SOPHIE. You must know best. But I warn you, madam can't bear to have anybody else with her.
VAN ELST. What! Do you think I came for that purpose?
SOPHIE. Of course. You're not trying to tell me that you came to read the newspaper with her.
VAN ELST. You keep your mouth shut. I've come to ask madam to return to her parents.
SOPHIE. Oh, that's it, is it? You're from the family. I see. Of course ... but she won't go with you.
LOUISE [_dreaming aloud_]. William, William! He's bolting. Help! Help! Oh, the brown mare! Look! [_Sighs._]
SOPHIE. She's delirious again. She goes on like that a lot. She was in a carriage with the master the other day, when the horse bolted. That's what she always dreams about these days.
LOUISE. Ah, wait. I left my earrings at the doctor's. Mother, mother, I love you so. [_She sighs heavily. A ring is heard below._]
VAN ELST. Ah, that's Mr. Vennema. Open the door for him. It's her father.
SOPHIE. Ought I let him in? He mustn't see her in that condition.
SOPHIE [_to Vennema behind the portières_]. Come this way, sir. You may come in.
[_Vennema comes in hesitating and stops at the door. He is a kindly country parson type, wholly gray, with a gray beard and mustache. He is wearing an ecclesiastical hat, a black coat and black trousers. He gazes about anxiously and finally his eyes light on Van der Elst. Van der Elst beckons to Vennema and indicates Louise on the couch. Sophie goes out._]
VAN ELST. No, that isn't it. She's dreaming. She's very nervous. She was quite agitated a moment ago.
VAN ELST. She wouldn't listen to me. She insisted on speaking of other things. As a matter of fact; she acted very queerly.
VAN ELST. Don't worry about it. She'll be better in a little while.
VENNEMA [_noticing the bottles_]. Is she...?
VENNEMA. Couldn't you tell? You may tell me.
VENNEMA. That hurts. I never thought she would allow herself to get into such a state. Has she been this way for a long time?
VAN ELST. About ten minutes, I should say. But she'll be quite all right in a little while.
VENNEMA. I can't help being distressed over it. That she should have descended to this!
VAN ELST. Do you know what the maid told me? She said that they are happy together, and that he is truly in love with her.