She was very anxious to see her little nephew
and had promised to pay them a call.
Mary-Louisa was surprised, and at once began to sweep and dust the
flat; in addition she insisted on a new dress for the occasion. And
then she waited for a whole week. The curtains were sent to the
laundry, the brass knobs on the doors of the stoves were made to
shine, the furniture was polished. The sister should see that her
brother was living with a decent person.
And then she made coffee, one morning at eleven o'clock, the time when
the sister would call.
She came, straight as if she had swallowed a poker, and gave Mary-Louisa
a hand which was as stiff as a batting staff. She examined the bed-room
furniture, but refused to drink coffee, and never once looked her
sister-in-law in the face. But she showed a faint, though genuine,
interest in the baby. Then she went away again.
Mary-Louisa in the meantime had carefully examined her coat, priced
the material of her dress and conceived a new idea of doing her hair.
She had not expected any great display of cordiality. As a start, the
fact of the visit was quite sufficient in itself, and she soon let the
house know that her sister-in-law had called.
The boy grew up and by and by a baby sister arrived.
Pages:
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326