w, and not a "Juffrouw." She had
no right to the seat of honour; for on all occasions a Juffrouw
takes precedence of a Vrouw, just as a Mevrouw takes precedence of
a Juffrouw. Everyone must keep his place, especially those in III,
7, b1; or c., where etiquette is observed more closely than at the
court of Madrid. The care and anxiety of the mistress of ceremonies
make her work most trying, and, too, not merely for Juffrouw Pieterse.

"Ah, my dear Juffrouw Pieterse, I was so surprised when Louwie came
to invite me, for I had just remarked to Wimpje, who makes caps, you
know--no, thank you, Pietje, I don't care for any just now--I said
to Wimpje, I wonder what Juffrouw Pieterse is doing, for I hadn't
heard from you in so long, you know--yes, just throw it aside, it's
my old one; I knew you wouldn't mind my wearing my old one--and then
Wimpje said----"

What Wimpje really said I don't know. Mrs. Stotter's garment, which she
had described as her "old one," was removed and placed on the foot of
the bed in the back room. The children, who were piled together there
like sardines, were duly admonished not to stretch out their feet,
lest in doing so they injure Mrs. Stotter's "old" garment.

"And now, my dear, be seated--yes, that's for us, twice
already. Leentje, where are you hiding now? Can't you hear that
somebody is ringing?--It's probably Juffrouw Zipperman. Juffrouw
Zipperman is coming, too, you know."

Again I am at a loss: I don't know whether it was Juffrouw Zipperman
who had rung, or somebody else. But the reader need not scold me for
writing a story that I don't know myself. I cannot be sure whether it
was Juffrouw Zipperman this time or Juffrouw Mabbel, from the bakery,
or Juffrouw Krummel, whose husband is at the bourse, or Juffrouw
Laps--but she didn't need to ring, as she lived in the house. Anyway,
by half past seven the entire company was assembled, and Stoffel was
smoking his pipe as if his life depended upon it. Leentje had gone home
without her piece of bread and butter. She "could get it to-morrow";
to-day there was "so much to do," and "one can't do everything at once,
you know."

"And then she got another one right away--don't you know? One with
a wart on her nose."

"Ah, it's an ordeal one has with girls," said Juffrouw Pieterse. "Take
another piece, don't wait to be insisted upon; it's a cake from your
own dough."

"Excusez," said the Juffrouw from the bakery, with a mouth like a
rabbit, a sty