ole. Juffrouw Pieterse was calling for the
camphor bottle, declaring that she was going to die; Mrs. Stotter
was clamoring for her wrap--her "old one"; and Stoffel was playing
cuttle-fish as well as he could.

All had got up and were going to leave. They could "put up with a
good deal," but that was "too much"! Juffrouw Krummel was going to
tell her husband; Juffrouw Zipperman was going to let everybody in the
insurance business know about it; Mrs. Stotter was going to relate the
whole story to the gentleman in Prince Street; and Juffrouw Mabbel--I
forget whom she was going to tell it all to. In short, every one of
them was going to see to it that the affair was well aired.

Who knows but what these threats would have been carried out, if the
good genius of the Pieterses had not at that moment caused someone
to ring the door-bell? It was that worthy gentleman whom we left in
such a state of pious despair at the close of the last chapter.

CHAPTER IX

Yes, the door-bell rang. And it rang again: So it was "for
us." Juffrouw Pieterse drew a long breath; and I must say, she did
a very proper thing. While admitting that it is foolish to say what
one would do if one were somebody else, still, in her place I should
have drawn a long breath, too. Firstly, because I imagine she hadn't
done this for a long time; secondly, because I know how, in adverse
circumstances, every change and interruption gives one ground for
hope; and, finally, because I think Juffrouw Pieterse was human,
just like the rest of us.

"Ah, my dears," she said, "be peaceable. It must be the gentlemen."

The ladies declared it couldn't be the gentlemen, because it was
too early for them; and this very doubt and uncertainty as to who it
might be gave the crisis a favorable turn.

Mere uncertainty, even when in no way connected with what is occupying
us, has a sort of paralyzing effect. Besides, when one is interrupted
in one's anger, afterwards it is difficult to find the place where
one left off.

This was Juffrouw Laps's experience; she tried it, but it wouldn't
work. Her "a sucking animal, a sucking animal!" was smothered by,
"What can it mean? He never comes before ten!"

Juffrouw Pieterse quickly availed herself of this diversion to get
them all seated again.

Trudie was commissioned to "straighten out" the children, who came off
rather badly. The hostess was just about to state a new zoological
argument, which should establish peace