14
He heard the key in the door ; that was Diderik
coming in, and it was gone half-past eleven. The
accounts were not finished. The lamp was out, but
the candle was burning with a long flame. Diderik
came in with heavy footsteps. * You ought to
have a fire/ he said, ' there's a sharp frost.'
' Peat costs money/ answered the elder brother,
without looking up. * It's late and Frans isn't
home yet.'
* Good-night,' said the one. c Good-night,'
replied the other.
Gerbrand turned his attention to one of his books,
but he grew restless. It annoyed him that Diderik
should be so indifferent as to what his youngest
brother did. He was a good lad, and could be
relied on, but it seemed as though he remained
unmoved by the fate of his nearest blood relations ;
as upright as a tree, but unfeeling in other people's
troubles, as though in no way concerned about their
mistakes and errors. He remained calm in all cir-
cumstances. He was the one who most resembled
their father in appearance, sturdy and broad-
shouldered, with the same hard lines round his tight
lips. Like his father, too, he was taciturn. But in
temperament he was very different; he was uniformly
good-tempered, and always ready to do as he was
asked. And, apart from that indifference of his, he
was undoubtedly the best of them all. Why hadn't
he said a word now as to why he had been so late.