Yes, he was fond of the children, but was he fond of her, of his wife? . . .
"Addie, Addie, you do love me, don't you?"
She had found another opportunity of asking him; and he answered: "Why, of course, dear."
"Stay with me to-day."
"Very well. What would you like to do? Shall we go for a walk? It's fine."
"Yes, Addie, I'd like to."
And they went out together and roamed along deserted paths; she took his arm:
"I am so glad to be with you. . . . You ought to have come yesterday. . . ."
"I don't care for dancing . . . but, if you had asked me . . . "
"You would have refused."
"Perhaps not."
"Yes, you would. . . . I sha'n't go again, without you. I want to dance with you, with you."
"I like skating better."
"There, you see, you're refusing already!"
"No, I won't refuse: I shall come with you, next time."
"I'm happy when I'm with you. . . . Addie, couldn't we go and live alone, with our children?"
"Whenever you like, darling."
"Yes, but you're attached to the house."
"Yes, I'm attached to it."
"It would be a sacrifice for you."
He made a vague gesture:
"Only you'd have to be economical at the Hague."
"You would soon have a fine practice there."
"But I'm not aiming at . . . a fine practice."
"Ah, that's just it!"
He yielded to a slight sense of impatience:
