"You're absolutely humanizing Brauws," said Van der Welcke to Constance, when Brauws had accepted a second invitation to dinner. "And with other people coming, too! . . . It's incredible!"
She was fond of seeing people whom she liked at her table; and she took a pleasure in making her house comfortable for others as well as for herself. Addie was to come down to dinner. Adeline was going out for the first time after her recent confinement; and Gerrit was glad to come, appreciated a good dinner. Her only fear had been that Van Vreeswijck would think it too much of a family dinner this time.
"Tell me frankly, would you rather not come?" she asked Van Vreeswijck.
But he almost flushed as he said:
"But I'm delighted to come, mevrouw."
She had noticed lately that he was paying great attention to Marianne; and she was almost glad of it.
They were very gay at dinner; and Brauws, feeling quite at home, talked about America: how he had stood on the platform of an electric tram, in wind and rain, as driver.
"Constance," said Paul, "all the social elements
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