He would never have denied her, Walter thought.
Mrs. Goremest happened to see the new arrival; and, from the way she greeted him, he seemed to be a frequent visitor to her place:
“Hello, Klaas. Are you there too? You’re out of breath, aren’t you?”
She gave orders to let him through, and even came out a few steps and helped open up the way for him.
Thus it happened that Klaas Verlaan found standing-room at the counter not far from Walter.
“Well, they’ve made the most of you!”
He saw it the same way. He was never certain of a moment’s recreation before bedtime. Walter, as well as the girl who still maintained her elevated position in the corner, agreed with the bar-woman’s verdict.
“Had a good day?” continued the woman. “It was bad about the boat-race.”
Klaas placed his finger on his mouth, as if he were going to tell her a secret. He wanted to tell of an adventure with Princess Erika.
“A glass of corn?” translated the bar-woman, but without guessing the right thing.