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could be seen sitting at the table, his head sunk
on his breast. Often Jansje was standing by him
talking.
He had not mentioned to anyone that money had
disappeared from the box, for there was no point,
he thought, in making more disgrace public. But
Jansje pestered him with her questions and her
advice. From the day that the boy had run away,
she came and stood by him every minute asking him
what he was going to do now. Then it would be :
' Werendonk, think of yourself at last. You have
done everything humanly possible, but it's hopeless,
and no one will think the worse of you if you leave
him alone.5 She had a right to say this, had she
not worked in his house from the time when his
parents were still alive. He merely shook his head.
When every day fresh stories were told of the queer
way the boy was wandering about, and it was quite
understandable that the neighbours should be
thinking he had lost his reason, Jansje became
more insistent. c You'll never be so foolish .as to
take him into the house again ? ' she said. * If he's
mad, be done with him and send him off to the
asylum at Meerenberg. Don't forget that there's
been nothing but trouble in your house from the
day your sister got married. When he appealed
to your pity, you did right to protect him, and when
he was a transgressor too.'—c He is still a trans-
gressor, he has stolen money from the box again.