slowed into the station at the Hague and Piet came to fetch her
and helped her climb down the high steps of the railway-carriage. Piet
now led her slowly and quietly through the busy crowd of people, which
he allowed to flow ahead of them, and out of the station, chose a nice
cab, helped her in, gave the address of Baron van der Welcke,
Kerkhoflaan, and got up on the box, next to the driver. And now, seated
in the cab, which rattled over the cobble-stones, she was glad, after
all, that she had persevered and she thought that it was not so very
difficult, after all, and believed that, after all, Henri would perhaps
think it nice of her to have come without notice. It was a long drive;
and she had not been to the Hague for years and had forgotten the
streets and squares; but, at last, the cab stopped and she looked out
while Piet climbed down from the box, rang the bell, opened the door of
the cab, helped her out....

Yes, she was there now and she trembled violently when the maid opened
the door and she entered the hall. She was there now. And she could find
nothing to say when a door in the passage opened and Constance, amazed,
came out to her. This was the second time that she had seen that
woman....

"Mamma!"

"Yes, I thought I would come, because it was Henri's birthday...."

She knew--she had not failed to understand--that her son was not happy
with that woman and she felt a certain disappointment that it was not
Henri himself who came out to welcome her.

But the astonishment in Constance' face changed to a look of soft and
glad surprise. She was very sensitive to kindness and she felt that it
was kind of this old woman to come: this old lady who never went
anywhere, who had come with her butler....

"How pleased Henri will be!" she said, gently, and her eyes grew moist.
"How very pleased Henri will be! He is out now, on his bicycle, but
he'll be back soon. Come in, take off your cloak inside: I'm afraid
there's a draught out here. Good-morning, Piet: so you've brought
mevrouw? Go into the kitchen, Piet, will you? Come in, Mamma. How
delighted Henri will be! He is sure to be in very soon. And this is my
mother, who has also come to see us this morning."

She led Mrs. van der Welcke into the morning-room; and there stood old
Mrs. van Lowe. And, when Constance closed the door, the two old ladies
looked at each other and were both very nervous; and Constance felt like
that too, trembling in her limbs. The old