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counter.   Only Frans  noticed  that  there  was  a
harder expression on his face.
At supper-time the brothers did not speak. The
elder was thinking of that journey to Spa, his mind's
eye dwelt perpetually on the nightshirt with the red
stains on it. Frans was thinking of the man who
rang the Damiaatjes and who had a stiff arm and
couldn't hold the rope taut; he noticed this every
evening because one of the bells was slightly out of
time. He went out before nine o'clock, and Ger-
brand didn't even observe it. When he returned
two hours later, his brother was sitting at the
table, without his account books, staring in front
of him.
Floris stayed away for a week. His face was thin,
there were dark circles round his eyes. Werendonk
said he would overlook it this time, but that he was
seriously thinking of paying no more fees for him
after September.
For several days after this Frans was frequently
surprised when he looked at Stien or Jansje to see
that they appeared to have been crying, their eyes
looked so moist. Apparently Warner's wife had
noticed this also, for one day when he was serving
her she said : * Is something the matter with Stien's
father that she is looking so miserable ? The whole
house seems to be affected. It's so quiet.' Then
he, too, observed how quiet it was. He thought to
himself it was often like that on sunny afternoons in