"Oh!" said Adolphine, nettled. "I suppose my friends are not smart enough for you? I can tell you, I have the Hijdrechts coming and the Erkenbouts and the...."
"I'm not saying anything about your friends, but I don't care for dinner-parties."
"And you give them yourself!"
"I?"
"Yes, as I saw for myself not so long ago."
"I don't give dinner-parties. I have Van Vreeswijck to dinner now and again."
"To dinner ... with pink candles on the table?"
"Yes, with pink candles."
"Well, if you don't want to come ... this is a free country...."
"Fortunately!"