Page:Eekhoud - The New Carthage.djvu/130

102 "Good! Our bard is going to throw himself into the river," sneered the Parisienne.

"Be careful, monsieur, the ancient gods and the old Scheldt do not seem to be pleased with your parody of their rites!" said Bergmans.

"Oh, yes! I am a profane foreigner, am I not?" the pseudo wool merchant answered spitefully, instead of thanking his rescuer. "Only pure-blooded natives of Antwerp may revive the ancient ritual!"

"I did not say quite that!" added Bergmans with a laugh.

The company took leave of each other; the guests began to enter their carriages. The workmen, holding their tip as a pledge, cheered the important personages with more conviction than at their arrival. That afternoon there was to be a dance in the dockyard for all the staff; several casks were to be broached. Some of the workmen were already skipping about, making preparations for this new part of the program. Being fond of such ceremonies, Marbol and his friend Rombaut resolved to return with Bergmans in the afternoon.

"And you," he hazarded to Gina; "are you not going to attend these good folks' gambol; are you not going to take part in their joy, which is, after all, a little due to you?"

She made a little face of disgust.

"Peuh! It's not to my taste! That sort of thing is all right for democrats like you! You and Laurent would get along perfectly!"

"Who is Laurent?"

"A very distant cousin, both actually and figuratively, for just now he is at school some hundred miles away. He believes, like you, in the importance of