"He's dead! He's dead!... He's cold ... wet ... blood ... feel!..."
She uttered a scream of horror, the small, fair-haired wife. And suddenly, drawing herself up, she looked at the sword-rack.... Yes, the missing revolver ... was clutched in his stiff hand.
Van der Welcke and Addie closed the doors. The maids were sobbing outside. But the sound of little voices came; and small fists banged at the closed door:
"Mamma! Mamma! Mamma!... Aunt Constance!"
Constance rose, giddy and fainting, not knowing whether to go or stay....
"Constance! Constance!" cried Adeline, calling her back, holding her in her arms.
"Mamma! Mamma!... Aunt Constance! Aunt Constance!"
Constance rose to her feet, made a vast effort to overcome that dizzy faintness ... and, now that the body of the small, fair-haired woman lay moaning upon the body of the dead man, she opened the door.... Was every light in the house full on? Why were the maids sobbing like that? Was it real then, was it real?... Was this Marietje, clasping her so convulsively, trembling in her little nightgown?... Were these Guy and Alex, sleepy still their gentle eyes, cheeky their little mouths?... Were these Gerdy—oh, so frightened!—and little Constant?...
"Aunt Constance, Aunt Constance!"
She overcame her dizziness, she did not faint: