no
steadily and the water was pouring from the gutter.
He stared out at the yard, where the lamplight
shone on the wet leaves of the apple-tree. He had
promised that tomorrow he would give his decision
as to whether Floris was to be allowed to live in
Amsterdam. He meditated what he would have
said if his sister had asked his advice. * No/ it
would have been, * he is too young to live in the big
town without supervision ; no, he needs supervision
more than most boys.5 He seldom had to scold
him, but that was because the boy stood in awe of
him, but what would become of him as soon as he
knew that nobody had an eye on him ? He was
a weakling, only kept in control by supervision ;
nearly every day he caught him out in small
lies, prevarication or deception, and Floris was
well aware that he saw through him. He could
not send a boy, whom fear alone kept from doing
worse, without support into the midst of temptation.
When Jansje had heard that he was to go and
live in Amsterdam in September, she had warned
Werendonk that that would be driving him to
perdition. And none but he would bear the re-
sponsibility.
But the boy was insistent, begging and imploring
to be allowed to go ; he didn't want to be made fun
of by his school-fellows ; after all, they hadn't to
remain subject to their parents' supervision. It was
true one day he would have to let him stand alone