“I expect it’s only just spooning ... as Jaap says.”
“I don’t think!” said Jaap, with a knowing grin.
“Behave yourself, Jaap!” said Adolphine, angry because Floortje had used the word “old.”
“Rats!” said Jaap, rudely, shrugging his shoulders, as much as to say that Mamma was an idiot. “I’ll eat my hat if it’s only spooning.”
They looked at one another: Uncle, Adolphine and Floortje.
“You mustn’t speak like that,” said Adolphine, in a tone of reprimand, “when you don’t know....”
“And what does Floortje know and what do you know? And you are both just as bad as I am, with your insinuations.... Only, I say what you and Floortje think....”
He flung down his cards and left his seat, because he couldn’t stand being treated like a little boy who didn’t know things.
The three others went on talking about Marianne and Van der Welcke ... because they saw. But they saw nothing of Brauws and Constance ... and did not talk about them....
“Oh, dear!” whined Cateau. “What a frump Aunt Adolph-ine looks to-night!”