I really don't want to be a novelist

Chapter 364 The Doubtful Gerrit
"That's the debt we owe Mr. Raleigh. It really needs to be repaid, and after the repayment, you can get back the land left by your grandfather."

"It's not enough, Father, Howth."

Holding a wooden stick, Gerrit calculated for his father Hoss.

"Now we still owe Mr. Raleigh four silver coins, and we need to repay the interest of four hundred copper coins every year, and the total harvest of these fields is only five hundred copper coins."

Since the past few years, the fields have been a bit dry, and the harvest has become less and less.

Last year, a total of five hundred copper coins worth of grain was harvested, at least that's what Mr. Raleigh's debt collector told Hoss.

"If you just use all the harvest from these fields to repay the debt, you can only repay one hundred copper coins this year. If you wait until the four silver coins are completely repaid, it may take decades."

"Moreover, if the harvest in our fields is not as good as the interest, if we are unable to repay this year, the principal will increase to four silver coins and four hundred copper coins, and it will take about three years to repay the four silver coins. "

"So we should at least pay off the interest every year?"

"Father! Can you guarantee that the harvest in our fields is enough to pay off the interest every year?"

It seemed that because of Hoth's slowness, Gerrit was a little angry.

When Hoss heard Gerrit's words, he hesitated.

He can't guarantee this, especially this year, which is even drier than last year,
The sparse crop seedlings in the field are already heralding this year's harvest.

"What do you want to say, Gerrit?"

"Since this debt cannot be repaid, then we will not repay it."

"That's not it, this year's interest will become the principal?"

"No, I mean, we have Mr. Raleigh take over the fields that my grandfather left behind, take over the mortgage, and settle this debt."

Gerrit finally made his bold proposal.

His calculations told him that his father's repayments to Mr. Rowley had long since exceeded the value of the mortgage, the fields.

His father shouldn't be spending energy on this, and the money he will lose will only increase.

Let Mr. Raleigh take away the fields that my grandfather left behind.

We don't want these fields anymore.

Hearing what Gerrit said, Hoss frowned,

"Is this what you suggested, Gerrit?"

"Yes, father. Even if we lose those fields that my grandfather left behind, at least that debt is over, and you don't have to pay that debt anymore.

Moreover, the energy that would have been spent in those fields could be used for other things, such as finding other jobs, and the rewards for these jobs are your own, father.There is no need to pay Mr. Raleigh's debts.

Father, you have paid Mr. Raleigh more than this debt, more than the value of these fields, to keep the fields that my grandfather left behind.It cannot go on like this. "

Gerrit spoke eloquently, he felt he was right, and his father would naturally accept what was right.

But Hoss frowned even deeper.

"I disagree, Gerrit."

With that said, Huos took the farm tools and walked into the house.
Gerrit could hardly accept his father's words, and followed closely behind Hoth,

"Why, father! You are doing nothing for Raleigh. These fields belong to Raleigh long ago, not to us. Every harvest you cultivate for these fields will be taken away by Raleigh, and they I will not pay you any salary!"

Gerrit was even angry at his own father's stubbornness and stubbornness,

"That is the field left by your grandfather. After those fields are discarded, we only have the field of your grandma Milia."

"But the field left by my grandfather no longer belongs to us. Every harvest from that field has never appeared on our table or on us."

Gerrit has trouble understanding his father.

"A bard once told me that when repaying a loan, use the money if you can, and keep the food."

"Even if the harvest in the field is very little in our hands, I will not give up the land. This is your grandfather's last words."

"Father!"

"Hoth!"

Gerrit also wanted to persuade his father.

"...and Mr. Rowley won't agree to it. If we don't pay this debt, he will only increase the interest."

"Why, the original mortgage was those fields, they just took it away!"

Gerrit's loud voice weakened, but he still spoke to his father unacceptably.

But his father, Hoss, just looked back at Gerrit again, just stroked Gerrit's hair, and didn't discuss the issue with Gerrit again,
"Greet, study hard, maybe one day you will understand a lot of things. I don't understand these things either."

Gerrit looked up at his father, was silent for a while, then lowered his head,
"But father, this year is coming to an end, if you still need to repay Mr. Raleigh's debt, can you still take out five silver coins?"

Gerrit whispered.

Hoss was silent, stroked Gerrit's hair again, and walked away.

Gerrit stood there in silence for a while, went out to the door, sat on the threshold,

He propped his chin, thinking about something he couldn't figure out.

"...Grit, little Gretel, did you quarrel with your father?"

"Still angry? Let me tell you about your father."

At this time, the elderly Mrs. Milia came out of the house,
The rough skin on her face has been loosened, with some age spots on her face, her body is bent,

The action has been slower than when I was young.

Walking to her grandson with a smile, comforting her grandson,
"No...it's just that I'm probably wrong."

"Is it possible that the knowledge learned in school is wrong?"

There are many things that Gerrit can't figure out.

His father insisted that he go to school,

Many people in the village laughed at his father's stupidity.

But the study at school did give Gerrit a lot of different ideas,

and time to think about things.

"Think about it slowly, you can always figure it out, I believe my cute little Gretel is smart enough."

Mrs. Milia is still so gentle,
Gently reached out and touched Gerrit's head, and then walked away.

Gerrit nodded, then propped his chin, looking at the clouds in the sky in the distance, thinking about many things.

……

If the protagonist of the ordinary chapter is Little Hoss,

The protagonist of that great chapter is probably little Gritt, the boy of Howth, the little Gritt who always has many questions.

Ochino as a reader,
Sitting at the desk, staring at the pages,

With the development of the plot, the unstoppable emotional ups and downs,
Until after reading the opening episode of this great chapter,
Unable to bear it, Ochino sighed.

Is Hoth wrong in the plot?
It seems so stubborn and stubborn, but it doesn't seem to be wrong.

Was it wrong for little Gerrit, who had learned at school, and told his father that his debt to Mr. Raleigh would never be repaid?
It seems that there is nothing wrong with it.

Ochino sighed again,

Who is wrong in the book?
Ochino restrained his thoughts and continued to read.

further down,
In the great chapter,
From the perspective of little Gerrit,

I wrote about some changes in the village over the years.

Gus, who was originally the authority in the village to interpret the will of God and the church, has died of old age.
According to the book, on the day Gus died, there was a grand funeral in the village, and everyone in the village came,

At last on Gus's grave, erected the best tombstone,

It says 'Lord's loyal lamb, a devout believer of God, has served God devoutly throughout his life, is kind and friendly, and has saved many lost lambs throughout his life. '.

And the successor of the authoritative status in the village who knows the will of God and the church best,
It was Aunt Varina's husband, that Mr. Burton.

(End of this chapter)