d some
_poffertjes_!" quickly rejoined my aunt with her kindly smile.

I remarked that she spoke French much better than formerly. However,
probably on account of her voyages with the captain, who recruited his
crews at Toulon, her Dutch accent has now become a Provencal one.

The dinner was delightful, substantial and plentiful, like the charms of
my aunt, who was victorious along the whole line, and notably with the
spicy sauce of a _gebakken schol_, which was excellently baked.

The conversation was simple and of a free and easy character, my uncle
talking with all the freedom of a man who has a quiet conscience. He was
as much at his ease in his Dutch household as any good citizen could
be, and I perceived that my aunt knew absolutely nothing about him,
unless it were the important position that he occupied in the spice
trade. She gave him some news about the great doings of the Van Hutten
firm of Rotterdam and Antwerp, in which he seemed to take a particular
interest. It seems, too, that Peter van Schloss, junior, is married to a
young lady of Dordrecht, who presented him with twins after six months
of matrimony, a circumstance which my uncle found very natural. Old
Joshua Schlittermans, having been utterly ruined by the failure of
Gannton Brothers of New York, has now taken to drink.

When the coffee was served (Dirkie had brought it from Amsterdam,
purchasing it on the Damplaatz, at the corner of Kalver Straat), my aunt
filled a long porcelain pipe which my uncle took from her hands and
lighted, puffing out clouds of smoke, with the serene gravity of some
worthy burgomaster at home. We drank some schiedam and two sorts of dry
curacoa. While my aunt sat knitting at the table she questioned me as to
my occupations, asking me if I were working in my uncle's establishment;
and upon my replying affirmatively to her, she gave me some very good
advice, telling me to be very industrious so that I might take my
uncle's place later on.

At half-past ten we rose from table and went into the drawing-room.
Dirkie got everything ready for a game of dominoes, and they began to
play in the Dutch fashion. My uncle kept the markers, and noted the
points made: he himself speedily scored between three and four hundred,
and then, feeling satisfied with his success, he said:

"Well, give us a little music!"

My aunt did not require any pressing, but went to the piano in a very
good-humoured manner. She opened the top so that th