Part 15 (1/2)

”Well, we shall see,” Van der Welcke ventured to put in.

”See, see, see!” said Constance, angrily. ”I want to have my own house quickly. The hotel is expensive; and I dislike it. By the time the furniture has come from Brussels, by the time we are settled....”

”Oh, well, Mummy,” said Addie, decisively, ”Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.”

She smiled at once. Every word spoken by her child was a balm, an anodyne. The old grandmother smiled. Dorine smiled.

”Addie,” said Mamma van Lowe, ”you must do your best to help Papa and Mamma with the house.”

”Yes, Granny. It won't be plain sailing....”

The child was more at his ease than on the Sunday evening. Granny was very kind; so was Aunt Dorine, to trot about like that, after those houses.

”Aunt Dorine, do you always run errands?”

Everybody laughed: it was a mania of Dorine's to traverse the Hague daily from end to end; she was a very willing creature and she was particularly busy just now for Bertha and Adolphine, because of the two weddings.

Ernst and Paul entered.

”We heard that Van der Welcke was at Mamma's,” said Paul, ”and we've come to be introduced.”

”These at least are not visits _in optima forma_,” thought Constance to herself.

Ernst resembled Bertha and blinked his eyes; but, in addition, he was odd, shy, always timid, even in the family-circle. There was something bashful about him, as though he wanted to run away as soon as he could.

But he made an effort and suddenly asked Constance:

”Are you fond of china?”

”Delft, do you mean?”

”Yes. Are you fond of vases? I love vases. I have all sorts of vases.

Have you ever thought of a vase: the shape, the symbol of a vase? No, you don't know what I mean. Will you come and see me one day, in my rooms? Will you come and lunch: you and your husband? Then I'll show you my vases.”

Constance smiled:

”I should love to, Ernst. Have you so many rare vases?”

”Yes,” he said in a proud whisper. ”I have some very rare ones. I am always afraid they will be stolen. They are my children.”

And he laughed; and she laughed too, while shrinking a little from him and from coming to those rooms filled with vases that were children. She did not know what more to say to Ernst; and she now told Mamma, softly, that old Mr. and Mrs. van der Welcke, her father- and mother-in-law, had asked them to Driebergen.

Mrs. van Lowe beamed and whispered:

”Child, I am so glad! I am so glad they have done that. It's been running in my head all this time, what att.i.tude they would take up to you. After all, Adriaan is their grandson as well as mine.”

”For thirteen years ...” Constance began, bitterly.

”Child, child, don't bear malice, don't bear malice. Make no more reproaches. All will come right, my child. I am so glad. They are different from us, dear, not so broad-minded, very orthodox and strict in their principles. And, when, at the time, they insisted that Van der Welcke should marry you, that was a great sacrifice on their part, child: it shattered their son's career.”