The men remained behind to smoke; Constance went to the drawing-room with Adeline and Marianne.
"You're looking so happy to-night, Aunt Constance," said Marianne. "Don't you think so, Aunt Adeline? Tell me why."
The girl herself looked happy, radiant as though with visible rays, a great light flashing from her sparkling eyes.
"Yes, Auntie's looking very well," said the simple little fair-haired woman.
"That's because I think it so nice to have all of you with me."
Marianne knelt down beside her, in her caressing way:
"She is so nice, isn't she, Aunt Adeline? I say, Aunt Adeline, isn't she a darling? So nice, so jolly, so homy. I adore Aunt Constance these days."
And she embraced Constance impetuously.
"Yes, Constance," said Adeline, "I'm very fond of you too."
And she took her sister-in-law's hand. She was a very gentle, simple, fair-haired little woman, the quiet, obedient little wife of her big, noisy Gerrit; and the family thought her insignificant and boring. Because Constance had at once sought her affection
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