Louis Couperus

“ He began to mumble; and she saw him fall asleep, sitting erect, with his hands on the ivory knob of his stick.
She was frightened and, stealing noiselessly to the door, she opened it and called:
"Anna ... Anna...."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Come here.... Look.... Mr. Takma has fallen asleep.... We'd better stay with him till he wakes up, hadn't we?"
"Oh, the poor soul!" said the maid, compassionately.
"He isn't...?" asked Ottilie, in the voice of a frightened child.
But Anna shook her head reassuringly. The old man slept on, stiff and straight in his chair, with his hands resting on his stick. ”

“ The mistress never comes downstairs, but there's often some one waiting; and Dr. Roelofsz is a very chilly gentleman...."
"Don't start fires too soon, don't start fires too soon," said the old man, querulously. "Fires play the dickens with us old people...."
He sat down, wearily, in the morning-room, with his two hands on the ivory knob of his stick. Anna left them to themselves. ”

“ Adèle was grumbling because I went out after all, but it's fine now, it's fine now...."
"I think it'll rain again presently though, and you haven't even an umbrella, Mr. Takma."
"Well, you see, child, I hate an umbrella: I never carry one.... Fancy walking with a roof over your head!"
Ottilie smiled: she knew that the old man could not lean on his stick when holding up his umbrella. ”