling her back, holding her in her arms.
”Mamma! Mamma!... Aunt Constance! Aunt Constance!”
Constance rose to her feet, made a vast effort to overcome that dizzy faintness ... and, now that the body of the small, fair-haired woman lay moaning upon the body of the dead man, she opened the door.... Was every light in the house full on? Why were the maids sobbing like that? Was it real then, was it real?... Was this Marietje, clasping her so convulsively, trembling in her little nightgown?... Were these Guy and Alex, sleepy still their gentle eyes, cheeky their little mouths?...
Were these Gerdy--oh, so frightened!--and little Constant?...
”Aunt Constance, Aunt Constance!”
She overcame her dizziness, she did not faint:
”Darlings, my darlings, hus.h.!.+... Hus.h.!.+...”
And she led them back to their bedroom.... What could she do but embrace them, but press them to her?...
”Darlings, my darlings!...”
The wail of despair rang out once more.... Oh, she must go back to that poor woman! Oh, she had not arms enough, not lives enough!... Oh, she must multiply her life tenfold!...
”Mamma.” It was Addie speaking. ”The cab is here.... I'm going for Dr.
Alsma. One of the maids has gone to another doctor, close by.”
”Yes, dear; and then ... and then go to ... oh, go to Grandmamma's!
She's expecting us! I know for certain that she's expecting us!... Stay in here, darlings, don't leave the room, promise me!... And, Addie, don't tell her ... don't tell her anything yet ... tell her ... tell her that....”
The wail of despair rang out. And there were only two of them, now that Addie was gone, there were only two of them, helpless, she and Henri, in that night of death and snow--as though death were snowing outside, as though death were snowing into the brightly-lit house, with its all-obliterating whiteness, dazzlingly light, dazzlingly white--there were only two of them....
CHAPTER XXIX