Gustave's birthday came. "Young gentlemen" were to be invited, and--Walter was among that select number.
It would lead me too far from the subject to enter upon an investigation of the motives that prompted Gustave and Franz to invite their former partner in the peppermint business. The list was made out and approved by their mother; and as Juffrouw Pieterse felt flattered, there was no objection from her side. Walter must promise, of course, to behave properly and be "respectable," not to soil his clothes, not to wrestle and tear his clothes, and many other things of a similar nature. Juffrouw Pieterse added that it was a great favor on her part to let him go, for such visits made a lot of work for her.
Yes, Walter was to make a visit! Eat, drink and enjoy himself under a strange roof. It was a great event in his life, and already he was becoming less jealous of the Jews, who went away so often, and finally never came back home at all.
It was midday now--that glorious midday. With indescribable dignity, for a boy, Walter stepped through the gate-way. "A little to right--to the left, to the left again, then over a bridge, and then to the right straight ahead. You can't miss it," Gustave had said. The name of the garden was "City Rest," so all Walter had to do was to "ask," and he would "find it."
Anyone making a call or visit for the first time always arrives too early. So it was with Walter, who reached City Rest before any of the other guests. But the boys received him cordially and presented him to their mother, who said that Walter had a pretty face, if it were only not so pale.
The other playmates came then, and running and throwing began, in the customary boyish style. This was interrupted with waffles and lemonade, which they "must drink quite slowly," because they were "wet with perspiration."
When the proud mother of the Hallemans was speaking of berries and the grossly slandered rainwater barrel, she might have mentioned the advantages of the leafy bower, where Betty was now sitting with a gentleman.
"Who is that?" asked Walter of little Emma, who was playing with the boys.
From that touching story of slender Cecilia we know that Walter already had his first love affair behind him; but still Emma's statement was to him something new. Up to that time he had thought that a sweetheart was a girl to whom one gives slatepencils and bonbons. But she seemed to be above such things. Walter saw immediately that he had not taken the right course with Cecilia; and all at once a desire came over him to know how a grown man treats a girl who is through school.