forefinger and thumb of her
left hand, pointed to Walter with her right and let it fall.

The rosebuds landed on the bald pate of a stout gentleman near the
Holsma party. He seized them and examined them admiringly; but, before
he could decide what to do with them, Walter had sprung over half a
dozen chairs and deprived him of the precious property. With a glance
toward Olympus, Walter pressed the roses to his lips. Princess Erika
nodded approval; and the playful countess-palatine applauded lustily.

That was more than Walter could bear. He had never forgiven himself
for denying her; but she, the noble, the big-hearted, the majestic
one!--she had proclaimed her pardon publicly before the people. And
that was why she preferred to sit in the gallery. She had washed
away the black spots from his soul; she had restored his soiled
chivalry. These thoughts flashed through Walter's mind like lightning.

He sank to the floor in a faint. But was it any wonder?

The Holsmas took him home with them for the night; and another message
was sent to Juffrouw Pieterse.

"Don't you see, Stoffel? Just as I said! I don't care if everybody
knows it. He's simply living at Dr. Holsma's. Trudie, don't forget when
Leentje goes to the grocer's---- Upon my soul, he's at Dr. Holsma's
all the time!"

CHAPTER XXXIII

The next morning, Sunday, the doctor invited Walter into his study. He
spoke to him sympathetically and encouraged the boy to lay his case
before him; though he avoided everything that might make Walter believe
that his experiences were anything extraordinary. He already knew
more about it than Walter could tell. Even Walter's adventure with
Juffrouw Laps was perfectly transparent to him. There was nothing
lost to him because of the boy's lack of skill in handling the story.

While Walter poured out to him his inner experiences, Holsma listened
quietly, as if it was all familiar to him. Walter's reverence and
passion for the good he interpreted as a commonplace phenomenon
incident to budding youth. He treated the boy's love for Femke as an
ordinary matter. He admitted that it had been exactly the same way
with him when he was a boy--a method that few parents and educators
seem to be familiar with.

"Certainly, certainly, my boy. In such moods a fellow would like
to be everywhere at the same time, ruling, regulating and putting
things into order. He feels that he's responsible for everything;
and it hurts him to see so