“Now and then. I was able to send them some money lately.”
“That’s damned good of you. They don’t deserve it. They said that you no longer existed for them.”
“Mamma wrote that they were so pushed for money. Then I sent them a hundred guilders. It was the most that I could do.”
“Oh, now that they find you sending them money, you’ll begin to exist for them again!”
She shrugged her shoulders:
“I don’t mind that. I was sorry for them ... and sorry I couldn’t send more.”
“Ah, when you look so thundering smart....”
“I don’t pay for my clothes.”
“I’m only stating a fact. I’m not venturing to criticize. I think it damned handsome of you to send them money. But you do look thundering smart.... Look here, let me tell you something: you’ve become a damned handsome girl.”
He stared at her, with his smile, which compelled her to look at him.