hans brinker-第35节

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sbreeker　*｛Icebreaker。　　A　heavy　machine　armed　with　iron　spikes　for　breaking　the　ice　as　it　is　dragged　along。　　Some　of　the　small　ones　are　worked　by　men；　but　the　large　ones　are　drawn　by　horses；　sixty　or　seventy　of　which　are　sometimes　attached　to　one　ysbreeker。｝　had　been　at　work　for　the　first　time　that　season；　but　there　was　any　amount　of　skating　ground　left　yet。

〃Three　cheers　for　home！〃　cried　Van　Mounen　as　they　came　in　sight　of　the　great　Western　Dock　（Westelijk　Dok）。　　〃Hurrah！　　Hurrah！〃　shouted　one　and　all。　　〃Hurrah！　　Hurrah！〃

This　trick　of　cheering　was　an　importation　among　our　party。　　Lambert　van　Mounen　had　brought　it　from　England。　　As　they　always　gave　it　in　English；　it　was　considered　quite　an　exploit　and；　when　circumstances　permitted；　always　enthusiastically　performed；　to　the　sore　dismay　of　their　quiet…loving　countrymen。

Therefore；　their　arrival　at　Amsterdam　created　a　great　sensation；　especially　among　the　small　boys　on　the　wharf。

The　Y　was　crossed。　　They　were　on　the　Broek　canal。

Lambert's　home　was　reached　first。

〃Good…bye；　boys！〃　he　cried　as　he　left　them。　　〃We've　had　the　greatest　frolic　ever　known　in　Holland。〃

〃So　we　have。　　Good…bye；　Van　Mounen！〃　answered　the　boys。

〃Good…bye！〃

Peter　hailed　him。　　〃I　say；　Van　Mounen；　the　classes　begin　tomorrow！〃

〃I　know　it。　　Our　holiday　is　over。　　Good…bye；　again。〃

〃Good…bye！〃

Broek　came　in　sight。　　Such　meetings！　　Katrinka　was　upon　the　canal！　　Carl　was　delighted。　　Hilda　was　there！　　Peter　felt　rested　in　an　instant。　　Rychie　was　there！　　Ludwig　and　Jacob　nearly　knocked　each　other　over　in　their　eagerness　to　shake　hands　with　her。

Dutch　girls　are　modest　and　generally　quiet；　but　they　have　very　glad　eyes。　　For　a　few　moments　it　was　hard　to　decide　whether　Hilda；　Rychie；　or　Katrinka　felt　the　most　happy。

Annie　Bouman　was　also　on　the　canal；　looking　even　prettier　than　the　other　maidens　in　her　graceful　peasant's　costume。　　But　she　did　not　mingle　with　Rychie's　party；　neither　did　she　look　unusually　happy。

The　one　she　liked　most　to　see　was　not　among　the　newcomers。　　Indeed；　he　was　not　upon　the　canal　at　all。　　She　had　not　been　near　Broek　before；　since　the　Eve　of　Saint　Nicholas；　for　she　was　staying　with　her　sick　grandmother　in　Amsterdam　and　had　been　granted　a　brief　resting　spell；　as　the　grandmother　called　it；　because　she　had　been　such　a　faithful　little　nurse　night　and　day。

Annie　had　devoted　her　resting…spell　to　skating　with　all　her　might　toward　Broek　and　back　again；　in　the　hope　of　meeting　her　mother　on　the　canal；　or；　it　might　be；　Gretel　Brinker。　　Not　one　of　them　had　she　seen；　and　she　must　hurry　back　without　even　catching　a　glimpse　of　her　mother's　cottage；　for　the　poor　helpless　grandmother；　she　knew；　was　by　this　time　moaning　for　someone　to　turn　her　upon　her　cot。

Where　can　Gretel　be？　thought　Annie　as　she　flew　over　the　ice；　she　can　almost　always　steal　a　few　moments　from　her　work　at　this　time　of　day。　　Poor　Gretel！　　What　a　dreadful　thing　it　must　be　to　have　a　dull　father！　　I　should　be　woefully　afraid　of　him；　I　knowso　strong；　and　yet　so　strange！

Annie　had　not　heard　of　his　illness。　　Dame　Brinker　and　her　affairs　received　but　little　notice　from　the　people　of　the　place。

If　Gretel　had　not　been　known　as　a　goose　girl；　she　might　have　had　more　friends　among　the　peasantry　of　the　neighborhood。　　As　it　was；　Annie　Bouman　was　the　only　one　who　did　not　feel　ashamed　to　avow　herself　by　word　and　deed　the　companion　of　Gretel　and　Hans。

When　the　neighbors'　children　laughed　at　her　for　keeping　such　poor　company；　she　would　simply　flush　when　Hans　was　ridiculed；　or　laugh　in　a　careless；　disdainful　way；　but　to　hear　little　Gretel　abused　always　awakened　her　wrath。

〃Goose　girl；　indeed！〃　she　would　say。　　〃I　can　tell　you　that　any　of　you　are　fitter　for　the　work　than　she。　　My　father　often　said　last　summer　that　it　troubled　him　to　see　such　a　bright…eyed；　patient　little　maiden　tending　geese。　　Humph！　　She　would　not　harm　them；　as　you　would；　Janzoon　Kolp；　and　she　would　not　tread　upon　them；　as　you　might；　Kate　Wouters。〃

This　would　be　pretty　sure　to　start　a　laugh　at　the　clumsy；　ill…natured　Kate's　expense；　and　Annie　would　walk　loftily　away　from　the　group　of　young　gossips。　　Perhaps　some　memory　of　Gretel's　assailants　crossed　her　mind　as　she　skated　rapidly　toward　Amsterdam；　for　her　eyes　sparkled　ominously　and　she　more　than　once　gave　her　pretty　head　a　defiant　toss。　　When　that　mood　passed；　such　a　bright；　rosy；　affectionate　look　illuminated　her　face　that　more　than　one　weary　working　man　turned　to　gaze　after　her　and　to　wish　that　he　had　a　glad；　contented　lass　like　that　for　a　daughter。


There　were　five　joyous　households　in　Broek　that　night。

The　boys　were　back　safe　and　sound；　and　they　found　all　well　at　home。　　Even　the　sick　lady　at　neighbor　Van　Stoepel's　was　out　of　danger。

But　the　next　morning！　　Ah；　how　stupidly　school　bells　will　ding…dong；　ding…dong；　when　one　is　tired。

Ludwig　was　sure　that　he　had　never　listened　to　anything　so　odious。　　Even　Peter　felt　pathetic　on　the　occasion。　　Carl　said　it　was　a　shameful　thing　for　a　fellow　to　have　to　turn　out　when　his　bones　were　splitting。　　And　Jacob　soberly　bade　Ben　〃Goot…pye！〃　and　walked　off　with　his　satchel　as　if　it　weighed　a　hundred　pounds。




The　Crisis



While　the　boys　are　nursing　their　fatigue；　we　will　take　a　peep　into　the　Brinker　cottage。

Can　it　be　that　Gretel　and　her　mother　have　not　stirred　since　we　saw　them　last？　　That　the　sick　man　upon　the　bed　has　not　even　turned　over？　　It　was　four　days　ago；　and　there　is　the　sad　group　just　as　it　was　before。　　No；　not　precisely　the　same；　for　Raff　Brinker　is　paler；　his　fever　is　gone；　though　he　knows　nothing　of　what　is　passing。　　Then　they　were　alone　in　the　bare；　clean　room。　　Now　there　is　another　group　in　an　opposite　corner。

Dr。　Boekman　is　there；　talking　in　a　low　tone　with　a　stout　young　man　who　listens　intently。　　The　stout　young　man　is　his　student　and　assistant。　　Hans　is　there　also。　　He　stands　near　the　window；　respectfully　waiting　until　he　shall　be　accosted。

〃You　see；　Vollenhoven；〃　said　Dr。　Boekman；　〃it　is　a　clear　case　of〃　　And　here　the　doctor　went　off　into　a　queer　jumble　of　Latin　and　Dutch　that　I　cannot　conveniently　translate。

After　a　while；　as　Vollenhoven　looked　at　him　rather　blankly；　the　learned　man　condescended　to　speak　to　him　in　simpler　phrase。

〃It　is　probably　like　Rip　Donderdunck's　case；〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　low；　mumbling　tone。　　〃He　fell　from　the　top　of　Voppelploot's　windmill。　　After　the　accident　the　man　was　stupid　and　finally　became　idiotic。　　In　time　he　lay　helpless　like　yon　fellow　on　the　bed；　moaned；　too；　like　him；　and　kept　constantly　lifting　his　hand　to　his　head。　　My　learned　friend　Von　Choppem　performed　an　operation　upon　this　Donderdunck　and　discovered　under　the　skull　a　small　dark　sac；　which　pressed　upon　the　brain。　　This　had　been　the　cause　of　the　trouble。　　My　friend　Von　Choppem　removed　ita　splendid　operation！　　You　see；　according　to　Celsius〃　　And　here　the　doctor　again　went　off　into　Latin。

〃Did　the　man　live？〃　asked　the　assistant　respectfully。

Dr。　Boekman　scowled。　　〃That　is　of　no　consequence。　　I　believe　he　died；　but　why　not　fix　your　mind　on　the　grand　features　of　the　case？　　Consider　a　moment　how〃　　And　he　plunged　into　Latin　mysteries　more　deeply　than　ever。

〃But　mynheer；〃　gently　persisted　the　student；　who　knew　that　the　doctor　would　not　rise　to　the　surface　for　hours　unless　pulled　at　once　from　his　favorite　depths。　　〃Mynheer；　you　have　other　engagements　today；　three　legs　in　Amsterdam；　you　remember；　and　an　eye　in　Broek；　and　that　tumor　up　the　canal。〃

〃The　tumor　can　wait；〃　said　the　doctor　reflectively。　　〃That　is　another　beautiful　casea　beautiful　case！　　The　woman　has　not　lifted　her　head　from　her　shoulder　for　two　monthsmagnificent　tumor；　sir！〃

The　doctor　by　this　time　was　speaking　aloud。　　He　had　quite　forgotten　where　he　was。

Vollenhoven　made　another　attempt。

〃This　poor　fellow　on　the　bed；　mynheer。　　Do　you　think　you　can　save　him？〃

〃Ah；　indeed；　certainly；〃　stammered　the　doctor；　suddenly　perceiving　that　he　had　been　talking　rather　off　the　point。　　〃Certainly；　that　isI　hope　so。〃

〃If　anyone　in　Holland　can；　mynheer；〃　murmured　the　assistant　with　honest　bluntness；　〃it　is　yourself。〃

The　doctor　looked　displeased；　growled　out　a　tender　request　for　the　student　to　talk　less；　and　beckoned　Hans　to　draw　near。

This　strange　man　had　a　great　horror　of　speaking　to　women；　especially　on　surgical　matters。　　〃One　can　never　tell；〃　he　said；　〃what　moment　the　creatures　will　scream　or　faint。〃　　Therefore　he　explained　Raff　Brinker's　case　to　Hans　and　told　him　what　he　believed　should　be　done　to　save　the　patient。

Hans　listened　attentively；　growing　red　and　pale　by　turns　and　throwing　quick；　anxious　glances　toward　the　bed。

〃It　may　KILL　the　fatherdid　you　say；　mynheer？〃　he　exclaimed　at　last　in　a　trembling　whisper。

〃It　may；　my　boy。　　But　I　have　a　strong　belief　that　it　will　cure　and　not　kill。　　Ah！　　If　boys　were　not　such　dunces；　I　could　lay　the　whole　matter　before　you；　but　it　would　be　of　no　use。〃

Hans　looked　blank　at　this　compliment。

〃It　would　be　of　no　use；〃　repeated　Dr。　Boekman　indignantly。　　〃A　great　operation　is　proposed；　but　one　might　as　well　do　it　with　a　hatchet。　　The　only　question　asked　is；　'Will　it　kill？'〃

〃The　question　is　EVERYTHING　to　us；　mynheer；〃　said　Hans　with　tearful　dignity。

Dr。　Boekman　looked　at　him　in　sudden　dis