OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

A CRIME. IN HOLLAND 203
" I asked if he was the first...."
A long pause. Then:
" I didn't think you'd be so horrid to me,... I came ..."
" Was he the first? You've been with him for the last year, but
before that... ? "
" I . . . I did flirt a tjit with the gymnastics teacher at the lyeie
in Groningen. ..."
"Flirted?"
" It was he ... he who . . ."
" Right! So he was your lover before Popinga came on the scene.
Have you been anybody else's mistress as well? "
" Never! " she exclaimed indignantly.
" What about Cor? "
" Not with him. On my honour ..."
" Yet you've been meeting him at night."
" Because he was in love with me. He had to pluck up all his
courage to kiss me. There was nothing more in it than that."
" Nothing more? Just think! The last time you saw him—the
time I interrupted you—weren't you asking him to run away with
you? "
" How do you know? "
He almost burst out laughing. Her simplicity was really disarming.
She was recovering her self-possession. She spoke of these
matters with quite remarkable candour.
" What did he say to you? That he didn't want to? "
" He was frightened. He said he had no money."
" And you told him you would see to that. . .. For a long time
now you have been thinking of getting away. In fact, your whole
aim in life is to leave Delfzijl and see the world, and you don't
care very much whom you go with."
" I wouldn't go with anyone," she said snappily. " You're being
horrid again. You don't want to understand me."
" Oh, yes, I do. But it doesn't require any great effort. You love
life, and want to get the most out of it."
She looked down, fidgeting with her bag.
" Your father's model farm bores you to distraction. That's not
at all the life you've mapped out for yourself. But it's difficult to
get away unless someone takes you. So you start scheming.. . .
First of all, the gymnastics teacher. But he wasn't having any.. ..
At Delfzijl you pick on Popinga as the most likely. He's not quite
so sober-minded as the others. He's knocked about the world. He