"I call it thick-headedness," affirmed William. "She just don't want to put on a fine dress."
"No, she doesn't want to be a fine lady," said the mother. "She is very sensible and fears that this might disturb her relations with her mother. We ought to have taken her when she was little; but Mrs. Claus couldn't give her up then. And now Femke can't give herself up."
"She's only stubborn," William explained.
"She is proud," corrected his mother, "too proud to appear other than she is. She wouldn't exchange places with a princess."
Uncle Sybrand came. He announced that the "Scylla" of Rotgans was to be given, followed by "Chloris," with something else as a close. Holsma had already returned, bringing Walter the assurance that it was all right with his mother.
Walter was enchanted in anticipation. Was he still thinking of Femke?
William said: "So far as I'm concerned she can stay at home. Suppose the students were to see me with a peasant girl! What would they do for me when I enter college in September?"
Such an Amsterdamer calls everybody a "peasant," even if he is a student and able to explain what sort of a "Scylla" that was.
All were now dressed and starting. Walter was to see his first "comedy," and, perhaps, take a part in one.
Good Muse, sweet Muse, take us back to Pieterseville again. Whisper to me and tell me what happened there during Walter's romantic enchantment; and have a care that my language rises to the dignity of the subject.
We know already, Clio, how the mistress of the castle saw her progeny depart to protect the distressed lady from the nefarious attacks of robbers and murderers; how her blessing and the consecrated blade were withheld, and how the brave youth sallied forth with a nightcap his only weapon. We know, too, how the bachelor Stoffel, the hereditary custodian of the reputation of the family----
Ah, let us treat the matter quite simply, and leave the muse alone.
On the Friday evening in question Juffrouw Pieterse went to bed as usual. The others did the same. There were no indications of bad dreams. There was no trace of anxiety over the terrible danger to which Walter had thoughtlessly exposed himself. This might have been because they did not know of the danger. It had not been at all necessary for Juffrouw Laps to conceal her intention so slyly and always omit Walter's name from the knighthood of the Pieterse family. Thanks to the stupidity of the family, she might have gained her point without any finesse.