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maid, he thought, had as little peace as himself, she
worked more than was good for her at her age.
Once or twice he noticed that she sat up late, and
that Frans, who was also beginning to come home
later than usual, would even then go and sit with
her in the kitchen ; he could hear them talking,
although they spoke softly. There were noises, too,
that disturbed him at his calculations. There was
always something creaking in the woodwork for no
apparent reason. There were a couple of boards
in the passage in particular, sometimes they could
be heard even when no one was walking on them.
On New Year's eve he said it would be better
not to bake any cakes this time; when he came
back from Church he would go to bed early.
That evening Frans and Stien sat alone in the
kitchen, in silence, staring in front of them. When
the clock had struck twelve and they had wished
each other a happy New Year, Stien said, raising
her glistening eyes : c Let us pray for him, as it is
written in the first Epistle of Saint John : " If any
man see his brother sin, he shall ask God, and He
shall give him life." *
They stood up and prayed silently, and after
saying " Amen " they wished each other good-night*
Shortly after the New Year Werendonk became
cantankerous, his face contracted as though he was
being bothered with twinges of pain again, and one
afternoon, after he had called out to Stien that she