The following Monday was fine and warm, and since the whole previous
week had also been fine and warm, Mevrouw thought they might venture
to make the talked-of excursion. Messages were accordingly sent to the
Snieders, and from the Snieders back again, and after a wonderful
amount of talk and arranging, everything was settled. Dinner was a
little early that day, and a little hurried, though, since the
carriage was not to come till after five o'clock, there was perhaps
not much need for that. However, it is not every day in the week one
makes an excursion, so naturally things cannot be expected to go quite
as usual when such an event occurs.

The carriage came, Mevrouw had been waiting ten minutes, and three
times been to see why Julia was not waiting with her. At the sound of
wheels Julia came out; she had just finished washing the glasses
(which she had been told not to touch, as there was certainly no
time). She was quite ready, but Mevrouw at that moment discovered that
she had the wrong sunshade. Julia fetched the right one and carried it
out for the old lady; also an umbrella with a bow on the handle, a
mackintosh, a shawl, and a large basket. Mijnheer came from the office
with his spectacles pushed up on his forehead, and a minute later
Joost also came to say good-bye; even the maidservant came from the
kitchen to see them start.

The carriage drew up; it was a strange-looking vehicle, in shape
something between a hearse and an ark on wheels, but with the greater
part of the sides open to the air. Vrouw Snieder and her two daughters
were already within, with their bow-trimmed umbrellas, sunshades,
mackintoshes, shawls and basket. There was necessarily a good deal of