He felt a shiver pass through him and said:
"It's cold to-day, Constance."
"Yes. We shall start fires to-morrow."
"It's blowing bitterly outside. And what a draught! I'm sure there's a draught in the house! What do you say, Ernst?"
Ernst looked up:
"There's no draught," he said. "I'm quite warm. You people are always feeling things that don't exist."
"Why is it so dark to-day?" asked Adeline, as though waking from a dream.
"The gas is burning badly," said Constance.
"Truitje," said Van der Welcke, "take the key and see that the meter is turned on full."
"Grandmamma was very tired to-day," said Marietje.