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tolerantly as she had done formerly. c The weak get
all the pity/ she said, c and nobody takes any notice
of what the strong have to suffer, even though they
may sink under the burden. Just think of Weren-
donk. All his life Floris has been his first care,
and did you hear what the boy said when Werendonk
broke his wrist ? For twenty-two years he has
watched over him like a father, worked for him
so that he might begin life with a clear name.
And do you imagine that he hasn't noticed that no
fruit will grow on that tree ? The boy is a stranger
in this house. He has certainly inherited any
wickedness the Werendonks had, and more, but he
has none of their honesty and uprightness. And my
old eyes can still see well enough to know that no
pleasure will ever come from him.9
It was the second Sunday that he had been to
the Great Church for the morning and the evening
service. He went to bed early, and rose early. In
the parlour he did what he hadn't been able to
bring himself to do for weeks past, he closed the
door carefully behind him. At the corner of the
Gracht he turned round and stood still for a moment.
Except for the baker's, no shop was yet open.
Werendonk's house was the highest in that part of
the street, it leaned over more than he had ever
noticed before, and in this morning light the brick-
work looked darker. It gave him a feeling of chill
and misery to see it standing there, heavy and