Between father and sister, poor
Louise had a hard time of it; she even, at one time, was compelled to
sell some valued trinkets to pay a bill that was due, because money she
had put by for the purpose was squandered in drink and finery.
The father died, and then after many years we see Louise Gerretz
established in the house of Van Zwanenburg the artist, the same who had
taken young Paul as a pupil. Both Louise and Paul were now his adopted
children; nor was he without his reward. Under the beneficent rule of
the gentle Louise things went so smoothly that the artist and his pupils
blessed the day when she came amongst them.
But before the advent of Louise, her brother Paul had imbibed a great
share of his master's dark and gloomy nature, and, what was perhaps even
worse, had already, young as he was, acquired the habit of looking at
everything from a money-making standpoint.
Another great sorrow was in store for Louise, though she came from the
ordeal with flying colours, and once more the grand self-sacrificing
nature of the young woman shone out conspicuous amidst its surroundings
of sordid self-interest. It was in this way. The nephew of Van
Zwanenburg, with the approval of his uncle, wooed and eventually
obtained her consent to their marriage.
On the death of the father, Therese had been taken home by an aunt, who
possessed considerable means, to Brussels. The aunt was now dead, and
Therese, who inherited some of her wealth, came to reside near her
sister and brother.
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