Van Naghel, just because of your high
position and the consideration which you enjoy and your many connections
and your power to carry out what you set your mind on. Van Naghel, if
only you would help me: if not for my own sake, for my son's! It's to
help him, later, in his career, which he will take up at his father's
wish and his grandparents': the same career as his father's, which I
ruined. I am asking so little of you, Van Naghel; and because you are
you, it means so little for you to consent to my request. Van Naghel,
Papa helped you, in the old days: I ask you now to help me, his child
and your wife's sister. Let me come to Bertha's receptions. You know
Mrs. van Eilenburgh: help me to prepare people for my intention--which
they were really the first to suggest--to be presented at Court; and ask
us, this winter, once, just once, to one of your official dinners."

She stood before her brother-in-law, pale and trembling, almost like a
supplicant; and, while she besought him, the thought flashed through her
mind:

"What am I begging for? How base and small I am making myself: dear God,
how terribly small! And is that, seriously, life? Is that the only life?
Or is there something else?..."

She looked around her. While she stood in front of Van Naghel, Bertha
had sunk into a chair, trembling with nervous excitement, while Van der
Welcke and Paul, as though in expectation, listened breathlessly to
Constance' words, which came in broken jerks from her throat. Then, at
last, slowly, as though he were speaking in the Chamber, Van Naghel's
voice made itself heard, softly, with its polite, rather affected and
pompous intonation:

"Constance, I shall certainly do my best to satisfy all your wishes, all
your requests. I will help you, as far as I can, if you really think
that I can be of use to you. Certainly I owe a great deal to Papa; and,
if, later, I can possibly do anything for your son, I assure you--and
you, too, Van der Welcke--I shall not fail to do so. I give you my hand
on it, my hand. I shall certainly, gladly, with all my heart, help Addie
in the career which he selects: you may be sure of that. But, Constance,
what you ask me so frankly, to ... to invite you and Van der Welcke to
one of our dinners, at which you would meet people who really, really
would have no attraction for you: oh, you wouldn't care for it,
Constance, I assure you, you really wouldn't care for it! And, if you
want my honest opinion, hone