Page:Small Souls (1919).djvu/174

166 “Oh?” said Marianne. “Is that all it means, loving a man? Is that love?”

A maid entered:

“Freule, there’s a box come from Brussels, with your dresses. Mevrouw wants to know if it can be brought up at once, so as not to make a litter downstairs.”

“Yes, they can bring it up.”

Overwrought, Marianne had sunk into a chair and closed her eyes. She was in a state of nervous excitement, while Emilie, with strange calmness, was collecting boxes, portraits, ornaments.

“Emilie,” said Marianne, resignedly, “what a mess your’re making!”

“Never mind, I’m taking it all away.”

“Yes, that’s just it: everything’s going away, everything’s going away!”

“Marianne, do control yourself.”

Two maids came dragging along a packing-case.

“Where shall we put it, freule?”

“Leave it there, in the passage.”

Bertha came upstairs:

“Unpack it at once, Emilie, or the things will crease.”

“Do you think it’s my wedding-dress?”

“I expect so.”

“Then it can go on the bed.”

“No, it had better be hung in the wardrobe.”

The servants opened the packing-case and produced cardboard boxes. A third maid entered:

“A bill from Van der Laan’s, mevrouw.”