"With whom have I the honor to speak?" he asked, probably not considering that this question made the matter still more mysterious, giving the impression that Laps's animal quality depended upon her name, age, place of residence, family relations, etc.
"I am Juffrouw Laps," she said, "and live down stairs in the front part of the house."
"Ah--so! Yes, indeed you belong to the class of sucking animals."
A ten-fold sigh was heaved; and Juffrouw Pieterse was again triumphant. In politics and the citizen populace complete equilibrium is impossible. The parties or powers are in continual motion, first one in the ascendency, then the other.
Juffrouw Laps, who had not been able to accomplish anything with pride, now attempted good humor.
"But Master Pennewip," she said sweetly, "how can you say such a thing? My father was in the grain business and----"
"Answer me, Juffrouw Laps, where do you live?"
"Where I live? Why, in my room, down stairs--two windows--front entrance----"
"You miss the significance of my question entirely, Juffrouw Laps. The meaning would be similar if I were to ask you if you belonged to that class of organisms that live in oyster-shells."
"Yes, yes, Juffrouw Laps," cried the triumphant hostess, "that's the point--the main point!"
And Stoffel added that it was really and truly the main point.
Juffrouw Laps saw that she was hopelessly lost, for she had to admit to herself that she didn't usually reside in an oyster-shell. She looked at the teacher with astonishment; but he paid no attention at all to the effect of his questions. Assuming a sort of legal manner--which was closely imitated by his wig, he continued:
"Answer me, Juffrouw Laps, have you cold blood? Do you bring living young into the world?"
The wig now looked like a battering-ram, anticipating the nature of the next question.
"Can you lay eggs, Juffrouw Laps? I only ask you the question. Can you lay eggs? Eh?"
"Then you are a sucking animal, Juffrouw Laps!"
The wig was in the middle again resting quietly. It had vanquished Juffrouw Laps.
I wonder what the reader's idea is of the effect produced on the company by this terrible sentence, against which there could be no appeal. There was something pitiless in Pennewip's manner, and in his contracted eyebrows there was no intimation of mercy.