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Updated: June 19, 2025
Bertje stood erect and issued his commands: all the boys must get out; he would remain sitting on the front seat, with Horieneke and Doorke side by side behind him, between two leafy branches, like a bride and bridegroom! Fonske cut two branches from an alder-tree and fastened them to either side of the cart.
"Father, we've been out with cousin," said Bertje. They had to take their coffee and their cakebread-and-butter in a hurry: it was time to put the dogs in, said uncle. Doorke said they were put in. Frazie helped her sister on with her things: "You'll find the looking-glass hanging in the window, Stanse. I must go and put on another skirt too and come a bit of the way with you."
She put her mouth to his ear and whispered: "That's where the rent-farmer lives ... and he's a bad, bad man. He does wicked things to the little girls who go into the wood; and mother says that then they fall ill and die and then they go to Hell!" Doorke did not understand very well, but he saw from Horieneke's wide-open eyes that it was serious.
Horieneke had come up too and watched this silent sport; and she now stood alone with Doorke, looking along the trees, where the cart was disappearing towards the edge of the wood. When there was nothing more to see, they both went indoors. Uncle and aunt and father were now talking quietly and earnestly, over three cups of coffee.
The thrush started anew and they sat listening. "What will you do when you grow up, Doorke?" And she put her arm round the boy's neck again and looked fondly into his eyes: "Will you get married, Doorke?" Doorke shook his head. "Not even to me?" And she looked at him with such a roguish smile that the boy felt ashamed. Then, to comfort him, she said: "Nor I either, Doorke.
Uncle and father stood looking at them a little longer and then, in their white shirt-sleeves, with their thumbs in their tight trouser-bands, went up the narrow little path, in the blazing sun, to look at the wheat and the flax, which were already high. Horieneke and Doorke were now left looking at each other.
Do you dare go among the dogs?" And they led him on gently by his velvet jacket, behind the house to the bake-house, where the dogs lay blinking in the shade, with their heads stretched on their paws. Doorke nodded; and, to show how well-behaved they were, he went close up to them and stroked their backs.
The children mused: "I should like to fall down dead, here and now," said Horieneke. Doorke looked up in surprise: "Why, Horieneke?" "Then I should be in Heaven at once." They again sat thinking a little: "Playing with the angels!... Have you ever seen angels, Doorke?" "Yes, in the procession, Horieneke." "Ah, but I mean live ones!
The soup stood ready ladled out, steaming in the plates. Horieneke sat demurely in the middle, next to Doorke, with uncle and aunt on either side and, lower down, father and all the children: mother had to keep moving to and fro, waiting on them, snatching a mouthful now and again betweenwhiles.
I saw some last night, live ones; and they were in white, Doorke, with long trains and golden hair and diamond crowns, and they were singing in a beautiful garden!..." With raised eyebrows and earnest gestures of her little forefinger, she told him all her dream of the angels and the swings and the singing and the music ... and of father with his sickle. Doorke hung upon her words.
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