hans brinker-第11节

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Master　Broom　colored　and　stared　in　great　astonishment。

〃But　thou　art　such　an　excellent　scholar；　I　shall　make　thee　no　further　reproof。〃

〃Thou；　Hendrick；　didst　distinguish　thyself　in　the　archery　match　last　spring；　and　hit　the　Doel　*｛Bull's…eye。｝　though　the　bird　was　swung　before　it　to　unsteady　thine　eye。　　I　give　thee　credit　for　excelling　in　manly　sport　and　exercise；　though　I　must　not　unduly　countenance　thy　boat　racing；　since　it　leaves　thee　little　time　for　thy　proper　studies。

〃Lucretia　and　Hilda　shall　have　a　blessed　sleep　tonight。　　The　consciousness　of　kindness　to　the　poor；　devotion　in　their　souls；　and　cheerful；　hearty　obedience　to　household　rule　will　render　them　happy。

〃With　one　and　all　I　avow　myself　well　content。　　Goodness；　industry；　benevolence；　and　thrift　have　prevailed　in　your　midst。　　Therefore；　my　blessing　upon　youand　may　the　new　year　find　all　treading　the　paths　of　obedience；　wisdom；　and　love。　　Tomorrow　you　shall　find　more　substantial　proofs　that　I　have　been　in　your　midst。　　Farewell！〃

With　these　words　came　a　great　shower　of　sugarplums；　upon　a　linen　sheet　spread　out　in　front　of　the　doors。　　A　general　scramble　followed。　　The　children　fairly　tumbled　over　each　other　in　their　eagerness　to　fill　their　baskets。　　Madame　cautiously　held　the　baby　down　in　their　midst；　till　the　chubby　little　fists　were　filled。　　Then　the　bravest　of　the　youngsters　sprang　up　and　burst　open　the　closed　doors。　　In　vain　they　peered　into　the　mysterious　apartment。　　Saint　Nicholas　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。

Soon　there　was　a　general　rush　to　another　room；　where　stood　a　table；　covered　with　the　finest　and　whitest　of　linen　damask。　　Each　child；　in　a　flutter　of　excitement；　laid　a　shoe　upon　it。　　The　door　was　then　carefully　locked；　and　its　key　hidden　in　the　mother's　bedroom。　　Next　followed　goodnight　kisses；　a　grand　family　procession　to　the　upper　floor；　merry　farewells　at　bedroom　doors；　and　silence；　at　last；　reigned　in　the　Van　Gleck　mansion。

Early　the　next　morning　the　door　was　solemnly　unlocked　and　opened　in　the　presence　of　the　assembled　household；　when　lo！　a　sight　appeared；　proving　Saint　Nicholas　to　be　a　saint　of　his　word！

Every　shoe　was　filled　to　overflowing；　and　beside　each　stood　many　a　colored　pile。　　The　table　was　heavy　with　its　load　of　presentscandies；　toys；　trinkets；　books；　and　other　articles。　　Everyone　had　gifts；　from　the　grandfather　down　to　the　baby。

Little　Katy　clapped　her　hands　with　glee　and　vowed　inwardly　that　the　cat　should　never　know　another　moment's　grief。

Hendrick　capered　about　the　room；　flourishing　a　superb　bow　and　arrows　over　his　head。　　Hilda　laughed　with　delight　as　she　opened　a　crimson　box　and　drew　forth　its　glittering　contents。　　The　rest　chuckled　and　said　〃Oh！〃　and　〃Ah！〃　over　their　treasures；　very　much　as　we　did　here　in　America　on　last　Christmas　Day。

With　her　glittering　necklace　in　her　hands；　and　a　pile　of　books　in　her　arms；　Hilda　stole　towards　her　parents　and　held　up　her　beaming　face　for　a　kiss。　　There　was　such　an　earnest；　tender　look　in　her　bright　eyes　that　her　mother　breathed　a　blessing　as　she　leaned　over　her。

〃I　am　delighted　with　this　book。　　Thank　you；　Father；〃　she　said；　touching　the　top　one　with　her　chin。　　〃I　shall　read　it　all　day　long。〃

〃Aye；　sweetheart；〃　said　mynheer；　〃you　cannot　do　better。　　There　is　no　one　like　Father　Cats。　　If　my　daughter　learns　his　'Moral　Emblems'　by　heart；　the　mother　and　I　may　keep　silent。　　The　work　you　have　there　is　the　Emblemshis　best　work。　　You　will　find　it　enriched　with　rare　engravings　from　Van　de　Venne。〃

Considering　that　the　back　of　the　book　was　turned　away；　mynheer　certainly　showed　a　surprising　familiarity　with　an　unopened　volume；　presented　by　Saint　Nicholas。　　It　was　strange；　too；　that　the　saint　should　have　found　certain　things　made　by　the　elder　children　and　had　actually　placed　them　upon　the　table；　labeled　with　parents'　and　grandparents'　names。　　But　all　were　too　much　absorbed　in　happiness　to　notice　slight　inconsistencies。　　Hilda　saw；　on　her　father's　face；　the　rapt　expression　he　always　wore　when　he　spoke　of　Jakob　Cats；　so　he　put　her　armful　of　books　upon　the　table　and　resigned　herself　to　listen。

〃Old　Father　Cats；　my　child；　was　a　great　poet；　not　a　writer　of　plays　like　the　Englishman；　Shakespeare；　who　lived　in　his　time。　　I　have　read　them　in　the　German　and　very　good　they　arevery；　very　goodbut　not　like　Father　Cats。　　Cats　sees　no　daggers　in　the　air；　he　has　no　white　women　falling　in　love　with　dusky　Moors；　no　young　fools　sighing　to　be　a　lady's　glove；　no　crazy　princes　mistaking　respectable　old　gentlemen　for　rats。　　No；　no。　　He　writes　only　sense。　　It　is　great　wisdom　in　little　bundles；　a　bundle　for　every　day　of　your　life。　　You　can　guide　a　state　with　Cats's　poems；　and　you　can　put　a　little　baby　to　sleep　with　his　pretty　songs。　　He　was　one　of　the　greatest　men　of　Holland。　　When　I　take　you　to　The　Hague；　I　will　show　you　the　Kloosterkerk　where　he　lies　buried。　　THERE　was　a　man　for　you　to　study；　my　sons！　　He　was　good　through　and　through。　　What　did　he　say？


　　　　　〃O　Lord；　let　me　obtain　this　from　Thee　　　　　　To　live　with　patience；　and　to　die　with　pleasure！

　　　　　*｛O　Heere！　laat　my　daat　van　uwen　hand　verwerven；　　　　　　Te　leven　met　gedult；　en　met　vermaak　te　sterven。｝


〃Did　patience　mean　folding　his　hands？　　No；　he　was　a　lawyer；　statesman；　ambassador；　farmer；　philosopher；　historian；　and　poet。　　He　was　keeper　of　the　Great　Seal　of　Holland！　　He　was　aBah！　there　is　too　much　noise　here；　I　cannot　talk。〃　　And　mynheer；　looking　with　great　astonishment　into　the　bowl　of　his　meerschaum；　for　it　had　gone　out；　nodded　to　his　vrouw　and　left　the　apartment　in　great　haste。

The　fact　is；　his　discourse　had　been　accompanied　throughout　with　a　subdued　chorus　of　barking　dogs；　squeaking　cats；　and　bleating　lambs；　to　say　nothing　of　a　noisy　ivory　cricket　that　the　baby　was　whirling　with　infinite　delight。　　At　the　last；　little　Huygens；　taking　advantage　of　the　increasing　loudness　of　mynheer's　tones；　had　ventured　a　blast　on　his　new　trumpet；　and　Wolfert　had　hastily　attempted　an　accompaniment　on　the　drum。　　This　had　brought　matters　to　a　crisis；　and　it　was　good　for　the　little　creatures　that　it　had。　　The　saint　had　left　no　ticket　for　them　to　attend　a　lecture　on　Jakob　Cats。　　It　was　not　an　appointed　part　of　the　ceremonies。　　Therefore　when　the　youngsters　saw　that　the　mother　looked　neither　frightened　nor　offended；　they　gathered　new　courage。　　The　grand　chorus　rose　triumphant；　and　frolic　and　joy　reigned　supreme。

Good　Saint　Nicholas！　　For　the　sake　of　the　young　Hollanders；　I；　for　one；　am　willing　to　acknowledge　him　and　defend　his　reality　against　all　unbelievers。

Carl　Schummel　was　quite　busy　during　that　day；　assuring　little　children；　confidentially；　that　not　Saint　Nicholas　but　their　own　fathers　and　mothers　had　produced　the　oracle　and　loaded　the　tables。　　But　WE　know　better　than　that。

And　yet　if　this　were　a　saint；　why　did　he　not　visit　the　Brinker　cottage　that　night？　　Why　was　that　one　home；　so　dark　and　sorrowful；　passed　by？




What　the　Boys　Saw　and　Did　in　Amsterdam



〃Are　we　all　here？〃　cried　Peter；　in　high　glee；　as　the　party　assembled　upon　the　canal　early　the　next　morning；　equipped　for　their　skating　journey。　　〃Let　me　see。　　As　Jacob　has　made　me　captain；　I　must　call　the　roll。　　Carl　Schummel；　you　here？〃

〃Ya！〃

〃Jacob　Poot！〃

〃Ya！〃

〃Benjamin　Dobbs！〃

〃Ya…a！〃

〃Lambert　van　Mounen！〃

〃Ya！〃

〃That's　lucky！　　Couldn't　get　on　without　YOU；　as　you're　the　only　one　who　can　speak　English。　　Ludwig　van　Holp！〃

〃Ya！〃

〃Voostenwalbert　Schimmelpenninck！〃

No　answer。

〃Ah；　the　little　rogue　has　been　kept　at　home！　　Now；　boys；　it's　just　eight　o'clockglorious　weather；　and　the　Y　is　as　firm　as　a　rock。　　We'll　be　at　Amsterdam　in　thirty　minutes。　　One；　two；　three　START！〃

True　enough；　in　less　than　half　an　hour　they　had　crossed　a　dike　of　solid　masonry　and　were　in　the　very　heart　of　the　great　metropolis　of　the　Netherlandsa　walled　city　of　ninety…five　islands　and　nearly　two　hundred　bridges。　　Although　Ben　had　been　there　twice　since　his　arrival　in　Holland；　he　saw　much　to　excite　wonder；　but　his　Dutch　comrades；　having　lived　nearby　all　their　lives；　considered　it　the　most　matter…of…course　place　in　the　world。　　Everything　interested　Ben：　　the　tall　houses　with　their　forked　chimneys　and　gable　ends　facing　the　street；　the　merchants'　ware　rooms；　perched　high　up　under　the　roofs　of　their　dwellings；　with　long；　armlike　cranes　hoisting　and　lowering　goods　past　the　household　windows；　the　grand　public　buildings　erected　upon　wooden　piles　driven　deep　into　the　marshy　ground；　the　narrow　streets；　the　canals　crossing　the　city　everywhere；　the　bridges；　the　locks；　the　various　costumes；　and；　strangest　of　all；　shops　and　dwellings　crouching　close　to　the　fronts　of　the　churches；　sending　their　long；　disproportionate　chimneys　far　upward　along　the　sacred　walls。

If　he　looked　up；　he　saw　tall；　leaning　houses；　seeming　to　pierce　the　sky　with　their　shining　roofs。　　If　he　looked　down；　there　was　the　queer　street；　without　crossing　or　curbnothing　to　separate　the　cobblestone　pavement　from　the　footpath　of　brickand　if　he　rested　his　eyes　halfway；　he　saw　complicated　little　mirrors　（spionnen）　fastened　upon　the　outside　of　nearly　every　window；　so　arranged　that　the　inmates　of　the　houses　could　observe　all　that　was　going　on　in　the　street　or　inspect　whoever　might　be　knocking　at　the　door；　without　being　seen　themse