normally, terrified lest they should drag him from his rooms, to which he was attached even though the landlady and her brother always stood spying behind the door. . . .
Constance, feeling suddenly upset and filled with self-reproach at neglecting Ernst, went to the Hague with Addie the day after Adolphine's visit; and the two of them arrived unexpected in the Nieuwe Vitley.
"Meneer is out," said the landlady.
"In this rain?" asked Constance.
"Yes, ma'am, he went out early this morning."
"How has he been lately?"
"Pretty well, ma'am. As usual. Meneer is always odd, you know, but he is not troublesome. He is fairly well."
"Not like . . .?"
"Some years ago? No, ma'am. Meneer has been talking to himself rather more of late, but that's all. Will you wait for him?"
"Yes."
"He is sure to be back by twelve o'clock or so. He is very regular in his habits. Won't you come upstairs?"
Constance and Addie went upstairs and waited in Ernst's room.
"Poor fellow, poor fellow!" said Constance, with emotion.
She did not know what was the matter with her, but she felt full of self-reproach. Oh, were they not leaving him too much alone, sunk in his solitude? How she wished that she could coax him to go back with her to Driebergen and to live there, not far from them, in a little villa, with some people who were in the habit of looking after invalids! Oh, not in their own house, not in their own house! She would never have dared suggest that to Van
