ss, and a holy man in the sulks is a bad kind of
animal to deal with. Then Jan tried to propose the health of the new
married pair and could not do it. The words seemed to stick in his
throat, for at the best Jan was never a speaker. In short, he made a
fool of himself as usual, and I had to fill up the gaps in his head.

Well, I talked nicely enough till in an evil moment I overdid it a
little by speaking of Ralph as one whom Heaven had sent to us, and of
whose birth and parents we knew nothing. Then Jan found his tongue
and said: "Wife, that's a lie, and you know it," for, doubtless, the
Hollands and the peach-brandy had got the better of his reason and
his manners. I did not answer him at the time, for I hate wrangling in
public, but afterwards I spoke to him on the subject once and for all.
Luckily, the _predicant_ took no notice of this incident, for he was
thinking about himself as he was too prone to do.

Then, to make matters worse, Suzanne must needs throw her arms round her
father's neck and begin to cry--thanks be to my bringing up of her, she
knew better than to throw them round mine. "Good Lord!" I said, losing
my temper, "what is the girl at now? She has got the husband for whom
she has been craving, and the first thing she does is to snivel. Well,
if I had done that to my husband I should have expected him to box my
ears, though Heaven knows that I should have had excuse for it."

Here the _predicant_ woke up, seeing his chance.

"Vrouw Botmar," he said, blinking at me like an owl, "it is my duty to
reprove your irreverent language even at this festive board, for a
word must be spoken both in and out of season, and without respect
of persons. Vrouw Botmar, I fear that you do not remember the Third
Commandment, therefore I will repeat it to you," and he did so, speaking
very slowly.

What I answered I cannot recollect, but even now I seem to see that
_predicant_ flying out of the door of the room holding his hands above
his head. Well, for once he met his match, and I know that afterwards he
always spoke of me with great respect.

After this again I remember little more till the pair started upon their
journey. Suzanne asked for Sihamba to say good-bye to her, and when she
was told that she was not to be found she seemed vexed, which shows that
the little doctoress did her injustice in supposing that just because
she was married she thought no more of her. Then she kissed us all in
farewell--ah! we l