45
Frans's voice had never been heard much in the
house, but he had grown much more retiring and
timid of being noticed. Jansje was the only person
he talked to. With the old servant, who from his
babyhood had always loved him best of all the
Werendonks, he could be talkative; he was quick
to see, too, if there was anything he could do to
help her. When she had asked him to clean the
topmost panes for her, because when she was so
high up on the ladder it made her giddy, or if he
was doing anything else that was too hard for her,
he would often burst out laughing at the things she
said. But otherwise he was quiet, not even his
footsteps could be heard.
His eldest brother had noticed that he still went
out in the evening, although at that hour there
could be nothing to see in the town. On one
occasion the clock in the Tower had struck one and
Frans was not yet home. It was quiet and warm,
the window stood open. This must come to an end,
he thought, this lounging about will lead to no
good. Frans came in and was preparing to go up-
stairs, but his brother held up his hand and said :
' I want to have a word with you. What are you
doing to stay out after midnight ? *
* I walked by the Spaarne for a bit, first on this
side and then on the other, and then beyond the
town for a little ; in this warm weather it's so fresh
by the water and under the trees. It was after