hans brinker-第13节

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〃Humph！〃　exclaimed　Ludwig　indignantly。　　〃That　was　high！　　What　did　SHE　do　without　them；　I　wonder？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Peter；　laughing；　〃likely　she　had　another　pair。　　At　any　rate　she　insisted　upon　his　taking　them。　　He　was　so　grateful　that　he　painted　a　picture　of　the　spectacles　for　her；　case　and　all；　and　she　sold　it　to　a　burgomaster　for　a　yearly　allowance　that　made　her　comfortable　for　the　rest　of　her　days。〃

〃Boys！〃　called　Lambert　in　a　loud　whisper；　〃come　look　at　this　'Bear　Hunt。'〃

It　was　a　fine　painting　by　Paul　Potter；　a　Dutch　artist　of　the　seventeenth　century；　who　produced　excellent　works　before　he　was　sixteen　years　old。　　The　boys　admired　it　because　the　subject　pleased　them。　　They　passed　carelessly　by　the　masterpieces　of　Rembrandt　and　Van　der　Helst；　and　went　into　raptures　over　an　ugly　picture　by　Van　der　Venne；　representing　a　sea　fight　between　the　Dutch　and　English。　　They　also　stood　spellbound　before　a　painting　of　two　little　urchins；　one　of　whom　was　taking　soup　and　the　other　eating　an　egg。　　The　principal　merit　in　this　work　was　that　the　young　egg…eater　had　kindly　slobbered　his　face　with　the　yolk　for　their　entertainment。

An　excellent　representation　of　the　〃Feast　of　Saint　Nicholas〃　next　had　the　honor　of　attracting　them。

〃Look；　Van　Mounen；〃　said　Ben　to　Lambert。　　〃Could　anything　be　better　than　this　youngster's　face？　　He　looks　as　if　he　KNOWS　he　deserves　a　whipping；　but　hopes　Saint　Nicholas　may　not　have　found　him　out。　　That's　the　kind　of　painting　I　like；　something　that　tells　a　story。〃

〃Come；　boys！〃　cried　the　captain。　　〃Ten　o'clock；　time　we　were　off！〃

They　hastened　to　the　canal。

〃Skates　on！　　Are　you　ready？　　One；　twohalloo！　　Where's　Poot？〃

Sure　enough；　where　WAS　Poot？

A　square　opening　had　just　been　cut　in　the　ice　not　ten　yards　off。　　Peter　observed　it　and；　without　a　word；　skated　rapidly　toward　it。

All　the　others　followed；　of　course。

Peter　looked　in。　　They　all　looked　in；　then　stared　anxiously　at　each　other。

〃Poot！〃　screamed　Peter；　peering　into　the　hole　again。　　All　was　still。　　The　black　water　gave　no　sign；　it　was　already　glazing　on　top。

Van　Mounen　turned　mysteriously　to　Ben。　//　〃DIDN'T　HE　HAVE　A　FIT　ONCE？〃

〃My　goodness！　yes！〃　answered　Ben　in　a　great　fright。

〃Then；　depend　upon　it；　he's　been　taken　with　one　in　the　museum！〃

The　boys　caught　his　meaning。　　Every　skate　was　off　in　a　twinkling。　　Peter　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　scoop　up　a　capful　of　water　from　the　hole；　and　off　they　scampered　to　the　rescue。

Alas！　　They　did　indeed　find　poor　Jacob　in　a　fit；　but　it　was　a　fit　of　sleepiness。　　There　he　lay　in　a　recess　of　the　gallery；　snoring　like　a　trooper！　　The　chorus　of　laughter　that　followed　this　discovery　brought　an　angry　official　to　the　spot。

〃What　now！　　None　of　this　racket！　　Here；　you　beer　barrel；　wake　up！〃　　And　Master　Jacob　received　a　very　unceremonious　shaking。

As　soon　as　Peter　saw　that　Jacob's　condition　was　not　serious；　he　hastened　to　the　street　to　empty　his　unfortunate　cap。　　While　he　was　stuffing　in　his　handkerchief　to　prevent　the　already　frozen　crown　from　touching　his　head；　the　rest　of　the　boys　came　down；　dragging　the　bewildered　and　indignant　Jacob　in　their　midst。

〃The　order　to　start　was　again　given。　　Master　Poot　was　wide…awake　at　last。　　The　ice　was　a　little　rough　and　broken　just　there；　but　every　boy　was　in　high　spirits。

〃Shall　we　go　on　by　the　canal　or　the　river？〃　asked　Peter。

〃Oh；　the　river；　by　all　means；〃　said　Carl。　　〃It　will　be　such　fun；　they　say　it　is　perfect　skating　all　the　way；　but　it's　much　farther。〃

Jacob　Poot　instantly　became　interested。

〃I　vote　for　the　canal！〃　he　cried。

〃Well；　the　canal　it　shall　be；〃　responded　the　captain；　〃if　all　are　agreed。〃

〃Agreed！〃　they　echoed；　in　rather　a　disappointed　tone；　and　Captain　Peter　led　the　way。

〃All　right；　come　on。　　We　can　reach　Haarlem　in　an　hour！〃




Big　Manias　and　Little　Oddities



While　skating　along　at　full　speed；　they　heard　the　cars　from　Amsterdam　coming　close　behind　them。

〃Halloo！〃　cried　Ludwig；　glancing　toward　the　rail　track；　〃who　can't　beat　a　locomotive？　　Let's　give　it　a　race！〃

The　whistle　screamed　at　the　very　ideaso　did　the　boysand　at　it　they　went。

For　an　instant　the　boys　were　ahead；　hurrahing　with　all　their　mightonly　for　an　instant；　but　even　THAT　was　something。

This　excitement　over；　they　began　to　travel　more　leisurely　and　indulge　in　conversation　and　frolic。　　Sometimes　they　stopped　to　exchange　a　word　with　the　guards　who　were　stationed　at　certain　distances　along　the　canal。　　These　men；　in　winter；　attend　to　keeping　the　surface　free　from　obstruction　and　garbage。　　After　a　snowstorm　they　are　expected　to　sweep　the　feathery　covering　away　before　it　hardens　into　a　marble　pretty　to　look　at　but　very　unwelcome　to　skaters。　　Now　and　then　the　boys　so　far　forgot　their　dignity　as　to　clamber　among　the　icebound　canal　boats　crowded　together　in　a　widened　harbor　off　the　canal；　but　the　watchful　guards　would　soon　spy　them　out　and　order　them　down　with　a　growl。

Nothing　could　be　straighter　than　the　canal　upon　which　our　party　were　skating；　and　nothing　straighter　than　the　long　rows　of　willow　trees　that　stood；　bare　and　wispy；　along　the　bank。　　On　the　opposite　side；　lifted　high　above　the　surrounding　country；　lay　the　carriage　road　on　top　of　the　great　dike　built　to　keep　the　Haarlem　Lake　within　bounds；　stretching　out　far　in　the　distance；　until　it　became　lost　in　a　point；　was　the　glassy　canal　with　its　many　skaters；　its　brown…winged　iceboats；　its　push…chairs；　and　its　queer　little　sleds；　light　as　cork；　flying　over　the　ice　by　means　of　iron…pronged　sticks　in　the　hands　of　the　riders。　　Ben　was　in　ecstasy　with　the　scene。

Ludwig　van　Holp　had　been　thinking　how　strange　it　was　that　the　English　boy　should　know　so　much　of　Holland。　　According　to　Lambert's　account；　he　knew　more　about　it　than　the　Dutch　did。　　This　did　not　quite　please　our　young　Hollander。　　Suddenly　he　thought　of　something　that　he　believed　would　make　the　〃Shon　Pull〃　open　his　eyes；　he　drew　near　Lambert　with　a　triumphant　〃Tell　him　about　the　tulips！〃

Ben　caught　the　word　tulpen。

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　he　eagerly；　in　English；　〃the　Tulip　Maniaare　you　speaking　of　that？　　I　have　often　heard　it　mentioned　but　know　very　little　about　it。　　It　reached　its　height　in　Amsterdam；　didn't　it？〃

Ludwig　moaned；　the　words　were　hard　to　understand；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　enlightened　expression　on　Ben's　face。　　Lambert；　happily；　was　quite　unconscious　of　his　young　countryman's　distress　as　he　replied；　〃Yes；　here　and　in　Haarlem；　principally；　but　the　excitement　ran　high　all　over　Holland；　and　in　England　too　for　that　matter。〃

〃Hardly　in　England；　*｛Although　the　Tulip　Mania　did　not　prevail　in　England　as　in　Holland；　the　flower　soon　became　an　object　of　speculation　and　brought　very　large　prices。　　In　1636；　tulips　were　publicly　sold　on　the　Exchange　of　London。　　Even　as　late　as　1800　a　common　price　was　fifteen　guineas　for　one　bulb。　　Ben　did　not　know　that　in　his　own　day　a　single　tulip　plant；　called　the　〃Fanny　Kemble〃；　had　been　sold　in　London　for　more　than　seventy　guineas。

Mr　Mackay；　in　his　〃Memoirs　of　Popular　Delusions；〃　tells　a　funny　story　of　an　English　botanist　who　happened　to　see　a　tulip　bulb　lying　in　the　conservatory　of　a　wealthy　Dutchman。　　Ignorant　if　its　value；　he　took　out　his　penknife　and；　cutting　the　bulb　in　two；　became　very　much　interested　in　his　investigations。　　Suddenly　the　owner　appeared　and；　pouncing　furiously　upon　him；　asked　if　he　knew　what　he　was　doing。　　〃Peeling　a　most　extraordinary　onion；〃　replied　the　philosopher。　　〃Hundert　tousant　tuyvel！〃　shouted　the　Dutchman；　〃it's　an　Admiral　Van　der　Eyk！〃　　〃Thank　you；〃　replied　the　traveler；　immediately　writing　the　name　in　his　notebook。　　〃Pray；　are　these　very　common　in　your　country？〃　　〃Death　and　the　tuyvel！〃　screamed　the　Dutchman；　〃come　before　the　Syndic　and　you　shall　see！〃　　In　spite　of　his　struggles　the　poor　investigator；　followed　by　an　indignant　mob；　was　taken　through　the　streets　to　a　magistrate。　　Soon　he　learned　to　his　dismay　that　he　had　destroyed　a　bulb　worth　4；000　florins　（1；600）。　　He　was　lodged　in　prison　until　securities　could　be　procured　for　the　payment　of　the　sum。｝　I　think；〃　said　Ben；　〃but　I　am　not　sure；　as　I　was　not　there　at　the　time。〃

〃Ha！　ha！　that's　true；　unless　you　are　over　two　hundred　years　old。　　Well；　I　tell　you；　sir；　there　never　was　anything　like　it　before　nor　since。　　Why；　persons　were　so　crazy　after　tulip　bulbs　in　those　days　that　they　paid　their　weight　in　gold　for　them。〃

〃What；　the　weight　of　a　man！〃　cried　Ben；　showing　such　astonishment　in　his　eyes　that　Ludwig　fairly　capered。

〃No；　no；　the　weight　of　a　BULB。　　The　first　tulip　was　sent　here　from　Constantinople　about　the　year　1560。　　It　was　so　much　admired　that　the　rich　people　of　Amsterdam　sent　to　Turkey　for　more。　　From　that　time　they　grew　to　be　the　rage；　and　it　lasted　for　years。　　Single　roots　brought　from　one　to　four　thousand　florins；　and　one　bulb；　the　Semper　Augustus；　brought　fifty…five　hundred。〃

〃That's　more　than　four　hundred　guineas　of　our　money；〃　interposed　Ben。

〃Yes；　and　I　know　I'm　right；　for　I　read　it　in　a　translation　from　Beckman；　only　day　before　yesterday。　　Well；　sir；　it　was　great。　　Everyone　speculated　in　tulips；　even　bargemen　and　rag　women　and　chimney　sweeps。　　The　richest　merchants　were　not　ashamed　to　share　the　excitement。　　People　bought　bulbs　and　sold　them　again　at　a　tremendous