Page:Dr Adriaan (1918).djvu/207

Rh but, oh, Mamma, the whole dance. . . the whole dance was a torture!"

Adeline mingled her sobs with Gerdy's:

"My darling, my poor, poor darling!"

"Mamma! Oh, Mamma!"

"What is it, my poor dear?"

"Listen, Mamma!"

"What?"

"Don't you hear? The sound . . . upstairs!"

"Hush! . . . Hush! . . . The sound . . ."

"Is dragging itself . . ."

"Downstairs. It's like a footstep. It's always like that."

"Oh, Mamma, I'm frightened!"

"It's nothing, dear: the wind, a draught, a board creaking . . ."

"Oh, but I'm frightened!"

"It's nothing. . . . I opened the door once . . . to look."

"You dared to?"

"Yes. It was nothing."

"There was nothing to see? . . . "

"No. It was only very draughty."

"And everything's closed!"

"It's nothing, it's nothing, dear."

"Now it's dragging itself away . . . down below. . . ."

"It's the draught. . . . Oh, my poor, poor darling!"

"Oh, Mamma, I'm unhappy . . . and I'm frightened, I'm frightened, I'm frightened! . . ."