After he had gone, there were several moments of constrained silence—a sort of suspense so obvious that even the children did not resume their chatter as usual, but continued silently playing with the sand, as if waiting for something to be said.
Johannes also began to comprehend that something was pending, but he had no idea of what it could be.
At last the lady said, rather hesitatingly, while tracing all kinds of curious figures in the sand, with her parasol:
"Have you not observed anything, Johannes?"
"Observed anything? I? No, Mevrouw," replied Johannes, with some discomposure. He surely had observed nothing.
"I have!" said Olga, decidedly, without looking up.
"I, too!" lisped Frieda after her.
"Hear the little smarties!" said Mevrouw, laughing in confusion, and blushing. "Well, what have you observed?"
"A new papa!" replied Olga.