fur bolero and wondered
what two kinds of fur it was made of; but she said nothing: she never
praised anything in another, not his raiment, nor his intellect, nor his
virtues. Even if she had had anything to gain by it, she could never
have brought herself to say:

"Constance, what a pretty bolero that is!"

But, pale with envy, she kept looking at the fur as it hung over a
chair; and the sight of it caused her almost physical pain, because it
was not hers and she did not know how one like it ever could be hers.

Constance was rather tired. First, she had been unpacking trunks with
Addie; then Karel and Cateau had come and she had talked copiously in
the pleasure and excitement of seeing them. But that visiting-card of
Karel's had depressed her; and now she talked listlessly:

"So your girl is going to be married soon, Adolphine?"

"In May."

"I haven't seen either of them since Sunday. A couple of days ago, I
found their cards and Dijkerhof's. How quickly a week passes! I didn't
find any of you at home either."

"We are so busy shopping all day long, for the trousseau."

"Is Dijkerhof a nice fellow?"

"Yes; and they are a very good family."

As it happened, the Dijkerhofs were not in quite the same set as the Van
Lowes; and Mamma van Lowe was not over-enthusiastic about the
engagement.

Constance was silent: she was tired, she had a headache and she thought
that Adolphine had better keep the conversation going. But Adolphine was
too much distracted by the bolero to be in form. She cast about for a
subject. And yet there were plenty, for she was dying of curiosity to
know all sorts of things: for instance, what Constance thought of Bertha
and Cateau. If only that wretched bolero were not there! At last, she
began:

"So you're looking for a house?"

Constance answered at random; and, because of her headache, her
expression became stiff and haughty and her lips were tightly
compressed. Adolphine thought her arrogant and reflected that Constance
had always been stuck-up, after her marriage to De Staffelaer and all
the smart society in Rome. Adolphine suspected Constance of looking down
upon her; and Constance merely had a headache.

"And shall you call on many people?"

No, Constance thought not.

"Won't you go to Court?"

No, Constance hadn't given it a thought.

"Is your boy going to the high-school?"

No, he was to pass his examination for the grammar-school: Van der
Welcke wanted him to go to