hans brinker-第30节

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The　lady　laughed。　　〃That　will　make　the　race　all　the　more　exciting；〃　she　said。　　〃But　I　shall　wish　each　of　you　to　be　the　winner。〃

At　this　moment　her　husband　Mynheer　van　Gend　came　in；　and　the　enchantment　falling　upon　the　boys　was　complete。

The　invisible　fairies　of　the　household　at　once　clustered　about　them；　whispering　that　Jasper　van　Gend　had　a　heart　as　young　and　fresh　as　their　own；　and　if　he　loved　anything　in　this　world　more　than　industry；　it　was　sunshine　and　frolic。　　They　hinted　also　something　about　his　having　a　hearty　full　of　love　and　a　head　full　of　wisdom　and　finally　gave　the　boys　to　understand　that　when　mynheer　said　a　thing；　he　meant　it。

Therefore　his　frank　〃Well；　now；　this　is　pleasant；〃　as　he　shook　hands　with　them　all；　made　the　boys　feel　quite　at　home　and　as　happy　as　squirrels。

There　were　fine　paintings　in　the　drawing　room　and　exquisite　statuary；　and　portfolios　filled　with　rare　Dutch　engravings；　besides　many　beautiful　and　curious　things　from　China　and　Japan。　　The　boys　felt　that　it　would　require　a　month　to　examine　all　the　treasures　of　the　apartment。

Ben　noticed　with　pleasure　English　books　lying　upon　the　table。　　He　saw　also　over　the　carved　upright　piano；　life…sized　portraits　of　William　of　Orange　and　his　English　queen；　a　sight　that；　for　a　time；　brought　England　and　Holland　side　by　side　in　his　heart。　　William　and　Mary　have　left　a　halo　round　the　English　throne　to　this　day；　he　the　truest　patriot　that　ever　served　an　adopted　country；　she　the　noblest　wife　that　ever　sat　upon　a　British　throne；　up　to　the　time　of　Victoria　and　Albert　the　Good。　　As　Ben　looked　at　the　pictures　he　remembered　accounts　he　had　read　of　King　William's　visit　to　The　Hague　in　the　winter　of　1691。　　He　who　sang　the　Battle　of　Ivry　had　not　yet　told　the　glowing　story　of　that　day；　but　Ben　knew　enough　of　it　to　fancy　that　he　could　almost　hear　the　shouts　of　the　delighted　populace　as　he　looked　from　the　portraits　to　the　street；　which　at　this　moment　was　aglow　with　a　bonfire；　kindled　in　a　neighboring　square。

That　royal　visit　was　one　never　to　be　forgotten。　　For　two　years　William　of　Orange　had　been　monarch　of　a　foreign　land；　his　head　working　faithfully　for　England；　but　his　whole　heart　yearning　for　Holland。　　Now；　when　he　sought　its　shores　once　more；　the　entire　nation　bade　him　welcome。　　Multitudes　flocked　to　The　Hague　to　meet　him〃Many　thousands　came　sliding　or　skating　along　the　frozen　canals　from　Amsterdam；　Rotterdam；　Leyden；　Haarlem；　Delft。〃　*｛Macaulay's　History　of　England。｝　　All　day　long　the　festivities　of　the　capital　were　kept　up；　the　streets　were　gorgeous　with　banners；　evergreen　arches；　trophies；　and　mottoes　of　welcome　and　emblems　of　industry。　　William　saw　the　deeds　of　his　ancestors　and　scenes　of　his　own　past　life　depicted　on　banners　and　tapestries　along　the　streets。　　At　night　superb　fireworks　were　displayed　upon　the　ice。　　Its　glassy　surface　was　like　a　mirror。　　Sparkling　fountains　of　light　sprang　up　from　below　to　meet　the　glittering　cascades　leaping　upon　it。　　Then　a　feathery　fire　of　crimson　and　green　shook　millions　of　rubies　and　emeralds　into　the　ruddy　depths　of　the　iceand　all　this　time　the　people　were　shouting；　〃God　bless　William　of　Orange！　　Long　live　the　king！〃　　They　were　half　mad　with　joy　and　enthusiasm。　　William；　their　own　prince；　their　stadtholder；　had　become　the　ruler　of　three　kingdoms；　he　had　been　victorious　in　council　and　in　war；　and　now；　in　his　hour　of　greatest　triumph；　had　come　as　a　simple　guest　to　visit　them。　　he　king　heard　their　shouts　with　a　beating　heart。　　It　is　a　great　thing　to　be　beloved　by　one's　country。　　His　English　courtiers　complimented　him　upon　his　reception。　　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃but　the　shouting　is　nothing　to　what　it　would　have　been　if　Mary　had　been　with　me！〃

While　Ben　was　looking　at　the　portraits；　Mynheer　van　Gend　was　giving　the　boys　an　account　of　a　recent　visit　to　Antwerp。　　As　it　was　the　birthplace　of　Quentin　Matsys；　the　blacksmith　who　for　love　of　an　artist's　daughter　studied　until　he　became　a　great　painter；　the　boys　asked　their　host　if　he　had　seen　any　of　Matsys'　works。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　he　replied；　and　excellent　they　are。　　His　famous　triptych　in　a　chapel　of　the　Antwerp　cathedral；　with　the　Descent　from　the　Cross　on　the　center　panel；　is　especially　fine；　but　I　confess　I　was　more　interested　in　his　well。〃

〃What　well；　mynheer？〃　asked　Ludwig。

One　in　the　heart　of　the　city；　near　this　same　cathedral；　whose　lofty　steeple　is　of　such　delicate　workmanship　that　the　French　emperor　said　it　reminded　him　of　Mechlin　lace。　　The　well　is　covered　with　a　Gothic　canopy　surmounted　by　the　figure　of　a　knight　in　full　armor。　　It　is　all　of　metal　and　proves　that　Matsys　was　an　artist　at　the　forge　as　well　as　at　the　easel；　indeed；　his　great　fame　is　mainly　derived　from　his　miraculous　skill　as　an　artificer　in　iron。〃

Next；　mynheer　showed　the　boys　some　exquisite　Berlin　castings；　which　he　had　purchased　in　Antwerp。　　They　were　IRON　JEWELRY；　and　very　delicatebeautiful　medallions　designed　from　rare　paintings；　bordered　with　fine　tracery　and　open　workworthy；　he　said；　of　being　worn　by　the　fairest　lady　of　the　land。　　Consequently　the　necklace　was　handed　with　a　bow　and　a　smile　to　the　blushing　Mevrouw　van　Gend。

Something　in　the　lady's　aspect；　as　she　bent　her　bright　young　face　over　the　gift；　caused　mynheer　to　say　earnestly；　〃I　can　read　your　thoughts；　sweetheart。〃

She　looked　up　in　playful　defiance。

〃Ah；　now　I　am　sure　of　them！　　You　were　thinking　of　those　noblehearted　women；　but　for　whom　Prussia　might　have　fallen。　　I　know　it　by　that　proud　light　in　your　eye。〃

〃The　proud　light　in　my　eye　plays　me　false；　then；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　had　no　such　grand　matter　in　my　mind。　　To　confess　the　simple　truth；　I　was　only　thinking　how　lovely　this　necklace　would　be　with　my　blue　brocade。〃

〃So；　so！〃　exclaimed　the　rather　crestfallen　spouse。

〃But　I　CAN　think　of　the　other；　Jasper；　and　it　will　add　a　deeper　value　to　your　gift。　　You　remember　the　incident；　do　you　not；　Peter？　　How　when　the　French　were　invading　Prussia　and　for　lack　of　means　the　country　was　unable　to　defend　itself　against　the　enemy；　the　women　turned　the　scale　by　pouring　their　plate　and　jewels　into　the　public　treasury〃

Aha！　thought　mynheer　as　he　met　his　vrouw's　kindling　glance。　　The　proud　light　is　there　now；　in　earnest。

Peter　remarked　maliciously　that　the　women　had　still　proved　true　to　their　vanity　on　that　occasion；　for　jewelry　they　would　have。　　If　gold　or　silver　were　wanted　by　the　kingdom；　they　would　relinquish　it　and　use　iron；　but　they　could　not　do　without　their　ornaments。

〃What　of　that？〃　said　the　vrouw；　kindling　again。　　〃It　is　no　sin　to　love　beautiful　things　if　you　adapt　your　material　to　circumstances。　　All　I　have　to　say　is；　the　women　saved　their　country　and；　indirectly；　introduced　a　very　important　branch　of　manufacture。　　Is　not　that　so；　Jasper？〃

〃Of　course　it　is；　sweetheart；〃　said　mynheer；　〃but　Peter　needs　no　word　of　mine　to　convince　him　that　all　the　world　over　women　have　never　been　found　wanting　in　their　country's　hour　of　trial；　though〃（bowing　to　mevrouw）〃his　own　country　women　stand　foremost　in　the　records　of　female　patriotism　and　devotion。〃

Then；　turning　to　Ben；　the　host　talked　with　him　in　English　of　the　fine　old　Belgian　city。　　Among　other　things　he　told　the　origin　of　its　name。　　Ben　had　been　taught　that　Antwerp　was　derived　from　ae'nt　werf　（on　the　wharf）；　but　Mynheer　van　Gend　gave　him　a　far　more　interesting　derivation。

It　appears　that　about　three　thousand　years　ago；　a　great　giant；　named　Antigonus；　lived　on　the　river　Scheld；　on　the　site　of　the　present　city　of　Antwerp。　　This　giant　claimed　half　the　merchandise　of　all　navigators　who　passed　his　castle。　　Of　course；　some　were　inclined　to　oppose　this　simple　regulation。　　In　such　cases；　Antigonus；　by　way　of　teaching　them　to　practice　better　manners　next　time；　cut　off　and　threw　into　the　river　the　rights　hands　of　the　merchants。　　Thus　handwerpen　（or　hand…throwing）；　changed　to　Antwerp；　came　to　be　the　name　of　the　place。　　The　escutcheon　or　arms　of　the　city　has　two　hands　upon　it；　what　better　proof　than　this　could　one　have　of　the　truth　of　the　story；　especially　when　one　wishes　to　believe　it！

When　Mynheer　van　Gend　had　related　in　two　languages　this　story　of　Antwerp；　he　was　tempted　to　tell　other　legendssome　in　English；　some　in　Dutch；　and　so　the　moments；　borne　upon　the　swift　shoulders　of　gnomes　and　giants；　glided　rapidly　away　toward　bedtime。

It　was　hard　to　break　up　so　pleasant　a　party；　but　the　Van　Gend　household　moved　with　the　regularity　of　clockwork。　　There　was　no　lingering　at　the　threshold　when　the　cordial　〃Good　night！〃　was　spoken。　　Even　while　our　boys　were　mounting　the　stairs；　the　invisible　household　fairies　again　clustered　around　them；　whispering　that　system　and　regularity　had　been　chief　builders　of　the　master's　prosperity。

Beautiful　chambers　with　three　beds　in　them　were　not　to　be　found　in　this　mansion。　　Some　of　the　rooms　contained　two；　but　each　visitor　slept　alone。　　Before　morning；　the　motto　of　the　party　evidently　was；　〃Every　boy　his　own　chrysalis；〃　and　Peter；　at　least；　was　not　sorry　to　have　it　so。

Tired　as　he　was；　Ben；　after　noting　a　curious　bell　rope　in　the　corner；　began　to　examine　his　bedclothes。　　Each　article　filled　him　with　astonishmentthe　exquisitely　fine　pillow　spread　trimmed　with　costly　lace　and　embroidered　with　a　gorgeous　crest　and　initial；　the　dekbed　cover　（a　great　silk