22O
she had an errand to do in the town. Then he would
spur her on to haste, because he wanted to be in
the streets for as short a time as possible. Outside
in the Forest he did not feel the loneliness so badly
as among the passers-by. They looked at him, and
he lowered his eyes. But when they walked in the
Forest, even her presence began to oppress him.
He saw her feet beside his on the path, he knew
that she was waiting patiently and he couldn't
speak.
It was a still, warm evening as they sat in silence
on a bench; there was still a gleam of twilight
over the outlines of the bushes. When the
Damiaatjes could be heard, she said that they must
go and see her parents now. She looked at him
and she saw that he was holding his hand in front
of his face. She shook him by the shoulder.
Through a sob she heard : c I can't go on.' For
a while she sat with his head on her breast. And,
with his face hidden, he told her he had done it
again and was at his wits' end. Her tears flowed. * I
can forgive you everything,' she said,c and I can help
you, too, if only you will put your trust in me. After
all, there was no need for it, only a guilder or two,
why, I could have given you that.' He shook his
head in denial—that was not the point. Her voice
rang clear, firm. * Yes, it is, the sin is in the action,
for, but for that, we are all alike. Those guilders
tempted you, and if you had had a few guilders