Holsma looked at him wistfully. After all, could Kaatje have been right about it? He sought to distract Walter’s attention by referring to other things; but it was useless.
“All right,” said Holsma at last “I just wanted to tease you a little. Femke is sitting up there, because she—doesn’t wish to sit here. She thinks that it wouldn’t be proper, because she’s only a wash-girl. She’s afraid we would be ashamed. You see?”
“M’neer, no one need be ashamed to sit by her. Not even the emperor.”
“Yes, yes,” agreed Holsma. “Quite so. Femke is a brave girl and doesn’t need to cringe before anybody. Watch the play, my boy.”
Walter was willing to do what the doctor said, but not without taking leave of that glorious apparition. He looked up; and she smiled to him again. Then she took from her breast a rose branch, with three buds on it, held it a moment between the forefinger and thumb of her left hand, pointed to Walter with her right and let it fall.
The rosebuds landed on the bald pate of a stout gentleman near the Holsma party. He seized them and examined them admiringly; but, before he could decide what to do with them, Walter had sprung over half a dozen chairs and deprived him of the precious property. With a glance toward Olympus, Walter pressed the roses to his lips. Princess Erika nodded approval; and the playful countess-palatine applauded lustily.
That was more than Walter could bear. He had never forgiven himself for denying her; but she, the noble, the big-hearted, the majestic one!—she had proclaimed her pardon publicly before the people. And that was why she preferred to sit in the gallery. She had washed away the black spots from his soul; she had restored his soiled chivalry. These thoughts flashed through Walter’s mind like lightning.
He sank to the floor in a faint. But was it any wonder?
The Holsmas took him home with them for the night; and another message was sent to Juffrouw Pieterse.
“Don’t you see, Stoffel? Just as I said! I don’t care if everybody knows it. He’s simply living at Dr. Holsma’s. Trudie, don’t forget when Leentje goes to the grocer’s—— Upon my soul, he’s at Dr. Holsma’s all the time!”