"Neen?" I said. "Goed. Best. Ik neem het ook niet kwalijk, mijnheer! ik bid U welkom!--Het doet mij genoegen, na al het ongunstige weer van verleden week, U zoo goed en wel te zien."
The weather had been quite hot; but this was one of the good phrases of the book, and I stuck to it.
All this appeared to increase his panic, and he glanced at the door more than once as if he would like to make a bolt for safety.
Now I was quite in my element, and from my palissade of books I could hurl all sorts of irrelevant politenesses at him.
"Ik verwelkom U oprechtelijk, mijnheer. U bezoek is mij oorzaak van ongeveinsde blijdschap."
Holding the portfolio clenched in both hands he stared at me as if he was incapable of speech.
This seemed a favourable opportunity for putting in an _algemeene opmerking_, which I must say had all the effect of a round shot after infantry fire.
"Deugden en belooning gaan zelden te zamen," I murmured pleasantly, with a friendly gesture of deprecation. Then in a second or two afterwards I added,--leaving him to find out the connection as best he might,--"Water bevriest op twee-en-dertig graden."
The more outrageous the nonsense which I repeated from my notes, the paler he got.
He seemed to measure the distance between his seat and the door; but I rose and walked about the room, repeating softly to myself such phrases as I knew well, no matter what meaning they might have--"Lamaar! pas op! niet pluis, hoor!--'t komt er niet op aan!"
Some midges were buzzing about the room. I pointed to them saying "akelige beesten, nie waar?" And making a sudden spring towards one that was approaching his head I impaled it, or rather smashed it, in the approved fashion between my hands. The fragments of the insect I displayed to him on my palm adding triumphantly; "Dood als een pier." He was ready to go.
Laying at last a fatherly hand upon his shoulder I genially enquired, "Vergun my te vragen, jongeling,--hoe is het--met uwe--achtenswaardige ouders?"
"O ja, mijnheer", he said in a breathless whisper. "Ja zeker, mijnheer. Dank U zeer--Ik moet weg, sir. Ik heb belet--thuis--Ik moet weg--Ik zal het U zenden."--
And he was gone! gone, too, without his hat!
Ringing the bell, I rushed to the landing and called after him, "Duizendmaal vergiffenis, Bevolkings Mijnheer!--Uw hoed!"