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when the notes were high he had to think of all the
questions that bothered him, and with the deep
notes it seemed to him as though some power
possessed him which he could not resist. You must
pray, he said to himself, that is the only thing. He
folded his hands ; he prayed that he might be
protected from his thoughts, from lying and stealing,
from himself. A long note came from the organ,
and suddenly it was silent.
When he opened his eyes and looked round the
pillar, he saw in the middle of the Church, high up
in the arched roof, two ropes swinging gently. He
stretched his head farther round the pillar. In the
middle of the floor he saw his Uncle Frans, holding a
rope in each hand and looking upwards, his basket
stood at his feet beside him, his cap lay on it. His
hands were large and white. Floris was fright-
ened, he didn't want anyone at home to know
that he had been in the Church, and he went out
on tiptoe.
He was amazed. Uncle Frans never went out
during the day, certainly not at this time when
Gerrit would have to be going out again on his
rounds. He made only a slight detour by the
Spaarne, and when he went into the shop Uncle
Frans was standing behind the counter in his grey
jacket. They looked at each other. * Have you
been out?' fell from Floris's lips. Frans bent
down to pick something up and answered carelessly :