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had heard that for weeks on end he hadn't asked
for a single cent. When some curious person
wanted to know what the position was with the
brother-in-law's creditors, Wouters was able to tell
him which of them was still alive, how much was
owing to those who survived, and they counted and
reckoned and came to the conclusion that it was
a large sum the brothers had raised in the course
of the years. * And what for ? * someone asked.
Merely for honour's sake, a notion that the eldest
had in his head, for no reasonable person would hold
it up to the child as a reproach. But that was his
idea of what was right. There was a good deal of
talk even about Jansje and the servant maid.
Jansje, who suffered from palsy, so that her head
shook slightly all the time, lived much more
economically, and didn't even allow herself any
coffee now. One could only imagine that thrift
was catching, for Stien who, three years ago, had
talked of buying a coat, was still wearing her old
one, green and threadbare. And she had grown
serious ; after a long day's work she would sit up
late with her Bible. The only thing she couldn't
give up was singing her doleful songs.
At last, one day the neighbours were startled by
what had happened at the Werendonks'. In the
early morning people were standing outside the
door, with their hands to their caps, their coats
flying open, for the wind was blowing in wild gusts.