Van Oudijck felt an inward shock. He was never pleased to see Mrs. van Does in his house. She always had something to sell: at one time, richly embroidered counterpanes; at another time, a pair of woven slippers; at another, magnificent but very expensive table-slips, with golden flowers in batik on yellow glazed linen. Mrs. van Does always brought something with her, was always in touch with the wives of erstwhile "great swells," whom she helped by selling their things for a very high commission. A morning call from Mrs. van Does cost him each time at least a few rix-dollars and very often fifty guilders, for his wife had a calm habit of always buying things which she did not need but which she was too indifferent to refuse to buy of Mrs. van Does. He did not see the two bottles at once, but he saw the drop of light on the black velvet and he understood that the visit would cost him more than fifty guilders this time, unless he was very firm: "Mevrouwtje!" he exclaimed, in dismay. "It's the end of the month: there's no question of buying diamonds to-day! And bottles full too!" he added, with a stare, when he now saw them glittering on the table, among the glasses of tamarind-syrup. "Oh, that residèn!" laughed Mrs. van Does, as though a resident were bound to be always well off. Van Oudijck hated that little laugh. His household cost him every month a few odd hundred guilders above his salary; and he was living beyond his income, was in debt. His wife never troubled herself with money matters; for these more especially she reserved her most smiling indifference. She made the diamond sparkle in the sun and shoot forth a blue ray. "It's a beauty ... for two hundred and fifty," said Mrs. van Oudijck. "For three hundred then, dear mevrouw...." "Three hundred?" she asked, dreamily, playing with the gem. Whether it cost three hundred or four or five hundred was all one to her. It left her wholly indifferent. But she liked the stone and meant to have it, at whatever price. And therefore she quietly put the stone down and said: "No, dear mevrouw, really ... it's too expensive; and my husband has no money." She said it so prettily that there was no guessing her intention. She was adorably self-sacrificing as she spoke the words. Van Oudijck felt a second inward shock. He could refuse his wife nothing. "Mevrouw," he said, "you can leave the stone ... for three hundred guilders. But for God's sake take your bottles away with you!" Mrs. van Does looked up delightedly: "There, what did I tell you? I knew for certain the residèn would buy for you!..." Mrs. van Oudijck looked up in gentle reproach: "But, Otto!" she said: "How can you?" "Do you like the stone?" "Yes, it's beautiful.... But such a lot of money! For one diamond!" And she drew her husband's hand towards her and suffered him to kiss her on the forehead, because he had been permitted to buy her a three-hundred-guilder diamond. Doddie and Theo stood winking at each other.