"Ah me!" cried Ina. "Grandmamma won't survive them long now.... Uncle, do you know that Aunt Thérèse is coming to the Hague? Aunt Stefanie has had a letter.... Oh, if only she arrives in time to see Grandmamma!... Oh, what a terrible winter!... And Papa is looking so depressed.... Uncle," she said—Anna had gone back to the kitchen, moaning and groaning and stumbling over the cat—"Uncle, tell me: why has Papa been so depressed ... ever since you came back to Holland?"
"Since I came back to Holland, dear?..."
"Yes, Uncle. There's something that brought you back to Holland ... something that's made Papa so terribly depressed."
"I don't know, dear, I don't know...."
"Yes, you do.... I'm not asking out of curiosity, I'm asking for Papa's sake ... to help him ... to relieve him ... if he's in trouble.... It may be business-matters...."
"No, dear, it's not business-matters...."
"Well, then, what is it?"
"Why, dear, it's nothing, nothing at all."
"No, Uncle Daan, there's something."
"But then why not ask your father?"