The Later Life

n, so that Van der Welcke became very jealo

ing with me

d Papa to

en weeks for cy

day that I would go fo

angry, o

that I'm home

er of tiny little kisses,

r often. You will have me to yourself all the eveni

er an effort. She went alone to Mrs. van

evrouw?" she a

hel and Mrs.

e that awful Sunday-evening. She had gone abroad

rs ten months ago, when she first came back among them all. She did not wish to s

ied, gaily, kis

Lowe was

y child! Are you back? Are you back agai

nsely. How d'ye do, Berth

ee daughters. Bertha and Adolphine nodded back. Carelessly and easily, she took the lead in the conversation and talked ab

good-bye, was it, Mamma dear? Well, you see, Constance sometimes behaves differently

t you l

day I met some of our Rom

eak of Rome. And she revelled in doing so, casually and airily, thought it deliciou

s. They recognized me at once and were very kind; and through the introduction I went to a glorious

, described the ball, bragging a little this time, saying that, after all, parties abroad were always much grander than that "seeing a few friends" in Holland,

is a suite of twelve rooms, all with electric light ... or, better still, all lit up with w

aved as usual to one another. And now Constance went on to say that everything had gone on so well at home, that Truitje had looked after everything, even though Constance had gone away indefin

that talk about Nice, all those counts and dukes whom Constance had mentioned; and,

, "can I speak to you a

sed; but she did not like to refuse.

t to tell you also that Van Naghel greatly appreciated Van der Welcke's writing to him to apologize. He has written to Van der Welcke

let us have some sincerity ... when there is no occasion for hypocrisy. Sometimes one has to be insincere ... but there is no need for that between us now. We both know that our mut

r that Van Naghel a

a: I shall speak about it to Van

r all you have to s

affection for you all. Perhaps I asked too much in return; bu

n their second childhood. Mamma had to take to her bed, her nerves are still quite upset; she can't bear to see her sisters now; and it som

at the top of their voices, as deaf people do

nd please speak to Van der Welcke and write and tell me a day when we shall find you at home, so that Van Naghel can shake hands with Van der Welcke. He is not a young man, Constance,

hake hands, any more than I do. We live very quietly now, Bertha, and people, Hague peo

of the old

e to me. What I wished for was brotherly and sisterly affection, cordial companionship. That is no longer poss

ting at the door. It was raining. Bertha's ca

you on my wa

the fresh air will do me

e walked,

m? And why didn't I welcome Bertha's visit

r umbrella, laughed at herself a little