did, never."

"I am so glad that you came to see me this morning, Adolphine. And that
we have had this quiet talk."

"If you had written to me at the time and asked my advice, instead of
writing to Mamma only, I should have told you my opinion quietly," said
Adolphine, with a touch of sadness in her voice. "I should have
recommended you, as a sister, for your own sake, not to come back to the
Hague. You have become quite unsuited for Holland, for the Hague and for
living among your family. Everything in your ideas, in your home life,
in your way of bringing up your son clashes with our Dutch notions of
what is right and decent and proper. I'm not saying this angrily, you
know, Constance: I'm saying it calmly, very calmly. I daresay that is
best. You dress yourself as no Dutchwoman of your age would think of
doing. The fact that you have no one to your house except a friend of
your husband's causes comment. The way in which you bring up your son is
considered exceptionally lax."

"Anything more?"

"Yes, there's something more: why did you ever leave Brussels? That's
what we all ask ourselves. Bertha was saying, only the other day, that
you would make things impossible for her, if you thought of pushing
yourself and getting yourself presented. And she declared positively
that she would never ask you to her official dinners."

"Anything more?"

"Anything more, anything more: what more do you want? I'm not saying it
to offend you, Constance, but because I like you and want to save you
from further disappointments. Do you think it pleasant for Bertha and me
to have our friends talking about our family as they are doing? And that
they do so is your fault entirely."

Constance' hands were shaking; and, in order to employ them, she began
to fold the laces lying on the table.

"Is that real Brussels?" asked Adolphine, with apparent guilelessness.

"Yes."

"Where do you get the money, Constance, to spend on those expensive
things?"

"I get it from my lovers," said Constance.

"Wha-at?" cried Adolphine, in a terrified voice.

Constance gave a nervous laugh:

"I tell you, from all my lovers."

"Oh, don't say things like that, even in fun! I thought it was imitation
lace."

"Yes, but you don't know much about lace, do you?" said Constance, very
calmly. "Or about diamonds? And you have not the least notion how to
dress yourself, have you? I sometimes think you look very dowdy,
Adolphine. It may be Dutch and sub