Two aunts of Adeline’s stopped the fair-haired little mother:
“Adelientje!”
“Yes, Auntie?”
“That new sister of yours: do you like her?”
“Is she nice?”
“Yes, Auntie, really very nice.”
“But she’s been an improper woman.”
“Oh, Auntie!”
“Yes, yes, yes, my girl, we know all about it; you be careful.”
“And don’t become hand-in-glove too quickly.”
“You’re so thoughtless, Adelientje.”
“And Gerrit is so good-natured.”
“Take care, both of you!”
“A woman like that can do him harm in his career.”
“Oh, come, Auntie! If the Van Naghels receive them!”
“Yes, but the Van Naghels disapprove of them strongly.”
“Still, she’s their sister.”
“Everybody’s talking about them. People say . . .”
“What?”
“That Constance is not . . . well, that she’s not her father’s child!”
“But Auntie, that’s a frightful thing to say!”
“Because the Van Lowes were always so respectable, she can’t . . .”
“No, she can’t be a daughter of . . .”
