hans brinker-第14节

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s　were　not　ashamed　to　share　the　excitement。　　People　bought　bulbs　and　sold　them　again　at　a　tremendous　profit　without　ever　seeing　them。　　It　grew　into　a　kind　of　gambling。　　Some　became　rich　by　it　in　a　few　days；　and　some　lost　everything　they　had。　　Land；　houses；　cattle；　and　even　clothing　went　for　tulips　when　people　had　no　ready　money。　　Ladies　sold　their　jewels　and　finery　to　enable　them　to　join　in　the　fun。　　Nothing　else　was　thought　of。　　At　last　the　States…General　interfered。　　People　began　to　see　what　dunces　they　were　making　of　themselves；　and　down　went　the　price　of　tulips。　　Old　tulip　debts　couldn't　be　collected。　　Creditors　went　to　law；　and　the　law　turned　its　back　upon　them；　debts　made　in　gambling　were　not　binding；　it　said。　　Then　there　was　a　time！　　Thousands　of　rich　speculators　were　reduced　to　beggary　in　an　hour。　　As　old　Beckman　says；　'The　bubble　was　burst　at　last。'〃

〃Yes；　and　a　big　bubble　it　was；〃　said　Ben；　who　had　listened　with　great　interest。　　〃By　the　way；　did　you　know　that　the　name　tulip　came　from　a　Turkish　word；　signifying　turban？〃

〃I　had　forgotten　that；〃　answered　Lambert；　〃but　it's　a　capital　idea。　　Just　fancy　a　party　of　Turks　in　full　headgear　squatted　upon　a　lawnperfect　tulip　bed！　　Ha！　ha！　　Capital　idea！〃

〃There；〃　groaned　Ludwig　to　himself；　〃he's　been　telling　Lambert　something　wonderful　about　tulipsI　knew　it！〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　continued　Lambert；　〃you　can　conjure　up　quite　a　human　picture　of　a　tulip　bed　in　bloom；　especially　when　it　is　nodding　and　bobbing　in　the　wind。　　Did　you　ever　notice　it？〃

〃Not　I。　　It　strikes　me；　Van　Mounen；　that　you　Hollanders　are　prodigiously　fond　of　the　flower　to　this　day。〃

〃Certainly。　　You　can't　have　a　garden　without　them；　prettiest　flower　that　grows；　I　think。　　My　uncle　has　a　magnificent　bed　of　the　finest　varieties　at　his　summer　house　on　the　other　side　of　Amsterdam。〃

〃I　thought　your　uncle　lived　in　the　city？〃

〃So　he　does；　but　his　summer　house；　or　pavilion；　is　a　few　miles　off。　　He　has　another　one　built　out　over　the　river。　　We　passed　near　it　when　we　entered　the　city。　　Everybody　in　Amsterdam　has　a　pavilion　somewhere；　if　he　can。〃

〃Do　they　ever　live　there？〃　asked　Ben。

〃Bless　you；　no！　　They　are　small　affairs；　suitable　only　to　spend　a　few　hours　in　on　summer　afternoons。　　There　are　some　beautiful　ones　on　the　southern　end　of　the　Haarlem　Lakenow　that　they've　commenced　to　drain　it　into　polders；　it　will　spoil　THAT　fun。　　By　the　way；　we've　passed　some　red…roofed　ones　since　we　left　home。　　You　noticed　them；　I　suppose；　with　their　little　bridges　and　ponds　and　gardens；　and　their　mottoes　over　the　doorway。〃

Ben　nodded。

〃They　make　but　little　show；　now；〃　continued　Lambert；　〃but　in　warm　weather　they　are　delightful。　　After　the　willows　sprout；　uncle　goes　to　his　summer　house　every　afternoon。　　He　dozes　and　smokes；　aunt　knits；　with　her　feet　perched　upon　a　foot　stove；　never　mind　how　hot　the　day；　my　cousin　Rika　and　the　other　girls　fish　in　the　lake　from　the　windows　or　chat　with　their　friends　rowing　by；　and　the　youngsters　tumble　about　or　hang　upon　the　little　bridges　over　the　ditch。　　Then　they　have　coffee　and　cakes；　beside　a　great　bunch　of　water　lilies　on　the　table。　　It's　very　fine；　I　can　tell　you；　only　（between　ourselves）；　though　I　was　born　here；　I　shall　never　fancy　the　odor　of　stagnant　water　that　hangs　about　most　of　the　summer　houses。　　Nearly　every　one　you　see　is　built　over　a　ditch。　　Probably　I　feel　it　more；　from　having　lived　so　long　in　England。〃

〃Perhaps　I　shall　notice　it　too；〃　said　Ben；　〃if　a　thaw　comes。　　The　early　winter　has　covered　up　the　fragrant　waters　for　my　benefitmuch　obliged　to　it。　　Holland　without　this　glorious　skating　wouldn't　be　the　same　thing　at　all。〃

〃How　very　different　you　are　from　the　Poots！〃　exclaimed　Lambert；　who　had　been　listening　in　a　sort　of　brown　study。　　〃And　yet　you　are　cousinsI　cannot　understand　it。〃

〃We　ARE　cousins；　or　rather　we　have　always　considered　ourselves　such；　but　the　relationship　is　not　very　close。　　Our　grandmothers　were　half…sisters。　　MY　side　of　the　family　is　entirely　English；　while　he　is　entirely　Dutch。　　Old　Great…grandfather　Poot　married　twice；　you　see；　and　I　am　a　descendant　of　his　English　wife。　　I　like　Jacob；　though；　better　than　half　of　my　English　cousins　put　together。　　He　is　the　truest…hearted；　best…natured　boy　I　ever　knew。　　Strange　as　you　may　think　it；　my　father　became　accidentally　acquainted　with　Jacob's　father　while　on　a　business　visit　to　Rotterdam。　　They　soon　talked　over　their　relationshipin　French；　by　the　wayand　they　have　corresponded　in　the　language　ever　since。　　Queer　things　come　about　in　this　world。　　My　sister　Jenny　would　open　her　eyes　at　some　of　Aunt　Poot's　ways。　　Aunt　is　a　thorough　lady；　but　so　different　from　motherand　the　house；　too；　and　furniture；　and　way　of　living；　everything　is　different。〃

〃Of　course；〃　assented　Lambert；　complacently；　as　if　to　say　You　could　scarcely　expect　such　general　perfection　anywhere　else　than　in　Holland。　　〃But　you　will　have　all　the　more　to　tell　Jenny　when　you　go　back。〃

〃Yes；　indeed。　　I　can　say　one　thingif　cleanliness　is；　as　they　claim；　next　to　godliness；　Broek　is　safe。　　It　is　the　cleanest　place　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。　　Why；　my　Aunt　Poot；　rich　as　she　is；　scrubs　half　the　time；　and　her　house　looks　as　if　it　were　varnished　all　over。　　I　wrote　to　mother　yesterday　that　I　could　see　my　double　always　with　me；　feet　to　feet；　in　the　polished　floor　of　the　dining　room。〃

〃Your　DOUBLE！　　That　word　puzzles　me；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　my　reflection；　my　apparition。　　Ben　Dobbs　number　two。〃

〃Ah；　I　see；〃　exclaimed　Van　Mounen。　　〃Have　you　ever　been　in　your　Aunt　Poot's　grand　parlor？〃

Ben　laughed。　　〃Only　once；　and　that　was　on　the　day　of　my　arrival。　　Jacob　says　I　shall　have　no　chance　of　entering　it　again　until　the　time　of　his　sister　Kanau's　wedding；　the　week　after　Christmas。　　Father　has　consented　that　I　shall　remain　to　witness　the　great　event。　　Every　Saturday　Aunt　Poot　and　her　fat　Kate　go　into　that　parlor　and　sweep　and　polish　and　scrub；　then　it　is　darkened　and　closed　until　Saturday　comes　again；　not　a　soul　enters　it　in　the　meantime；　but　the　schoonmaken；　as　she　calls　it；　must　be　done　just　the　same。〃

〃That　is　nothing。　　Every　parlor　in　Broek　meets　with　the　same　treatment；〃　said　Lambert。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　those　moving　figures　in　her　neighbor's　garden？〃

〃Oh；　they're　well　enough；　the　swans　must　seem　really　alive　gliding　about　the　pond　in　summer；　but　that　nodding　mandarin　in　the　corner；　under　the　chestnut　trees；　is　ridiculous；　only　fit　for　children　to　laugh　at。　　And　then　the　stiff　garden　patches；　and　the　trees　all　trimmed　and　painted。　　Excuse　me；　Van　Mounen；　but　I　shall　never　learn　to　admire　Dutch　taste。〃

〃It　will　take　time；〃　answered　Lambert　condescendingly；　〃but　you　are　sure　to　agree　with　it　at　last。　　I　saw　much　to　admire　in　England；　and　I　hope　I　shall　be　sent　back　with　you　to　study　at　Oxford；　but；　take　everything　together；　I　like　Holland　best。〃

〃Of　course　you　do；〃　said　Ben　in　a　tone　of　hearty　approval。　　〃You　wouldn't　be　a　good　Hollander　if　you　didn't。　　Nothing　like　loving　one's　country。　　It　is　strange；　though；　to　have　such　a　warm　feeling　for　such　a　cold　place。　　If　we　were　not　exercising　all　the　time；　we　should　freeze　outright。〃

Lambert　laughed。

〃That's　your　English　blood；　Benjamin。　　I'M　not　cold。　　And　look　at　the　skaters　here　on　the　canalthey're　red　as　roses　and　happy　as　lords。　　Halloo；　good　Captain　van　Holp；〃　called　out　Lambert　in　Dutch；　〃what　say　you　to　stopping　at　yonder　farmhouse　and　warming　our　toes？〃

〃Who　is　cold？〃　asked　Peter；　turning　around。

〃Benjamin　Dobbs。〃

〃Benjamin　Dobbs　shall　be　warmed；〃　and　the　party　was　brought　to　a　halt。




On　the　Way　to　Haarlem



On　approaching　the　door　of　the　farmhouse　the　boys　suddenly　found　themselves　in　the　midst　of　a　lively　domestic　scene。　　A　burly　Dutchman　came　rushing　out；　closely　followed　by　his　dear　vrouw；　and　she　was　beating　him　smartly　with　her　long…handled　warming　pan。　　The　expression　on　her　face　gave　our　boys　so　little　promise　of　a　kind　reception　that　they　prudently　resolved　to　carry　their　toes　elsewhere　to　be　warmed。

The　next　cottage　proved　to　be　more　inviting。　　Its　low　roof　of　bright　red　tiles　extended　over　the　cow　stable　that；　clean　as　could　be；　nestled　close　to　the　main　building。　　A　neat；　peaceful…looking　old　woman　sat　at　one　window；　knitting。　　At　the　other　could　be　discerned　part　of　the　profile　of　a　fat　figure　that；　pipe　in　mouth；　sat　behind　the　shining　little　panes　and　snowy　curtain。　　In　answer　to　Peter's　subdued　knock；　a　fair…haired；　rosy…cheeked　lass　in　holiday　attire　opened　the　upper　half　of　the　green　door　（which　was　divided　across　the　middle）　and　inquired　their　errand。

〃May　we　enter　and　warm　ourselves；　jufvrouw？〃　asked　the　captain　respectfully。

〃Yes；　and　welcome〃　was　the　reply　as　the　lower　half　of　the　door　swung　softly　toward　its　mate。　　Every　boy；　before　entering；　rubbed　long　and　faithfully　upon　the　rough　mat；　and　each　made　his　best　bow　to　the　old　lady　and　gentleman　at　the　window。　　Ben　was　half　inclined　to　think　that　these　personages　were　automata　like　the　moving　figures　in　the　garden　at　Broek；　for　they　both　nodded　their　heads　slowly；　in　precisely　the　same　way；　and　both　went　on　with　their　employment　as　steadily　and　stiffly　as　though　they　worked　by　machinery。　　The　old　man　puffed；　puffed；　and　his　vrouw　clicked　her　knitting　needles；　as　if　regulated　by