Les trois filles de Pieter Waldorp

by Jean Bertheroy

After the death of Pieter Waldorp, owner of a sawmill in Dordrecht, his three beautiful daughters are left to fend for themselves. Practical Emma decides to continue running the mill, restless Geertienne dreams of adventure, and Elsie, the youngest, is still considered and treated as a child.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1897

About the author

Jean Bertheroy was the pseudonym of the French poet and novelist Berthe-Corinne Le Barillier. She wrote both contemporary and historical novels, of which the most enduringly popular are those set in Classical antiquity. She received the Legion of Honor and was honored three times by the Académie Française. She was an advocate of progress for women, and was one of the founders of the Prix Fémina.

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book by browsing idly in the electronic library catalog. Intrigued by the combination of the French language and the Dutch name in the title, I requested that it be brought out of off-site storage, and the obliging librarians had it ready for me in a couple of days. I nearly squealed with delight when I opened up the old volume and saw that it was part of a series "Pour les jeunes filles". What would be considered appropriate reading for young ladies in 1897? So I dove it and read it in a day. And I realized the story was surprisingly modern, but with a couple of twists regarding proper feminine behavior and self-abnegation that might have appealed more to contemporary tastes.

In the first pages of the book, Pieter Waldorp, owner of a sawmill in Dordrecht, Holland, is brought home after an accident. He dies the next morning, leaving his 3 daughters orphans. Emma, who at 24 had been a surrogate mother to her two sisters for years, decides after mature reflection not to sell the sawmill but to continue running it herself. This, of course, provokes much commentary from well-meaning friends and relatives who exclaim that a feeble woman could never do something as complicated as that. But Emma does (and I was pleased to read that there was no nonsense about women not being allowed by law to own property or run a business; the objections were purely of a practical, not legal nature). With the help of the foreman Ghisbert and their friend and neighbor Gerard, one of the workers in the mill, Emma takes charge of the mill. There is a delightful scene in which a skeptical client stomps into the mill, demanding to see Pieter, and is bested in a technical conversation about wood by the calm and smiling Emma. Geertienne, the second daughter, is of a restless and romantic nature. She is spellbound by Cornelis, the son of the local preacher. Cornelis is a socialist who believes in the redistribution of the world's goods, an ardent revolutionary whose main purpose in courting Geertienne is to show by example that men of the bourgeoisie can and should associate with the working class. Geertienne elopes with Cornelis on Christmas Eve, and for months nobody knows where she is. During the confusion of that Christmas Eve, while Emma, Ghisbert and Gerard are running around Dordrecht looking for Geertienne, the christmas tree catches fire and the house of Pieter Waldorp burns down. Emma, returning from a fruitless search for Geertienne, knocks on the first door she sees and alerts the owner, Jan Weyden, who rushes into the house and pulls out an unconscious Elsie.

A new year begins. The house is quickly rebuilt. Jan Weyden becomes a friend of the family. Emma receives a letter from Cornelis telling her that Geertienne is in a safe place where she will stay until she receives her family's consent to marry. Emma consults with their guardian and reluctantly gives her consent to Geertienne's marriage, which is not attended by any of the family. Soon after, Cornelis demands Geertienne's portion of the value of the sawmill. Emma, who has sunk most of the money back into new equipment for the mill, pulls the money together with great difficulty, but manages to do so without going into debt. Then the workers in the sawmill go on strike, demanding higher wages. With urgent orders to deliver, Emma is frantic with worry. Jan Weyden manages to find some workers in his hometown of Rotterdam who will come to Dordrecht to work for the very fair wages that Emma pays, and bankruptcy is averted. Later Emma finds out that it is Cornelis who agitated amongst the workers and indeed used Geertienne's marriage portion to pay them while they were on strike.

Elsie is now 18 and her religious confirmation is coming up. As a special favor, she asks that Geertienne be invited and a letter is dispatched. But Geertienne replies with a letter describing all that has happened since her elopement, and how Cornelis first kept her a virtual prisoner in a convent, then married her and immediately turned her into a virtual prisoner in their home. Full of zeal for the socialist cause, he is a negligent husband, but she still feels mesmerized by his charisma.

As Elsie's confirmation approaches, Gerard's mother let it be known that Gerard would like to marry her. This seems like an excellent thing to Emma, and she duly proposes this to Elsie. To her surprise, Elsie refuses Gerard's offer, saying that she is in love with Jan Weyden. Emma realizes that she herself loves Jan. But she makes the decision to put her sister's happiness before her own, and goes to talk to Jan. Jan denies any interest in Elsie and declares his love for Emma. But Emma tells him that she doesn't care for him, and an engagement is arranged. While Emma is embroidering a veil for the marriage of her youngest sister to the man she herself loves, Geertienne unexpectedly appears. Cornelis has gone off overseas to be a missionary for the socialist cause, and he didn't want to take her along. Suddenly free again, she's come home to be with her sisters. Elsie, delighted, declares that now her marriage to Jan can take place immediately because with Geertienne home, there are no longer any concerns about Emma being left all alone.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I loved the themes of women running a business, and of socialist agitation and worker unrest. I loved the sentimental theme of Emma denying her love for Jan so Elsie could marry him. I loved the romantic aspects of Jan pulling Elsie out of the burning house, and of Geertienne's elopement (even though it was with a decidedly unpleasant character). I loved the descriptions of the Dutch ladies' traditional jewelry and headwear for parties and church on Sunday. I was struck by the fact that the book was written in the present tense - I had the impression that most French books of that time were written in the passe simple.

I was so intrigued that I checked and found that Jean Bertheroy is a synonym for a prolific female author of the late 19th century, and that the publishing house of Armand Colin still exists, although it specializes now in textbooks and scholarly publications. What a lovely link with the past!