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was burning in Warners', and through the open
door came the smell of biscuits baking. Stien, look-
ing out at him, noticed how rapidly he was walking.
When he got to the Hague, he asked his way,
and when he had found the number on the narrow
door of the ground-floor rooms, he rang the bell.
A man in shirt-sleeves opened it and he told him
he had come to see Floris. c He isn't here,' replied
the man and shut the door again. Werendonk
stood still in bewilderment. A policeman who was
passing asked him if he was looking for something,
and he explained that he had arranged to meet his
nephew here. The policeman then advised him to
go and look in some of the beer-houses, and he
walked with him saying he could see he didn't know
his way about. That man, he told him, was a
fortune-teller, but he probably did other things with
cards as well, and it would be a good thing to get
his nephew away from there.
Werendonk went into a beer-house and there he
saw Floris. ' I want to speak to you,3 he said,c come
with me.' The boy followed him, pale, silent; and,
out on the street, they walked beside each other
without saying a word. At last Werendonk spoke :
' My boy, everything is forgiven you, so far as it is
in my power to forgive, and if it is your wish to live
the life of an honest man, then come home with me,
I will do all I can to help you.' As though he were
a child, Floris held him by the hand, and, sobbing,