sing over the knowledge. Robert Louis Stevenson, _The Lantern Bearers_. By permission of Charles Scribner’s Sons, the authorized publishers. KERMIS MORNING FELIX TIMMERMANS The mist was still hanging among the bushes and over the water when the bells of the churches began to ring. When Pallieter saw what fine weather the day had brought, he threw his cap into the air and went up to the belfry in the attic with a smiling face. He threw open the wooden shutters and let in the white daylight, dazzling at first to his eyes, and then he looked on to the undulating breadth of fresh fields spread out beneath him. Then he began to knock on the wooden handles; the wires tinkled, the wood creaked and squeaked, but above rose the clang of the bells, clear as crystal, into the pearly atmosphere. The joy of the bells vibrated through his heart, and he sang with them lustily. Out of the attic window he hung a new kermis flag, and the mild east wind rippled out its colors. As soon as he had had his breakfast of ham and eggs with Charlot, he strolled out of doors, smoking a good cigar. Yesterday’s rain had been like a salve to the ground, and made everything brighter, fresher, and more beautiful. Pallieter had been walked off his legs with all the preparations for the kermis; now he was as glad as a child to smell the quick scent of the fields. He laughed till it re-echoed, drank some beer, and played at bowls. When he came back he put the piebald horse into the covered cart and drove to the station. All the houses in the town had hung out flags, and the belfry of St. Gommarus Church was playing national airs above the roofs where pigeons were strutting. The sellers of balloons were already about the streets, and not far off a barrel organ was grinding. While Pallieter was away, Charlot was all in a worry with her cooking. “Come what may,” she said at last, “but the Lord’s business first.” And she nailed candle brackets on the front of the house with tall candles in, and next to the front door she set a table covered with a stiff white tablecloth, on which she placed the box with the image of the Virgin, a crucifix of boxwood, and all the relics from her own room. “They’ll all want to see our Lord,” she said. And all round and among these she placed glass vases of flowers, and old brass candlesticks with candles with paper twisted round. When she saw that all was in order she went back to the cooking. There in the peacefulness the birds sang, the flag fluttered, and the sun streamed through the leaves of the trees; it shone on the roses and the brasswork, and made the gold-brocaded mantle of the Holy Mother glitter. Pallieter loaded up the women into the cart, and when he saw Marieke his eyes grew big with surprise, and he said with a sigh: “Oh, what a fine gel!” The men came behind on foot.