Part 17 (2/2)

She nodded gravely. ”Yes! I was afraid that you would be drowned. It has indeed happened quite frequently that little yachts were sunk with that wind blowing. And there was no way of saving them.”

”Yes, we came off well. But how did you know that we were coming?”

”Well, I saw the people looking out from the quay and I realized that there was a boat in peril.”

”But would you have done it for any other boat too?”

Then she remained silent and looked at me long. I thought I saw a mist gathering in her eyes. Her answer sounded timid, as though she dared not say it or feared to be laughed at.

”I was uneasy all morning. The night before too. I have never felt so strangely anxious. Only when I saw your face did I become tranquil.”

”Then did you know my face? Had you dreamt of me?”

She shook her head. ”Not that I know of. But yet I cannot say that your face is strange to me. I have surely seen it before this.” Then as though to herself she whispered: ”Where I do not know.”

”You knew the Hungarian, didn't you? He seemed to know you.”

Elsie laughed, the short clear laugh that has later so often made me happy.

”Oh, he! - yes, he has been here before. He surely hadn't much good to say of me.”

”Quite the contrary!” said I. ”He paid you a great compliment. He said that you were unapproachable.”

Elsje laughed still louder.

”How conceited these foreigners are. Especially these dark foreigners who speak French. If you just treat them with ordinary civility they think they can allow themselves anything. I cannot be careful enough with these persons.”

That was meant for me, I thought. I made a little bow and said:

”I thank you for your warning. I shall try my best not to foster any illusions and to give you no cause for exercising caution.”

She became so embarra.s.sed that I regretted my words.

”Oh, you!” she said with charming emphasis and naive candor: ”I really didn't mean you! - with you I don't have to be careful - I saw that directly.”

”Who knows, Juffrouw Elsie! for I am one of those dark foreigners too, and my Dutch is not yet quite irreproachable.”

”You are no stranger to me,” she said again, softly and earnestly.

I believe that we said nothing for a long time then, and gazed at each other without finding it in the least embarra.s.sing or oppressing.

We both felt as though the responsibility of our situation did not rest with us, but with One who probably knew best in everything and in whose keeping we were safe.

At last she got up, saying: ”You surely want your room put to rights again. It has not been used since you were here last and I saved your bed linen.”

”Did you know then that I would come back?”

”I thought you would.”

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