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410 “In Holland. . .” said Auntie, crossly.

“But in the Ea-east!”. . . Cateau at once broke in, spitefully.

The rubber was spoilt, for Auntie, in her present state of irritation, could no longer see the cards in her hand. The old Indian lady felt that there was hostility to Constance among the relations; and, with the kindliness of a nature used to the little Indian scandals, she thought it exaggerated. Moreover, Cateau’s Dutch arrogance in speaking of “the East” had put her quite out of temper; and she flung her cards on the table and said:

“Soedah, I won’t play with you any more!”

And, without further explanation, she broke up the table and walked straight to Constance, who sat talking to Paul in a corner:

“I’m coming to sit with you a bit, Constance!”

“Do, Auntie.”

“What I want to say to you is, don’t mind about it! Shake it off your cold clothes! What does it matter? Hor-r-rible article! But I tell you: shake it off your cold clothes!”

And Auntie talked away, suddenly lighting on all sorts of queer Dutch words and expressions, told Constance of horrible articles in India which people out there had shaken off their cold clothes.

At this moment, Bertha, Van Naghel and Marianne arrived, very late. Mamma at once went up to them. The people in the two rooms now made