“Do you hear, Walter?”
“Here, or in the next world, mother! Innocent pleasure, yes; but sensual pleasure—it is forbidden! It loosens all the ties of human society. You see that such a comedy can be very fine. Only you must understand it properly—that’s the idea.”
“And what did the Baron do then?”
“Ah, Juffrouw, what shall I say! He talked a whole lot to the old woman, and was very sad because he had—away back there—because he had——”
“Seduced her,” added Stoffel, seeing that Leentje couldn’t find the word. “That’s what it’s called.”
“Yes, that’s what she said, too; and he promised never to do it again. And then he told the child of love always to follow the path of virtue, and that he would marry the old woman. She was satisfied with the arrangement.”
“I suppose so,” cried the three girls in a breath. “She will be a rich baroness!”
“Yes,” said Leentje, “she became a great lady. And then the child of love fell on the Baron’s neck; and they played ‘Bridal Wreath.’ The ‘Child of Love’ became a hussar and sang, ‘I’m full of honor, I’m full of honor; Oh, I’m a man of honor!’ I don’t know what became of the old Baron. And then we went home; but the dressmaker took no more pleasure in the play now, because her silver box was gone. I don’t know whether the gentleman ever brought it to her, or not.”
The play was out.
The girls thought: “Baroness!”