"Oh, well, that certainly was rather...."

"Then, because Adolphine has no room in her house to give a party at
which she would ignore the family in her turn."

"And because of the seat which she was given at dinner this evening."

"And because of Emilietje's two witnesses: her Uncle Van Naghel, the
Queen's Commissary in Overijssel, and Karel van Lowe, whereas she says
that Van Saetzema is older than Karel and therefore...."

"And also because of Emilietje's frock, because that flimsy white thing
came from Brussels and cost three hundred francs."

"What a heap Van Naghel must be spending on the wedding!"

"No, it's Bertha: it's the Van Lowes who always throw money about."

"Exactly, that's what I say: Adolphine does the same thing, just as
though she could afford it."

"That's because all of those Van Lowes are eaten up with pride and
conceit."

"Yes, since the father became governor-general, they have always acted
like megalomaniacs."

"The old lady is a regular peacock."

"And Bertha, with her smart acquaintances!"

"And then that Mrs. van der Welcke: she's got a nice past to look back
upon! And she behaves as though she were the Queen!"

"They're quite an ordinary family, the Van Lowes."

"Yes, they're nobodies: the grandfather was a grocer."

"No!"

"Yes, I assure you!"

"And that mad Ernst, who's always studying the family-papers to discover
if they are not of noble descent!"

"Oh, he's mad, if you like!"

"In fact, they're all a little bit mad."

"Yes, there's a strain of it in all of them."

"A strain? Something more than a strain _I_ call it. And it's continued
in the Van Naghels."

"Adolphine's the best of the lot."

"She's a megalomaniac, though, for all that."

"I say, this Mrs. van der Welcke: what has she come here for?"

"Well, she thinks the whole thing has blown over. It was fifteen years
ago, you see. And she's married to Van der Welcke."

"Not according to Dutch law."

"No, but she can get married again."

"Yes, but they are not, they are _not_ married according to Dutch law."

"Well, in that case, _I_ don't look upon them as married at all!"

"Not according to Dutch...."

"No, but...."

"Yes...."

"No...."

"Yes...."

The party ended and the guests departed.

CHAPTER XVI

Next day, Emilie and Marianne van Naghel were hard at work in their
boudoir. They shared a sitting-room between them; Louise, the eldest
sister, had one to herself. Emilie w