"But, even if I don't go in for the diplomatic service, Granny, that's no reason why I...."
The old woman raised her hand almost angrily, imposing silence upon him:
"Diplomacy is the finest profession in the world," she said, sharply. "There's nothing above it.... It's just those new ideas, dear, which Granny can't keep up with and which make her so sad, because she doesn't understand them...."
"Granny, I can't bear to see you crying like this."
He sat down beside her, took her hand, looked into her eyes. She mistook his gentleness:
"Won't you think it over, Addie?" she asked, softly and coaxingly:
"No, Granny," he said, in a calm, decided tone. "I can't do that."
"No, Granny. Do try to realize, Granny dear, that I _mustn't_."
The old woman's head went up and down, nodding bitter reproaches....
"Granny, may I promise you to try my hardest ... to do you credit, one of these days ... as a doctor?"
She gave an angry, contemptuous smile through her tears. He kissed her very tenderly....
"Ah," he thought to himself, "how we all drag with us--every one of us--that burden of vanity in our souls ... which prevents us from living, from really _living_!..."
Yes, Gerrit had quite forgotten the golden glint of those two laughing eyes which he had seemed to recognize; he had only just reflected, lightly and vaguely, that he must have been mistaken. And great was his surprise, a few days later, when, on his way to the Witte after dinner, a woman came up to him near the club, in the dusk of the evening, and, as she passed, flashed a laughing glance into his eyes and whispered very tenderly, almost in his ear:
He knew the voice, even as he had known the eyes: a drowsy, deep-throated note, with a slight roll of the "r's." Yes, he recognized her: it was really Pauline; she was back at the Hague. After twelve years' time!... Well, he took no notice of her, walked on, turned the corner and reached the Witte at once. He ran up the steps, almost as though fleeing from something outside; and his face was red, his temples throbbed. He stayed talking to his friends for an hour or so, curious to learn whether they too had happened to see Pauline. But the others--younger officers than himself, he reflected--did not know her; and he did not hear her name mentioned....