He puts his great hand on your shoulder in sign of possession; you are his man, no matter what you may do. Moreover, it is impossible to refuse so cordial an invitation. He could take you directly from the office to the house through a little secret door, but he has still a few instructions to give to Messrs. Bietermans and Lynen.
"A letter from our London correspondent?" asks Bietermans, rising.
"Oh! from Mordaunt-Hackey … Yes, yes! The sugar business, no doubt! Please write him that we abide by our conditions. Messieurs, I bid you a very good day!… Who is going on the Exchange today? You, Torfs? Then don't forget to speak to Monsieur Barwoets … Excuse me, my friend. There! Now I am with you!…"
What an amiable man is Daelmans-Deynze!
His orders were given in the paternal tone that made his employes fanatic auxiliaries.
One of the causes of his popularity in Antwerp, and that not the least cause, was that the firm employed only Flemish workmen, and especially natives of Antwerp, while the majority of the great houses gave preference to Germans.
The worthy sinjoor did not even wish to accept foreigners as volunteers. He did not shirk additional expense in order to give bread and butter to the young men of Antwerp, the jongens van Antwerpen, as he said, proud himself to be one of them.
The other merchants found this way of conducting a business very eccentric. The Rhenish banker Fuchskopf shrugged his shoulders, and said to his compatriots residing in Antwerp, "Dot chap Taelmans is making boetry," but the worthy Flamand did good and
