"Girls! Paul!" cried Constance, in despair. "I've no time to stand in my store-room arguing about what's dirty and what not in the world or in Keetje's kitchen.... Get out of this!... And you, Keetje, listen to me and answer me."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Uncle, come along!" said Gerdy. "We'll show you Keetje's kitchen."
"Well, meneer can inspect that with pleasure!" said Keetje, by way of a last shot.
The girls dragged Paul off to the kitchen, where they were joined by Adèletje and even by Marietje van Saetzema; and they screamed with merriment when Paul examined the pans one after the other:
"But look, Uncle ... they're shining like silver and gold!"
"Well, we can have our dinner out of them to-night.... Still, children, music, music is the only pure thing in the world!"
"Provided it's not false."
"Of course it mustn't be false.... Have you a good piano here?"
"Yes, Uncle, Mathilde has hers upstairs and here's mine, in the conservatory," said Gerdy. "I'm the only one who plays."