"No, I'm not!" said Adeline, good-naturedly.

"Well, then, Connie, here goes!"

And Gerrit gave his sister an offhand kiss.

"You're a couple of pastoral characters!" said Paul. "I can't compete
with you."

"And now, Constance, a glass of champagne ... to drink to all the family
and to our native land," said Gerrit; and, with Constance on his arm, he
walked across the room to the buffet.

"Adelientje," said Paul, "was there ever such a madman as your husband?"

But Adolphine approached triumphant, trailing her satin train, which she
thought magnificent, and, radiant with self-complacency, asked:

"Adeline, tell me now, what do you think of _my_ party?"

"Oh, beautiful, Adolphine!" said Adeline.

"Adolphine," said Paul, "your party is simply dazzling. I have been to
many parties in my life, but one like to-night's, never!"

"And a good dinner, wasn't it?"

"The dinner was so good, it couldn't have been better."

"How do you like my new dress, Adeline? Just see how it fits."

She passed her hands over her bosom.

"It's a very charming dress, Adolphine," said Adeline.

"Adolphine," said Paul, "that velvet on the collar of Saetzema's
coat...."

"Yes?..."

"That's _good_ velvet."

"Yes, they're his new dress-clothes, from Teunissen's."

"And that satin of Floortje's dress...."

"Yes?..."

"That's _good_ satin."

"Oh, what do you know about satin?"

"Every one's saying so."

"Really?"

"Yes, I heard them saying so all over the room."

"Not really?"

"Yes, as I moved about among the people, I heard it whispered on every
side, like a rumour: 'Have you noticed the satin of Floortje's dress?...
I say, did you notice the satin of Floortje's dress?...'"

Adolphine looked vaguely in front of her, not knowing what to believe:

"Well, that frock cost ... a hundred and twenty guilders!" she said,
lying to the extent of forty guilders; and, radiant, she went on and
talked to Mrs. Bruys, the wife of the editor of the _Fonograaf:_

"And, mevrouw, what do you say to _my_ party?"

"Paul," said Adeline, in gentle reproach, "I was really frightened that
Adolphine would notice...."

CHAPTER XXV

Constance was happy. She began to realize more and more that she now had
what she had missed for years: her family; she held it a privilege
dearer every day that she was back in her own country, in Holland. It
was as though she became more and more penetrated with the consciousness
that she had fou