[Sexby has... better memories of the Dutch than England, at any rate, so feels a little comfortable having someone he can at least follow, even if the language will never quite match up.]

"Sorry, I do not keep such things here. They are a little uncommon to me." [He paced a little around the burned patch in their carpet and asked, curiously,] "Know you how long you have been gone? It seems to be longer than I can remember, I must confess."