It was spring; and Marietje van Saetzema was to go to the Hague for the day, to see her father and mother. Constance went with her.
"How well Marietje was looking!" cried Adolphine, with delight.
Marietje certainly looked well. She would always remain a little pallid, frail and thin, with narrow shoulders; but her cheeks had filled out, her eyes showed a dewy calmness and her lips, pale though they were, blossomed into a kindly smile. She was, as usual, a little subdued, but she joined in the conversation and her attitude was more natural, less painful and forced.
"But you must leave her with us for the summer as well," said Constance, "for the poor girl hasn't had much out of the country air during the winter. It is beginning to look lovely now where we are. She'll spend a summer with us first, Adolphine, won't she, before you take her back?"
"Very well," said Adolphine, gratefully.
But presently, when she was alone with her sister, she found an opportunity to say:
"At least . . . if there are no objections."
"What objection could there be?"
"Because of Addie."
"What do you mean?"
"People are so spiteful sometimes, you know. They say . . ."
"What do they say?"
"They say that Addie is in love with Marietje and that Marietje does her best to attract him."
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