t know what became of
the old Baron. And then we went home; but the dressmaker took no more
pleasure in the play now, because her silver box was gone. I don't
know whether the gentleman ever brought it to her, or not."

The play was out.

The girls thought: "Baroness!"

Stoffel was thinking: "Virtue!"

The mother's thoughts ran: "Twelve stivers for a ticket, and waffles
and chocolate extra!"

Walter was saying to himself: "A hunter! A whole year in the forest,
in the great forest, and alone. I'd like to do it, too."

He took up his brush and looked at Ophelia: "To be alone in the great
forest with--Femke!"

But the theatre question was far from being settled. Leentje had to
clear up many doubtful points yet. For instance, Pietro wanted to
know how old the woman was when the Baron finally married her. Leentje
thought she must have been about sixty.

Also Juffrouw Laps had to express her opinion. She declared that she
was opposed to everything "worldly," and insisted that Walter be sent
to church.

Later she got into a big dispute over the theatre with Master
Pennewip, whom Stoffel had brought in to reinforce his position. He
had brought with him "Floris the Fifth," that powerful comedy by the
noble Bilderdyk. With many declensions and conjugations and remarks
on rhyme and metre, he explained, firstly, that "Floris the Fifth"
was a play from which much could be learned; and, secondly, that the
theatre was something very moral and thoroughly respectable.

To be sure, he failed to convince Juffrouw Laps. Nor was Walter
greatly impressed by that masterpiece, despite the fact that there
were three deaths in it. He much preferred the beautiful story of
Glorioso, or the Peruvian story--or even Little Red Riding Hood.

CHAPTER XIX

Walter had been to church: that was now behind him. Stoffel thought
the pastor had preached a beautiful sermon, and said that "in a way
all he said could be accepted." He hoped that it would "bear fruit."

"Yes," said the mother, "and he mustn't tear his new breeches
again. They cost too much hard work for that."

As a matter of fact the "hard work" done in the Pieterse family
might be regarded as a negligible quantity. There was the necessary
housework, and the usual complaining--or boasting, if you will--but
this was to be expected.

That Walter had postponed his visit to go to church was a result of
the frightful threats of Juffrouw Laps. She cited Second Chronicles
xvi