OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

A CRIME IN HOJLLAND I83
tired. But she stretched out her hand towards the other pile of
letters, the ones she had brought in herself. The farmer winced.
She picked up the first one she touched, and opening it, read:
" Dear Conrad, whom I love,—Here's some good news for you.
As a birthday present Papa has put another thousand florins into
my banking account. That's enough to take us to America, for I
have looked in the paper to see how much it costs. We could go
third class, couldn't we?
" But why aren't you more anxious to be off? I live for nothing
else. Everything in Holland is suffocating to me. And I can't help
thinking that the people in Delfzijl already look at me in a disapproving
way.
" At the same time I'm immeasurably happy and so proud to
belong to a man like you.
" We absolutely must be off before the holidays, as Papa wants
me to spend a month with him in Switzerland, and I don't want to.
If we don't get off soon we'll be stuck here till the winter.
" I've bought some English books, and I already understand
quite a lot of words.
" Quick! Quick! There's a marvellous life for the two of us.
Don't you think so? I'm sure of it. . . . We can't stay here any
longer. It would be worse than ever now. I think Madame Popinga
hates the sight of me, and I am bothered to death by Cornelius,
who won't leave me alone. Try as I will, I can't shake him off.
He's a nice boy—such good manners. But what a fool! . . .
" Besides, he's only a boy. So different from you who have been
all over the world and know so many things. . . .
" Do you remember—it's just a year ago now—when we met
for the first time? and you didn't even look at me.
" And to think that now I may be going to have a baby—and
it will be yours ... at any rate I could . . .
" But why are you so cool? You're not getting tired of me, are
you?"
The letter was not yet finished, but Madame Popinga's voice had
become so weak that finally she broke off. She fumbled for a
moment amongst the pile of letters, apparently looking for a
particular one.
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