servant, who stood calmly with her arms akimbo. "Not mean all I say!"
"One can do a lot with scrubbing, sir, to keep things nice and clean."
"And I tell you," Paul blazed out, "that everything's dirty, except music . . ."
"And except my kitchen!" said Keetje, greatly offended. "I don't know what sort of servants meneer's had. But we're good cleaners here, aren't we, ma'am? . . . Yes, I know, old Mie[1] is very old and mevrouw only keeps her on out of kindness . . . and we've got young help besides. . . . But dirty!" shaking her head energetically. "There's no dirt here . . . though it is an old house . . . and a big family. . . ."
"Girls! Paul!" cried Constance, in despair. "I've no time to stand in my store-room arguing about what's dirty and what not in the world or in Keetje's kitchen. . . . Get out of this! . . . And you, Keetje, listen to me and answer me."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Uncle, come along!" said Gerdy. "We'll show you Keetje's kitchen."
"Well, meneer can inspect that with pleasure!" said Keetje, by way of a last shot.
The girls dragged Paul off to the kitchen, where they were joined by Adeletje and even by Marietje van Saetzema; and they screamed with merriment when Paul examined the pans one after the other:
"But look, Uncle . . . they're shining like silver and gold!"
"Well, we can have our dinner out of them tonight. . . . Still, children, music, music is the only pure thing in the world!"
"Provided it's not false."
- ↑ Mary.
