She wept, and stammered "Don't be angry, Juffrouw; but I couldn't sleep for thinking of him."
The evening of the birthday party came. All of the Pieterses went, leaving Walter to be taken care of by Leentje.
"A strange state of affairs," said the birthday uncle. "And what did she want?"
"Oh, goodness, M'neer, I don't know myself. I've told Gertrude a hundred times that it's too much for me. Just imagine to yourself--such a thing issuing commands in my house! I told Mina to pitch her out. And Pietro said----"
"You ought to have seen me get hold of her," croaked that brave young woman, showing a blue place on her hand. From this it might have been inferred that Femke had had hold of Pietro.
"Just wait till she comes again," cried Gertrude, "and I will attend to her!"
"And what will I do for her?" said Mina significantly.
Every one of them was ready for the fray. That is often the case. If the vote had been taken now on moral worth, Femke would have been defeated.
Each one of them had said something. Everyone wanted to play the leading rÙle in the interesting drama.
"I would like to know where the young Mr. van der Gracht is," said Juffrouw Laps. "Yes, uncle, it's a surprise----"
Juffrouw Pieterse did not like to be interrupted when she had something to tell.
"And so we said--what did we say, Gertrude?"
"Yes, I said so, too. Then that thing asked for cold water, and when we didn't get it quick enough for her, she ran and fetched it herself--just as if she were at home! She wet a cloth and put it on Walter's head. I was amazed at her insolence. When the child came to she gave him a kiss! Think of it--and all of us standing there!"
"Yes," cried the three daughters, "think of it--and us standing there!"
"Then she sat down in front of the bed again and talked to him."
"Where can the young Mr. van der Gracht be!" sighed Juffrouw Laps. "It's only because we have a little surprise, uncle."
"And finally she went away like a princess!"
"Exactly like a princess," testified the girls; and they did not know that they were telling the truth.
"And she told Walter she would come again. But I just want to see her do it!"
The door-bell rang. Juffrouw Laps arose; and the catechist van der Gracht with his son walked into the room. Juffrouw Pieterse didn't like this; she felt that the star of her narration would pale in the light of the poem Klaasje had brought with him. And even without a poem: such dignity, such a carriage, such manners, such a voice!