Page:Later Life (1919).djvu/150

142 "Oh, shut up, Frances!" said Otto.

But Frances wanted to get angry, about nothing, merely for the sake of working herself up. She scolded the baboe, pushed the children out of her way, broke a fan:

"There, I've smashed the rotten thing!"

"Is that your new fan?" asked Otto, furiously.

"Yes. R-r-rootsh! . . . There, it's in shreds!"

He flew into a rage:

"You needn't think I'll ever give you anything again! . . . You're not worth it!"

"That's right, then you can give everything to your sister: you're fonder of Louise as it is . . . you're in love with Louise. R-r-rootsh! . . . R-r-rootsh!"

And she sent the fan flying across the room, in pieces.

"Eh, njonja!", said the baboe in mild astonishment.

"You're a regular nonna, that's what you are!" said Otto, flushing angrily.

But his wife laughed. The broken fan had relieved her, made her feel livelier:

"Give me that other fan, baboe."

She was ready. She looked at her face in the glass, added a touch of powder and smiled. She thought that she looked nice, though she was a little