old age? . . . Dear Aunt Constance is taking him to Nunspeet to-day: ah, where should we have been without Aunt Constance? . . . Addie now is a great consolation to Granny. He is a dear, clever boy; and he works hard; and he will enter the diplomatic service: he is the hope of the family. Yes, yes, I know, Frans is doing well; but Henri, Emilietje, has done the wrong thing, going to Paris . . . with you. . . . No, child, don't kiss Granny; she's vexed. . . . And Karel isn't behaving at all well, so Uncle van Naghel says. They don't always tell Granny; but Granny hears, when they think she's deaf and whisper things to one another. Ah, child, it would be better if Granny died! She's getting too old, dear, she's getting too old. . . . She could have borne all this trouble once, but she can't do it now, Emilietje, she can't bear it now. . . ."
And the old woman sobbed quietly; the tears flowed without ceasing. She now let Emilietje embrace her passionately; and she listened to all the caressing words with which her granddaughter overwhelmed her.
Constance entered; and Mamma knew her at once:
"Connie! Connie! Have you taken him there? Have you come back?"
Constance, surprised at seeing Emilie, first kissed her and then said:
