Very nice, too, Max was non-committal.

Karel gave a grunt which could have meant anything; she could see that Jan Jansen was about to embark upon one of the informative lectures he was so fond of delivering. She took a step towards the door and said repressively, No, Jan, I havent time, in exactly the voice she used when Benjamin was being troublesome, and he grinned sheepishly. Max had opened the door for her, and as she passed him their glances methis eyes were warm and dancing with laughter, he said softly, Haste thee, Nymph, and take with thee Jest and youthful Jollity... He added, A misquotation, but apt. Sophy paused in the doorway and thought hard. And I leave you where you are, for I know that wheresoeer I go, others will punctually come for ever and ever. Thats misquoted too, but just as apt! She could hear him chuckling as she sped down the corridor. They said little more to each other for the rest of the afternoon. Max, leaving the skin sutures for Jan to do on the last case, pulled off his, gloves, thanked Sophy quietly, said a careless Dag to the others, and went away. She went off duty herself an hour later, to be met by Janie and Annie who hustled her cheerfully to her room to change out of uniform, then took her to the cinema. It was a French film with Dutch sub-titles; a combination which kept her thoughts fully occupied for the next hour or so. There was a letter from home the next morning. The listChapter 9