Ursula did not go in to Otto. A sudden shyness was upon her; besides she felt no desire to meet any member just now of the Van Helmont family. So the Jonker paced up and down the little parlor till the Dominé was attracted in to him through the windows.
Juffrouw Josine spent twenty minutes over the secrets of her toilet. Her poor old heart beat wildly. “He cannot even wait till the evening,” she thought. “The densest fool would understand.” When at last she descended, arrayed in her best Sunday green-silk dress with the poppies, she was surrounded by odors of ess. bouquet and sal volatile.
She had to pause before the drawing-room door and steady herself. She entered. There was Otto, a great bunch of apricot-colored roses in one hand, bending over a map of Java with the Dominé. “That is my part,” he was saying. “One of the healthiest, I assure you, Dominé. All the men take their wives out there.”
“Ah!” thought Miss Mopius. She shook hands, and the Jonker rather awkwardly presented his flowers.
“From my mother,” he stammered, “to welcome Miss Rovers.”
“How kind of you to bring them,” replied Miss Mopius, sitting down on the sofa and sniffing. “I hope Ursula will be grateful. I consider it most exceedingly kind.”
She squinted across at the Dominé, who still bent over the map. There was a long wait, and Otto returned to the table.
“Roderigue,” said Miss Mopius, in desperation. “Ursula wants you. She wants you at once!”
The minister lifted a countenance of mild astonishment.