Summary

In Chapter 23, after the students had made it to Terhofstede, Herman fulfilled Laura's expectation of him as a spoiled single child and neglected to help with clearing or washing the dishes. The girls ended up being responsible for washing, with Lodewijk drying and the other boys helping in other small tasks. One night, Lodewijk didn’t help to dry and Herman was drafted in after first complaining that he had “thought that’s why we brought two women along” (170). Herman chided Lodewijk for neglecting his post, asking if he was “sick” and teasing him about his sweater by asking him if his “mom knit it for” him (171-172).

Laura cut short this exchange by pretending to bump into Herman and, once they were in the kitchen, explained that Lodewijk’s mother was dying. Herman said that it was “not good” for the friends...