hans brinker-第18节

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　dark　pile　there　was　warmth　and　light　that　would　overspread　it　at　last。　　A　large　earthen　cup　filled　with　burning　peat　stood　near　the　bedside；　Gretel　had　placed　it　there　to　〃stop　the　father's　shivering；〃　she　said。　　She　watched　it　as　it　sent　a　glow　around　the　mother's　form；　tipping　her　faded　skirt　with　light　and　shedding　a　sort　of　newness　over　the　threadbare　bodice。　　It　was　a　relief　to　Gretel　to　see　the　lines　in　that　weary　face　soften　as　the　firelight　flickered　gently　across　it。

Next　she　counted　the　windowpanes；　broken　and　patched　as　they　were；　and　finally；　after　tracing　every　crack　and　seam　in　the　walls；　fixed　her　gaze　upon　a　carved　shelf　made　by　Hans。　　The　shelf　hung　as　high　as　Gretel　could　reach。　　It　held　a　large　leather…covered　Bible　with　brass　clasps；　a　wedding　present　to　Dame　Brinker　from　the　family　at　Heidelberg。

Ah；　how　handy　Hans　is！　　If　he　were　here；　he　could　turn　the　father　some　way　so　the　moans　would　stop。　　Dear；　dear！　　If　this　sickness　lasts；　we　shall　never　skate　anymore。　　I　must　send　my　new　skates　back　to　the　beautiful　lady。　　Hans　and　I　will　not　see　the　race。　　And　Gretel's　eyes；　that　had　been　dry　before；　grew　full　of　tears。

〃Never　cry；　child；〃　said　her　mother　soothingly。　　〃This　sickness　may　not　be　as　bad　as　we　think。　　The　father　has　lain　this　way　before。〃

Gretel　sobbed　now。

〃Oh；　mother；　it　is　not　that　aloneyou　do　not　know　all。　　I　am　very；　very　bad　and　wicked！〃

〃YOU；　Gretel！　you　so　patient　and　good！〃　and　a　bright；　puzzled　look　beamed　for　an　instant　upon　the　child。　　〃Hush；　lovey；　you'll　wake　him。〃

Gretel　hid　her　face　in　her　mother's　lap　and　tried　not　to　cry。

Her　little　hand；　so　thin　and　brown；　lay　in　the　coarse　palm　of　her　mother's；　creased　with　many　a　hard　day's　work。　　Rychie　would　have　shuddered　to　touch　either；　yet　they　pressed　warmly　upon　each　other。　　Soon　Gretel　looked　up　with　that　dull；　homely　look　which；　they　say；　poor　children　in　shanties　are　apt　to　have；　and　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　〃The　father　tried　to　burn　youhe　didI　saw　him；　and　he　was　LAUGHING！〃

〃Hush；　child！〃

The　mother's　words　came　so　suddenly　and　sharply　that　Raff　Brinker；　dead　as　he　was　to　all　that　was　passing　around　him；　twitched　slightly　upon　the　bed。

Gretel　said　no　more　but　plucked　drearily　at　the　jagged　edge　of　a　hole　in　her　mother's　holiday　gown。　　It　had　been　burned　there。　　Well　for　Dame　Brinker　that　the　gown　was　woolen。




HaarlemThe　Boys　Hear　Voices



Refreshed　and　rested；　our　boys　came　forth　from　the　coffeehouse　just　as　the　big　clock　in　the　square；　after　the　manner　of　certain　Holland　timekeepers；　was　striking　two　with　its　half…hour　bell　for　half…past　two。

The　captain　was　absorbed　in　thought；　at　first；　for　Hans　Brinker's　sad　story　still　echoed　in　his　ears。　　Not　until　Ludwig　rebuked　him　with　a　laughing　〃Wake　up；　grandfather！〃　did　he　reassume　his　position　as　gallant　boy…leader　of　his　band。

〃Ahem！　this　way；　young　gentlemen！〃

They　were　walking　through　the　city；　not　on　a　curbed　sidewalk；　for　such　a　thing　is　rarely　to　be　found　in　Holland；　but　on　the　brick　pavement　that　lay　on　the　borders　of　the　cobblestone　carriage…way　without　breaking　its　level　expanse。

Haarlem；　like　Amsterdam；　was　gayer　than　usual；　in　honor　of　Saint　Nicholas。

A　strange　figure　was　approaching　them。　　It　was　a　small　man　dressed　in　black；　with　a　short　cloak。　　He　wore　a　wig　and　a　cocked　hat　from　which　a　long　crepe　streamer　was　flying。

〃Who　comes　here？〃　cried　Ben。　　〃What　a　queer…looking　object。〃

〃That's　the　aanspreeker；〃　said　Lambert。　　〃Someone　is　dead。〃

〃Is　that　the　way　men　dress　in　mourning　in　this　country？〃

〃Oh；　no！　　The　aanspreeker　attends　funerals；　and　it　is　his　business；　when　anyone　dies；　to　notify　all　the　friends　and　relatives。〃

〃What　a　strange　custom。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Lambert；　〃we　needn't　feel　very　badly　about　this　particular　death；　for　I　see　another　man　has　lately　been　born　to　the　world　to　fill　up　the　vacant　place。〃

Ben　stared。　　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃Don't　you　see　that　pretty　red　pincushion　hanging　on　yonder　door？〃　asked　Lambert　in　return。

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　that's　a　boy。〃

〃A　boy！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that　here　in　Haarlem；　whenever　a　boy　is　born；　the　parents　have　a　red　pincushion　put　out　at　the　door。　　If　our　young　friend　had　been　a　girl　instead　of　a　boy；　the　cushion　would　have　been　white。　　In　some　places　they　have　much　more　fanciful　affairs；　all　trimmed　with　lace；　and　even　among　the　very　poorest　houses　you　will　see　a　bit　of　ribbon　or　even　a　string　tied　on　the　door　latch〃

〃Look！〃　screamed　Ben。　　〃There　IS　a　white　cushion　at　the　door　of　that　double…joined　house　with　the　funny　roof。〃

〃I　don't　see　any　house　with　a　funny　roof。〃

〃Oh；　of　course　not；〃　said　Ben。　　〃I　forgot　you're　a　native；　but　all　the　roofs　are　queer　to　me；　for　that　matter。　　I　mean　the　house　next　to　that　green　building。〃

〃True　enough；　there's　a　girl！　　I　tell　you　what；　captain；〃　called　out　Lambert；　slipping　easily　into　Dutch；　〃we　must　get　out　of　this　street　as　soon　as　possible。　　It's　full　of　babies！　　They'll　set　up　a　squall　in　a　moment。〃

The　captain　laughed。　　〃I　shall　take　you　to　hear　better　music　than　that；〃　he　said。　　〃We　are　just　in　time　to　hear　the　organ　of　Saint　Bavon。　　The　church　is　open　today。〃

〃What；　the　great　Haarlem　organ？〃　asked　Ben。　　〃That　will　be　a　treat　indeed。　　I　have　often　read　of　it；　with　its　tremendous　pipes；　and　its　vox　humana　*｛An　organ　stop　which　produces　an　effect　resembling　the　human　voice。｝　that　sounds　like　a　giant　singing。〃

〃The　same；〃　answered　Lambert　van　Mounen。

Peter　was　right。　　The　church　was　open；　though　not　for　religious　services。　　Someone　was　playing　upon　the　organ。　　As　the　boys　entered；　a　swell　of　sound　rushed　forth　to　meet　them。　　It　seemed　to　bear　them；　one　by　one；　into　the　shadows　of　the　building。

Louder　and　louder　it　grew　until　it　became　like　the　din　and　roar　of　some　mighty　tempest；　or　like　the　ocean　surging　upon　the　shore。　　In　the　midst　of　the　tumult　a　tinkling　bell　was　heard；　another　answered；　then　another；　and　the　storm　paused　as　if　to　listen。　　The　bells　grew　bolder；　they　rang　out　loud　and　clear。　　Other　deep…toned　bells　joined　in；　they　were　tolling　in　solemn　concertding；　dong！　ding；　dong！　　The　storm　broke　forth　with　redoubled　fury；　gathering　its　distant　thunder。　　The　boys　looked　at　each　other　but　did　not　speak。　　It　was　growing　serious。　　What　was　that？　　WHO　screamed？　　WHAT　screamedthat　terrible；　musical　scream？　　Was　it　man　or　demon？　　Or　was　it　some　monster　shut　up　behind　that　carved　brass　frame；　behind　those　great　silver　columnssome　despairing　monster　begging；　screaming　for　freedom！　　it　was　the　vox　humana！

At　last　an　answer　camesoft；　tender；　loving；　like　a　mother's　song。　　The　storm　grew　silent；　hidden　birds　sprang　forth　filling　the　air　with　glad；　ecstatic　music；　rising　higher　and　higher　until　the　last　faint　note　was　lost　in　the　distance。

The　vox　humana　was　stilled；　but　in　the　glorious　hymn　of　thanksgiving　that　now　arose；　one　could　almost　hear　the　throbbing　of　a　human　heart。　　What　did　it　mean？　　That　man's　imploring　cry　should　in　time　be　met　with　a　deep　content？　　That　gratitude　would　give　us　freedom？　　To　Peter　and　Ben　it　seemed　that　the　angels　were　singing。　　Their　eyes　grew　dim；　and　their　souls　dizzy　with　a　strange　joy。　　At　last；　as　if　borne　upward　by　invisible　hands；　they　were　floating　away　on　the　music；　all　fatigue　forgotten；　and　with　no　wish　but　to　hear　forever　those　beautiful　sounds；　when　suddenly　Van　Holp's　sleeve　was　pulled　impatiently　and　a　gruff　voice　beside　him　asked；　〃How　long　are　you　going　to　stay　here；　captain；　blinking　at　the　ceiling　like　a　sick　rabbit？　　It's　high　time　we　started。〃

〃Hush！〃　whispered　Peter；　only　half　aroused。

〃Come；　man！　　Let's　go；〃　said　Carl；　giving　the　sleeve　a　second　pull。

Peter　turned　reluctantly。　　He　would　not　detain　the　boys　against　their　will。　　All　but　Ben　were　casting　rather　reproachful　glances　upon　him。

〃Well；　boys；〃　he　whispered；　〃we　will　go。　　Softly　now。〃

〃That's　the　greatest　thing　I've　seen　or　heard　since　I've　bee　in　Holland！〃　cried　Ben　enthusiastically；　as　soon　as　they　reached　the　open　air。　　〃It's　glorious！〃

Ludwig　and　Carl　laughed　slyly　at　the　English　boy's　wartaal；　or　gibberish。　　Jacob　yawned；　and　Peter　gave　Ben　a　look　that　made　him　instantly　feel　that　he　and　Peter　were　not　so　very　different　after　all；　though　one　hailed　from　Holland　and　the　other　from　England。　　And　Lambert；　the　interpreter；　responded　with　a　brisk　〃You　may　well　say　so。　　I　believe　there　are　one　or　two　organs　nowadays　that　are　said　to　be　as　fine；　but　for　years　and　years　this　organ　of　Saint　Bavon　was　the　grandest　in　the　world。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　large　it　is？〃　asked　Ben。　　〃I　noticed　that　the　church　itself　was　prodigiously　high　and　that　the　organ　filled　the　end　of　the　great　aisle　almost　from　floor　to　roof。〃

〃That's　true；〃　said　Lambert；　〃and　how　superb　the　pipes　lookedjust　like　grand　columns　of　silver。　　They're　only　for　show；　you　know。　　The　REAL　pipes　are　behind　them；　some　big　enough　for　a　man　to　crawl　through；　and　some　smaller　than　a　baby's　whistle。　　Well；　sir；　for　size；　the　church　is　higher　than　Westminster　Abbey；　to　begin　with；　and；　as　you　say；　the　organ　makes　a　tremendous　show　even　then。　　Father　told　me　last　night　that　it　is　one　hundred　and　eight　feet　high；　fifty　feet　wide；　and　has　over　five　thousand　pipes。　　It　has　sixty…four　stopsif　you　kn