"I accompanied mamma to some people. Mamma is spending the evening with them."
"Oh, indeed," I say.
We had begun to walk on involuntarily. A policeman is standing at the corner, looking at us.
"But, after all, where are we going to?" she asks, and stops.
"Wherever you wish; only where you wish."
"Ugh, yes! but it's such a bore to have to decide oneself."
A pause.
Then I say, merely for the sake of saying something:
"I see it's dark up in your windows."
"Yes, it is," she replies gaily; "the servant has an evening off, too, so I am all alone at home."