not do to go about with Blusser, for then he would
quickly go from bad to worse, he could at least learn
from him not to take life so hard as though there was
nothing but sin without end. He looked with scorn
at Mr. Opman who sat there dozing, and when he
got up to take the letters round, he walked ordinarily,
without worrying about waking him up.
Two days later the junior partner began com-
plaining about his writing, about spelling mistakes,
about blots. When he came down from the office
upstairs he threw the documents down on to the
table angrily : c What's the matter with you, boy,'
he asked,* that you've grown so careless ? The cost
of the paper will be deducted from your wages,
bear that in mind.' At the end of a week, Mr.
Wessels summoned him upstairs, and asked him why
he was doing his work so carelessly ; he warned him
not to forget that for legal documents the utmost
accuracy was essential.
He arrived late at the office, he stayed out too long.
He was scolded by the junior partner, and at home
his uncle, who kept himself informed of every detail,
talked about it all the time while they sat at meals,
in a bitter and abusive tone of voice that he had never
used before : c If you neglect your duty, the next
thing will be to stumble on the path of honour;
anyone who doesn't keep on his guard every moment
of the day will find himself in perdition before he
knows where he is. But there are hardened sinners,