Part 24 (1/2)
Bertha came upstairs:
”Unpack it at once, Emilie, or the things will crease.”
”Do you think it's my wedding-dress?”
”I expect so.”
”Then it can go on the bed.”
”No, it had better be hung in the wardrobe.”
The servants opened the packing-case and produced cardboard boxes. A third maid entered:
”A bill from Van der Laan's, mevrouw.”
”Marianne, here's my key-basket; just pay it, will you? It's sixty-six guilders.”
The two Leiden boys came upstairs:
”Jolly beastly, I call it,” said Frans. ”You never find any one in the drawing-room, when you come home. Either it's a party, or else everything's upside down.”
”Bless my soul, girls,” said Henri, ”look at the state your room's in!”
”I say, shall I help you unpack?”
”Mevrouw, I can't understand what the young mevrouw's _baboe_[10]
says....”
”_Mau apa_,[11] Alima?”
”_Njonja moeda_[12] asks if _njonja besar_[13] would mind coming upstairs,” said the _baboe_, in Malay.
”Yes, I'll come at once.”
”What are you all doing here?” asked Marietje, at the door. ”Mamma, has Emilie's dress come? May I see?”
”If you please, mevrouw, the old mevrouw and Mrs. van der Welcke are downstairs.... Shall I ask them to wait in the drawing-room?”
”Granny!” shouted Frans over the bal.u.s.ters.
”Half a moment!” said Henri, rus.h.i.+ng down the stairs. ”I'll fetch Granny and Auntie.”
Marianne began sobbing again:
”My dear child, what's the matter now?” exclaimed Bertha.
”I'm going mad!” cried Marianne.
Emilie kissed her.