"A nice thing for the Van Ravens!"
"They say that Bertha has become quite childish, don't they?"
"I don't know about that: she just sits staring in front of her. They never come now: they're living at Baarn."
"Here are the Van der Welckes."
"Like aunt, like niece."
"Now they're all there."
"All?"
"Yes, I've seen them all. Captain van Lowe and his wife, Paul, Dorine and Karel."
"And Ernst?"
"He hasn't come yet."
"But then he doesn't always come."
"I wonder what's up."
"Yes, I wonder."
"There must be some scandal with Emilie."
"And, when you think of what the Van Naghels used to be. . . . Such big people!"
"And now . . ."
"Absolute nobodies. . . ."
"Oh, I think they're rather nice people! . . ."
"Yes, but they're all a bit touched, you know."
"Well, suppose we go to Scheveningen? . . ."
"Yes, let's go to Scheveningen. We may hear there what's happened . . ."
"Yes . . . about Emilie, you know. . . ."
And Mrs. van Lowe's neighbours went off to
