The Later Life Part 28

She stood in front of her husband. He was no longer the dapper nonent.i.ty; he stood there coa.r.s.e, raving, like a clod-hopper:

"You're coming home with me!" he shouted. "This minute!"

"Eduard!" Louise entreated. "Don't shout. Come in."

She pushed him into Marianne's room.

"You're coming home!" he shouted again. "Are you coming? Are you coming?"

"No, I'm not," said Emilie.

"You're not?"

"No! I won't go back to you."

"You've got to!"

"I want a divorce."

"I don't; and you're coming home."

"I'm not going home. You've struck me ... and I'm placing myself under my father's protection. I don't know the law, but I'm not going to be struck by you."

"If you don't come ... I'll make you, I'll thrash you to the door."

She gave a contemptuous laugh:

"You're not a man," she said. "You're a cowardly brute!"

He raved as though beside himself. He cursed and foamed at the mouth. Louise stared at him in dismay; hardly knew him, now that he had lost all his veneer of manner, all his German, would-be correct politeness.

"Home you go!" he roared again, pointing to the door with his finger.

"I am not going."

He flew at her, seized her by her frail shoulders, shook her, his mouth distorted by pa.s.sion, his eyes starting out of his head, like a madman's. She writhed herself free, struck him full in the face. He hit her back.

"Eduard! Emilie!" screamed Louise.

Her anger gave her strength. She threw herself upon her brother-in-law, strong in her indignation, pushed him away from his wife.

"Go away!" she cried aloud, clasping Emilie in her arms. "Go away! Out of the room!"

"I want my wife back!"

Louise calmed herself:

"Eduard," she said, quietly, "leave the room."

"No."

"Once more, Eduard, leave the room, or I'll send one of the men to Papa. If you want to make a scandal, very well, do; but you'll be the chief sufferer."

He suddenly remembered the Hague, his career....

"Go out of the room, Eduard."

"He's hurt me!" moaned Emilie. "I've got a pain, here...."

She lay like a dead thing in her sister's arms.

"Eduard, go out of the room."

"I'll go," he said. "But I shall stay until the dinner is over...."

He went away.

"The wretch! The wretch!" moaned Emilie. "He's bruised my breast. Lucky that he did: now I can get a divorce, can't I, Louise?... Louise, do you know the law?"

"No, my darling, but Papa will tell you all about it. But keep calm, keep calm...."

"Where has he gone?"

"If you don't mind being left alone, I'll go and see...."

"No, stay with me, stay with me...."

There was a knock at the door.

"Who's there?"

An old nurse entered:

"Freule," she said to Louise, "meneer asks if you'll please not talk so loud up here. Meneer can hear Mr. van Raven's voice."

"Where is Mr. van Raven now?"

"The blackguard has gone to Mr. Frans and Mr. Henri's sitting-room."

"Very well, Leentje, we'll make less noise. But you mustn't talk like that."

"It hurts!" moaned Emilie.

The woman looked at her compa.s.sionately:

"The dirty blackguard!" she said. "Did he hit you, my poor dear?..."

"Leentje, I won't have you speak like that!" said Louise.