27
and his eyes gleamed in the light of the lamp beside
him. c Have things gone so far with you/ he asked,
c that you can think I should. embezzle property
which is in my charge, and add my fraud to your
fraud ? Pay your debts, the others first, for I will
not press you. Don't squander other people's pro-
perty, you are robbing them by your wild ways and
drunkenness. Try to behave honourably.5
* You speak as though I were a thief,5 said the
other ; c well then, let come what will; you are
driving me to despair, but you will rue it.9
His chest heaved, the breath puffed from his
mouth. Werendonk noticed how cold the room
was. He saw despair in the bowed head, the feet
that lagged as they neared the door, but there was
a weight on his heart that prevented him from
stretching out his hand to help. Honour bade him
withstand his inclination. It was too late to change
his mind when Berkenrode, as he reached the step
leading into the shop, said to him : c A low hypo-
crite, that's what you are.3 The front-door was
banged so violently that the bell above it tinkled.
Werendonk went on with his work, but his cal-
culations were continually interrupted by uneasy
thoughts about his sister and the trouble which was
threatening her.
Then his brothers came home, earlier than usual,
with a piece of news that made him clench his fist.
The Amsterdam carrier and his man had been saying