Julia was not in a position to contradict this; she only said, "It is a real holiday, then, like a bank holiday in England?"
"A real holiday, yes," he answered her; "a holiday for you too, if you like. Would you like a real English bank holiday?" He called to his wife: "See here," he said, "here is an English miss who would like an English holiday; when the workmen have theirs she shall have hers too, is it not so?"
Mevrouw nodded, laughing. "But what will you do with it?" she asked.
"I should go out," Julia answered; "if it is fine I should go out all day."
"To the fair?" Mijnheer asked. "You would not like that alone; it would be very rough."
"I should go out into the country," Julia said. "I should make an excursion all by myself."
They seemed a good deal amused by her taste, but the idea suggested in fun was really determined upon; Julia, so Mijnheer promised, should have a holiday when every one else did, and do just what she pleased.
"You shall do as you like," he said; "even though it is not to go to the fair and eat pooferchjes. It is only once in a year one can eat pooferchjes, or three times rather; they are to be had on each of the three days."
"What are they?" Julia asked. "I have never heard of them."
"Never heard of them," the old man exclaimed. "They do not have them, I suppose, on an English bank holiday? Then certainly you must have them here; we will go and eat them on the first day of the fair, when everything is nice and clean, and there are not too many people about. I will find a nice quiet place, and we will go and eat them together, after tea, before there are great crowds. Will you come with me? I shall be taking my young lady to the fair like a gay dog."