“But, Emilie ... what’s the matter?”
She had flown upstairs precipitately, seeing nothing; now she suddenly perceived the rooms, all open and lit up, with the long table and the flowers; and she remembered that there was a dinner-party....
“I’ve run away!” she said. “I’m not going back!”
“Yes. Eduard struck me ... and insulted me ... insulted me.... I won’t go back home.... I shall stay here!”
“Emilie! Good heavens!”
“Unless you turn me away.... Then I’ll go into the streets, I don’t know where ... to Leiden ... to Henri.... I’ll go to Henri. Understand what I say, Mamma: I’ll never go back to Eduard.”
Van Naghel appeared at the door:
“What’s happened, Emilie?”
“Papa, Papa, I’ve run away....”