hans brinker-第32节

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ers　of　her　capital；　he　quite　delighted　Mynheer　van　Gend　with　his　hearty　and　intelligent　interestso；　in　fact；　did　all　the　boys；　for　a　merrier；　more　observant　party　never　went　sight…seeing。




Through　the　Hague



The　picture　gallery　in　the　Maurits　Huis；　*｛A　building　erected　by　Prince　Maurice　of　Nassau。｝　one　of　the　finest　in　the　world；　seemed　to　have　only　flashed　by　the　boys　during　a　two…hour　visit；　so　much　was　there　to　admire　and　examine。　　As　for　the　royal　cabinet　of　curiosities　in　the　same　building；　they　felt　that　they　had　but　glanced　at　it；　though　they　were　there　nearly　half　a　day。　　It　seemed　to　them　that　Japan　had　poured　all　her　treasures　within　its　walls。　　For　a　long　period　Holland；　always　foremost　in　commerce；　was　the　only　nation　allowed　to　have　any　intercourse　with　Japan。　　One　can　well　forego　a　journey　to　that　country　if　he　can　but　visit　the　museum　at　The　Hague。

Room　after　room　is　filled　with　collections　from　the　Hermit　Empirecostumes　peculiar　to　various　ranks　and　pursuits；　articles　of　ornament；　household　utensils；　weapons；　armor；　and　surgical　instruments。　　There　is　also　an　ingenious　Japanese　model　of　the　Island　of　Desina；　the　Dutch　factory　in　Japan。　　It　appears　almost　as　the　island　itself　would　if　seen　through　a　reversed　opera　glass　and　makes　one　feel　like　a　Gulliver　coming　unexpectedly　upon　a　Japanese　Lilliput。　　There　you　see　hundreds　of　people　in　native　costumes；　standing；　kneeling；　stooping；　reachingall　at　work；　or　pretending　to　beand　their　dwellings；　even　their　very　furniture；　spread　out　before　you；　plain　as　day。　　In　another　room　a　huge　tortoiseshell　dollhouse；　fitted　up　in　Dutch　style　and　inhabited　by　dignified　Dutch　dolls；　stands　ready　to　tell　you　at　a　glance　how　people　live　in　Holland。

Gretel；　Hilda；　Katrinka；　even　the　proud　Rychie　Korbes　would　have　been　delighted　with　this；　but　Peter　and　his　gallant　band　passed　it　by　without　a　glance。　　The　war　implements　had　the　honor　of　detaining　them　for　an　hour；　such　clubs；　such　murderous　krits；　or　daggers；　such　firearms；　and；　above　all；　such　wonderful　Japanese　swords；　quite　capable　of　performing　the　accredited　Japanese　feat　of　cutting　a　man　in　two　at　a　single　stroke！

There　were　Chinese　and　other　Oriental　curiosities　in　the　collection。　　Native　historical　relics；　too；　upon　which　our　young　Dutchmen　gazed　very　soberly；　though　they　were　secretly　proud　to　show　them　to　Ben。

There　was　a　model　of　the　cabin　at　Saardam　in　which　Peter　the　Great　lived　during　his　short　career　as　ship…builder。　　Also；　wallets　and　bowlsonce　carried　by　the　〃Beggar〃　Confederates；　who；　uniting　under　the　Prince　of　Orange；　had　freed　Holland　from　the　tyranny　of　Spain；　the　sword　of　Admiral　van　Speyk；　who　about　ten　years　before　had　perished　in　voluntarily　blowing　up　his　own　ship；　and　Van　Tromp's　armor　with　the　marks　of　bullets　upon　it。　　Jacob　looked　around；　hoping　to　see　the　broom　which　the　plucky　admiral　fastened　to　his　masthead；　but　it　was　not　there。　　The　waistcoat　which　William　Third　*｛William；　Prince　of　Orange；　who　became　king　of　England；　was　a　great…grandson　of　William　the　Silent；　Prince　of　Orange；　who　was　murdered　by　Geraerts　（or　Gerard）　July　10；　1584。｝　of　England　wore　during　the　last　days　of　his　life；　possessed　great　interest　for　Ben；　and　one　and　all　gazed　with　a　mixture　of　reverence　and　horror…worship　at　the　identical　clothing　worn　by　William　the　Silent　*｛see　above｝　when　he　was

murdered　at　Delft　by　Balthazar　Geraerts。　　A　tawny　leather　doublet　and　plain　surcoat　of　gray　cloth；　a　soft　felt　hat；　and　a　high　neck…ruff　from　which　hung　one　of　the　〃Beggars'〃　medalsthese　were　not　in　themselves　very　princely　objects；　though　the　doublet　had　a　tragic　interest　from　its　dark　stains　and　bullet　holes。　　Ben　could　readily　believe；　as　he　looked　upon　the　garments；　that　the　Silent　Prince；　true　to　his　greatness　of　character；　had　been　exceedingly　simple　in　his　attire。　　His　aristocratic　prejudices　were；　however；　decidedly　shocked　when　Lambert　told　him　of　the　way　in　which　William's　bride　first　entered　The　Hague。

〃The　beautiful　Louisa　de　Coligny；　whose　father　and　former　husband　both　had　fallen　at　the　massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew；　was　coming　to　be　fourth　wife　to　the　Prince；　and　of　course；〃　said　Lambert；　〃we　Hollanders　were　too　gallant　to　allow　the　lady　to　enter　the　town　on　foot。　　No；　sir；　we　sentor　rather　my　ancestors　dida　clean；　open　post…wagon　to　meet　her；　with　a　plank　across　it　for　her　to　sit　upon！〃

〃Very　gallant　indeed！〃　exclaimed　Ben；　with　almost　a　sneer　in　his　polite　laugh。　　〃And　she　the　daughter　of　an　admiral　of　France。〃

〃Was　she？　　Upon　my　word；　I　had　nearly　forgotten　that。　　But；　you　see；　Holland　had　very　plain　ways　in　the　good　old　time；　in　fact；　we　are　a　very　simple；　frugal　people　to　this　day。　　The　Van　Gend　establishment　is　a　decided　exception；　you　know。〃

〃A　very　agreeable　exception；　I　think；〃　said　Ben。

〃Certainly；　certainly。　　But；　between　you　and　me；　Mynheer　van　Gend；　though　he　has　wrought　his　own　fortunes；　can　afford　to　be　magnificent　and　yet　be　frugal。〃

〃Exactly　so；〃　said　Ben　profoundly；　at　the　same　time　stroking　his　upper　lip　and　chin；　which　latterly　he　believed　had　been　showing　delightful　and　unmistakable　signs　of　coming　dignities。

While　tramping　on　foot　through　the　city；　Ben　often　longed　for　a　good　English　sidewalk。　　Here；　as　in　the　other　towns；　there　was　no　curb；　no　raised　pavement　for　foot　travelers；　but　the　streets　were　clean　and　even；　and　all　vehicles　were　kept　scrupulously　within　a　certain　tract。　　Strange　to　say；　there　were　nearly　as　many　sleds　as　wagons　to　be　seen；　though　there　was　not　a　particle　of　snow。　　The　sleds　went　scraping　over　the　bricks　or　cobblestones；　some　provided　with　an　apparatus　in　front　for　sprinkling　water；　to　diminish　the　friction；　and　some　rendered　less　musical　by　means　of　a　dripping　oil　rag；　which　the　driver　occasionally　applied　to　the　runners。

Ben　was　surprised　at　the　noiseless　way　in　which　Dutch　laborers　do　their　work。　　Even　around　the　warehouses　and　docks　there　was　no　bustle；　no　shouting　from　one　to　another。　　A　certain　twitch　of　the　pipe；　or　turn　of　the　head；　or；　at　most；　a　raising　of　the　hand；　seemed　to　be　all　the　signal　necessary。　　Entire　loads　of　cheeses　or　herrings　are　pitched　from　cart　or　canalboat　into　the　warehouses　without　a　word；　but　the　passerby　must　take　his　chance　of　being　pelted；　for　a　Dutchman　seldom　looks　before　or　behind　him　while　engaged　at　work。

Poor　Jacob　Poot；　who　seemed　destined　to　bear　all　the　mishaps　of　the　journey；　was　knocked　nearly　breathless　by　a　great　cheese；　which　a　fat　Dutchman　was　throwing　to　a　fellow　laborer；　but　he　recovered　himself；　and　passed　on　without　evincing　the　least　indignation。　　Ben　professed　great　sympathy　upon　the　occasion；　but　Jacob　insisted　that　it　was　〃notting。〃

〃Then　why　did　you　screw　your　face　so　when　it　hit　you？〃

〃What　for　screw　mine　face？〃　repeated　Jacob　soberly。　　〃Vy；　it　vash　dede〃

〃That　what？〃　insisted　Ben　maliciously。

〃Vy；　de…de…vat　you　call　dis；　vat　you　taste　mit　de　nose？〃

Ben　laughed。　　〃Oh；　you　mean　the　smell。〃

〃Yesh。　　Dat　ish　it；〃　said　Jacob　eagerly。　　〃It　wash　de　shmell。　　I　draw　mine　face　for　dat！〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　roared　Ben。　　〃That's　a　good　one。　　A　Dutch　boy　smell　a　cheese！　　You　can　never　make　me　believe　THAT！〃

〃Vell；　it　ish　no　matter；〃　replied　Jacob；　trudging　on　beside　Ben　in　perfect　good　humor。　　〃Vait　till　you　hit　mit　cheesedat　ish

all。〃

Soon　he　added　pathetically；　〃Penchamin；　I　no　likes　to　be　call　Tuchdat　ish　no　goot。　　I　bees　a　Hollander。〃

Just　as　Ben　was　apologizing；　Lambert　hailed　him。

〃Hold　up！　　Ben；　here　is　the　fish　market。　　There　is　not　much　to　be　seen　at　this　season。　　But　we　can　take　a　look　at　the　storks　if　you　wish。〃

Ben　knew　that　storks　were　held　in　peculiar　reverence　in　Holland　and　that　the　bird　figured　upon　the　arms　of　the　capital。　　He　had　noticed　cart　wheels　placed　upon　the　roofs　of　Dutch　cottages　to　entice　storks　to　settle　upon　them；　he　had　seen　their　huge　nests；　too；　on　many　a　thatched　gable　roof　from　Broek　to　The　Hague。　　But　it　was　winter　now。　　The　nests　were　empty。　　No　greedy　birdlings　opened　their　mouthsor　rather　their　headsat　the　approach　of　a　great　white…winged　thing；　with　outstretched　neck　and　legs；　bearing　a　dangling　something　for　their　breakfast。　　The　long…bills　were　far　away；　picking　up　food　on　African　shores；　and　before　they　would　return　in　the　spring；　Ben's　visit　to　the　land　of　dikes　would　be　over。

Therefore　he　pressed　eagerly　forward；　as　Van　Mounen　led　the　way　through　the　fish　market；　anxious　to　see　if　storks　in　Holland　were　anything　like　the　melancholy　specimens　he　had　seen　in　the　Zoological　Gardens　of　London。

It　was　the　same　old　story。　　A　tamed　bird　is　a　sad　bird；　say　what　you　will。　　These　storks　lived　in　a　sort　of　kennel；　chained　by　the　feet　like　felons；　though　supposed　to　be　honored　by　being　kept　at　the　public　expense。　　In　summer　they　were　allowed　to　walk　about　the　market；　where　the　fish　stalls　were　like　so　many　free　dining　saloons　to　them。　　Untasted　delicacies　in　the　form　of　raw　fish　and　butcher's　offal　lay　about　their　kennels　now；　but　the　city　guests　preferred　to　stand　upon　one　leg；　curving　back　their　long　necks　and　leaning　their　heads　sidewise；　in　a　blinking　reverie。　　How　gladly　they　would　have　changed　their　petted　state　for　the　busy　life　of　some　hardworking　stork　mother　or　father；　bringing　up　a　troublesome　family　on　the　roof