hans brinker-第26节

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They　looked　at　one　another。　　Carl　certainly　was　not　among　them。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Ludwig；　frightened　at　last。　　〃Where　is　he？　　Perhaps　he's　had　a　fight　with　the　robber　and　got　killed。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　said　Peter　quietly　as　he　buttoned　his　stout　jacket。　　〃Look　under　the　beds。〃

They　did　so。　　Carl　was　not　there。

Just　then　they　heard　a　commotion　on　the　stairway。　　Ben　hastened　to　open　the　door。　　The　landlord　almost　tumbled　in；　he　was　armed　with　a　big　blunderbuss。　　Two　or　three　lodgers　followed；　then　the　daughter；　with　an　upraised　frying　pan　in　one　hand　and　a　candle　in　the　other；　and　behind　her；　looking　pale　and　frightened；　the　gallant　Carl！

〃There's　your　man；　mine　host；〃　said　Peter；　nodding　toward　the　prisoner。

Mine　host　raised　his　blunderbuss；　the　girl　screamed；　and　Jacob；　more　nimble　than　usual；　rolled　quickly　from　the　robber's　back。

〃Don't　fire；〃　cried　Peter；　〃he　is　tied；　hand　and　foot。　　Let's　roll　him　over　and　see　what　he　looks　like。〃

Carl　stepped　briskly　forward；　with　a　bluster；　〃Yes。　　We'll　turn　him　over　in　a　way　he　won't　like。　　Lucky　we've　caught　him！〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　laughed　Ludwig。　　〃Where　were　you；　Master　Carl？〃

〃Where　was　I？〃　retorted　Carl　angrily。　　〃Why；　I　went　to　give　the　alarm；　to　be　sure！〃

All　the　boys　exchanged　glances；　but　they　were　too　happy　and　elated　to　say　anything　ill…natured。　　Carl　certainly　was　bold　enough　now。　　He　took　the　lead　while　three　others　aided　him　in　turning　the　helpless　man。

While　the　robber　lay　faceup；　scowling　and　muttering；　Ludwig　took　the　candlestick　from　the　girl's　hand。

〃I　must　have　a　good　look　at　the　beauty；〃　he　said；　drawing　closer；　but　the　words　were　no　sooner　spoken　than　he　turned　pale　and　started　so　violently　that　he　almost　dropped　the　candle。

〃The　voetspoelen！〃　he　cried！　　〃Why；　boys；　it's　the　man　who　sat　by　the　fire！〃

〃Of　course　it　is；〃　answered　Peter。　　〃We　counted　out　money　before　him　like　simpletons。　　But　what　have　we　to　do　with　voetspoelen；　brother　Ludwig？　　A　month　in　jail　is　punishment　enough。〃

The　landlord's　daughter　had　left　the　room。　　She　now　ran　in；　holding　up　a　pair　of　huge　wooden　shoes。　　〃See；　father；〃　she　cried；　〃here　are　his　great　ugly　boats。　　It's　the　man　that　we　put　in　the　next　room　after　the　young　masters　went　to　bed。　　Ah！　　It　was　wrong　to　send　the　poor　young　gentlemen　up　here　so　far　out　of　sight　and　sound。〃

〃The　scoundrel！〃　hissed　the　landlord。　　〃He　has　disgraced　my　house。　　I　go　for　the　police　at　once！〃

In　less　than　fifteen　minutes　two　drowsy…looking　officers　were　in　the　room。　　After　telling　Mynheer　Kleef　that　he　must　appear　early　in　the　morning　with　the　boys　and　make　his　complaint　before　a　magistrate；　they　marched　off　with　their　prisoner。

One　would　think　the　captain　and　his　band　could　have　slept　no　more　that　night；　but　the　mooring　has　not　yet　been　found　that　can　prevent　youth　and　an　easy　conscience　from　drifting　down　the　river　of　dreams。　　The　boys　were　much　too　fatigued　to　let　so　slight　a　thing　as　capturing　a　robber　bind　them　to　wakefulness。　　They　were　soon　in　bed　again；　floating　away　to　strange　scenes　made　of　familiar　things。　　Ludwig　and　Carl　had　spread　their　bedding　upon　the　floor。　　One　had　already　forgotten　the　voetspoelen；　the　raceeverything；　but　Carl　was　wide…awake。　　He　heard　the　carillons　ringing　out　their　solemn　nightly　music　and　the　watchman's　noisy　clapper　putting　in　discord　at　the　quarter　hours；　he　saw　the　moonshine　glide　away　from　the　window　and　the　red　morning　light　come　pouring　in；　and　all　the　while　he　kept　thinking；　Pooh！　what　a　goose　I　have　made　of　myself！

Carl　Schummel；　alone；　with　none　to　look　or　to　listen；　was　not　quite　so　grand　a　fellow　as　Carl　Schummel　strutting　about　in　his　boots。




Before　the　Court



You　may　believe　that　the　landlord's　daughter　bestirred　herself　to　prepare　a　good　meal　for　the　boys　next　morning。　　Mynheer　had　a　Chinese　gong　that　could　make　more　noise　than　a　dozen　breakfast　bells。　　Its　hideous　reveille；　clanging　through　the　house；　generally　startled　the　drowsiest　lodgers　into　activity；　but　the　maiden　would　not　allow　it　to　be　sounded　this　morning。

〃Let　the　brave　young　gentlemen　sleep；〃　she　said　to　the　greasy　kitchen　boy。　　〃They　shall　be　warmly　fed　when　they　awaken。〃

It　was　ten　o'clock　when　Captain　Peter　and　his　band　came　straggling　down　one　by　one。

〃A　pretty　hour；〃　said　mine　host；　gruffly。　　〃It　is　high　time　we　were　before　the　court。　　Fine　business；　this；　for　a　respectable　inn。　　You　will　testify　truly；　young　masters；　that　you　found　most　excellent　fare　and　lodging　at　the　Red　Lion？〃

〃Of　course　we　will；〃　answered　Carl　saucily；　〃and　pleasant　company；　too；　though　they　visit　at　rather　unseasonable　hours。〃

A　stare　and　a　〃humph！〃　was　all　the　answer　mynheer　made　to　this；　but　the　daughter　was　more　communicative。　　Shaking　her　earrings　at　Carl；　she　said　sharply；　〃Not　so　very　pleasant；　either；　master　traveler；　if　you　could　judge　by　the　way　YOU　ran　away　from　it！〃

〃Impertinent　creature！〃　hissed　Carl　under　his　breath　as　he　began　busily　to　examine　his　skate　straps。　　Meantime　the　kitchen　boy；　listening　outside　at　the　crack　of　the　door；　doubled　himself　with　silent　laughter。

After　breakfast　the　boys　went　to　the　police　court；　accompanied　by　Huygens　Kleef　and　his　daughter。　　Mynheer's　testimony　was　principally　to　the　effect　that　such　a　thing　as　a　robber　at　the　Red　Lion　had　been　unheard　of　until　last　night；　and　as　for　the　Red　Lion；　it　was　a　most　respectable　inn；　as　respectable　as　any　house　in　Leyden。　　Each　boy；　in　turn；　told　all　that　he　knew　of　the　affair　and　identified　the　prisoner　in　the　box　as　the　same　man　who　entered　their　room　in　the　dead　of　night。　　Ludwig　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　prisoner　in　the　box　was　a　man　of　ordinary　sizeespecially　after　he　had　described　him；　under　oath；　to　the　court　as　a　tremendous　fellow　with　great；　square　shoulders　and　legs　of　prodigious　weight。　　Jacob　swore　that　he　was　awakened　by　the　robber　kicking　and　thrashing　upon　the　floor；　and　immediately　afterward；　Peter　and　the　rest　（feeling　sorry　that　they　had　not　explained　the　matter　to　their　sleepy　comrade）　testified　that　the　man　had　not　moved　a　muscle　from　the　moment　the　point　of　the　dagger　touched　his　throat；　until；　bound　from　head　to　foot；　he　was　rolled　over　for　inspection。　　The　landlord's　daughter　made　one　boy　blush；　and　all　the　court　smile；　by　declaring；　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　that　handsome　young　gentleman　there〃pointing　to　Peter〃they　might　have　all　been　murdered　in　their　beds；　for　the　dreadful　man　had　a　great；　shining　knife　most　as　long　as　Your　Honor's　arm；〃　and　SHE　believed；　〃the　handsome　young　gentleman　had　struggled　hard　enough　to　get　it　away　from　him；　but　he　was　too　modest；　bless　him！　to　say　so。〃

Finally；　after　a　little　questioning；　and　cross…questioning　from　the　public　prosecutor；　the　witnesses　were　dismissed；　and　the　robber　was　handed　over　to　the　consideration　of　the　criminal　court。

〃The　scoundrel！〃　said　Carl　savagely　when　the　boys　reached　the　street。　　〃He　ought　to　be　sent　to　jail　at　once。　　If　I　had　been　in　your　place；　Peter；　I　certainly　should　have　killed　him　outright！〃

〃He　was　fortunate；　then；　in　falling　into　gentler　hands；〃　was　Peter's　quiet　reply。　　〃It　appears　he　has　been　arrested　before　under　a　charge　of　housebreaking。　　He　did　not　succeed　in　robbing　this　time；　but　he　broke　the　door…fastenings；　and　that　I　believe　constitutes　a　burglary　in　the　eyes　of　the　law。　　He　was　armed　with　a　knife；　too；　and　that　makes　it　worse　for　him；　poor　fellow！〃

〃Poor　fellow！〃　mimicked　Carl。　　〃One　would　think　he　was　your　brother！〃

〃So　he　is　my　brother；　and　yours　too；　Carl　Schummel；　for　that　matter；〃　answered　Peter；　looking　into　Carl's　eye。　　〃We　cannot　say　what　we　might　have　become　under　other　circumstances。　　WE　have　been　bolstered　up　from　evil；　since　the　hour　we　were　born。　　A　happy　home　and　good　parents　might　have　made　that　man　a　fine　fellow　instead　of　what　he　is。　　God　grant　that　the　law　may　cure　and　not　crush　him！〃

〃Amen　to　that！〃　said　Lambert　heartily　while　Ludwig　van　Holp　looked　at　his　brother　in　such　a　bright；　proud　way　that　Jacob　Poot；　who　was　an　only　son；　wished　from　his　heart　that　the　little　form　buried　in　the　old　church　at　home　had　lived　to　grow　up　beside　him。

〃Humph！〃　said　Carl。　　〃It's　all　very　well　to　be　saintly　and　forgiving；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　but　I'm　naturally　hard。　　All　these　fine　ideas　seem　to　rattle　off　me　like　hailstonesand　it's　nobody's　business；　either；　if　they　do。〃

Peter　recognized　a　touch　of　good　feeling　in　this　clumsy　concession。　　Holding　out　his　hand；　he　said　in　a　frank；　hearty　tone；　〃Come；　lad；　shake　hands；　and　let　us　be　good　friends；　even　if　we　don't　exactly　agree　on　all　questions。〃

〃We　do　agree　better　than　you　think；〃　sulked　Carl　as　he　returned　Peter's　grasp。

〃All　right；〃　responded　Peter　briskly。　　〃Now；　Van　Mounen；　we　await　Benjamin's　wishes。　　Where　would　he　like　to　go？〃

〃To　the　Egyptian　Museum？〃　answered　Lambert　after　holding　a　brief　consultation　with　Ben。

〃That　is　on　the　Breedstraat。　　To　the　museum　let　it　be。　　Come；　boys！〃




The　Beleaguered　Cities



〃This　open　square　before　us；〃　said　Lambert；　as　he　and　Ben　walked　on　together；　〃is　pretty　in　summer；　with　its　shady　trees。　　They　call　it　the　Ruine。　　Years　ago　it　was　covered　with　houses；　and　the　Rapenburg　Canal；　here；　ran　through　the　street。　　Well；　one　day　a　barge　loaded　with　forty　thousa