“With most respectful regards,
“Quaerts.”
As the bearer was waiting for a reply, she wrote back in answer:
“Dear Sir,
“I shall be very pleased to see you this afternoon.
“Cecile van Even.”
When she was alone, she read his note over and over again; she looked at the paper with a smile, looked at the handwriting:
“How strange,” she thought. “This note ... and everything that happens. How strange everything is, everything, everything!”
She remained dreaming a long time, with the note in her hand. Then she carefully folded it up, rose, walked up and down the room, sought with her dainty fingers in a bowl full of visiting-cards, taking out two which she looked at for some time. “Quaerts.” The name sounded differently from before.... How strange it all was! Finally she locked away the note and the two cards in a little empty drawer of her writing-table.