hans brinker-第38节

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With　one　accord　they　knelt　by　the　cot；　side　by　side。　　Dame　Brinker　felt　for　her　husband's　hand　even　while　she　was　praying。　　Dr。　Boekman's　head　was　bowed；　the　assistant　stood　by　the　hearth　with　his　back　toward　them。

〃Why　do　you　pray？〃　murmured　the　father；　looking　feebly　from　the　bed　as　they　rose。　　〃Is　it　God's　day？〃

It　was　not　Sunday；　but　his　vrouw　bowed　her　headshe　could　not　speak。

〃Then　we　should　have　a　chapter；〃　said　Raff　Brinker；　speaking　slowly　and　with　difficulty。　　〃I　do　not　know　how　it　is。　　I　am　very；　very　weak。　　Mayhap　the　minister　will　read　it　to　us。〃

Gretel　lifted　the　big　Dutch　Bible　from　its　carved　shelf。　　Dr。　Boekman；　rather　dismayed　at　being　called　a　minister；　coughed　and　handed　the　volume　to　his　assistant。

〃Read；〃　he　murmured。　　〃These　people　must　be　kept　quiet　or　the　man　will　die　yet。〃

When　the　chapter　was　finished；　Dame　Brinker　motioned　mysteriously　to　the　rest　by　way　of　telling　them　that　her　husband　was　asleep。

〃Now；　jufvrouw；〃　said　the　doctor　in　a　subdued　tone　as　he　drew　on　his　thick　woolen　mittens；　〃there　must　be　perfect　quiet。　　You　understand。　　This　is　truly　a　most　remarkable　case。　　I　shall　come　again　tomorrow。　　Give　the　patient　no　food　today；〃　and；　bowing　hastily；　he　left　the　cottage；　followed　by　his　assistant。

His　grand　coach　was　not　far　away；　the　driver　had　kept　the　horses　moving　slowly　up　and　down　by　the　canal　nearly　all　the　time　the　doctor　had　been　in　the　cottage。

Hans　went　out　also。

〃May　God　bless　you；　mynheer！〃　he　said；　blushing　and　trembling。　　〃I　can　never　repay　you；　but　if〃

〃Yes；　you　can；〃　interrupted　the　doctor　crossly。　　〃You　can　use　your　wits　when　the　patient　wakes　again。　　This　clacking　and　sniveling　is　enough　to　kill　a　well　man；　let　alone　one　lying　on　the　edge　of　his　grave。　　If　you　want　your　father　to　get　well；　keep　'em　quiet。〃

So　saying；　Dr。　Boekman；　without　another　word；　stalked　off　to　meet　his　coach；　leaving　Hans　standing　there　with　eyes　and　mouth　wide　open。


Hilda　was　reprimanded　severely　that　day　for　returning　late　to　school　after　recess；　and　for　imperfect　recitations。

She　had　remained　near　the　cottage　until　she　heard　Dame　Brinker　laugh；　until　she　had　heard　Hans　say；　〃Here　I　am；　Father！〃　　And　then　she　had　gone　back　to　her　lessons。　　What　wonder　that　she　missed　them！　　How　could　she　get　a　long　string　of　Latin　verbs　by　heart　when　her　heart　did　not　care　a　fig　for　them　but　would　keep　saying　to　itself；　〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad！　　I　am　so　glad！〃




Bones　and　Tongues



Bones　are　strange　things。　　One　would　suppose　that　they　knew　nothing　at　all　about　school　affairs；　but　they　do。　　Even　Jacob　Poot's　bones；　buried　as　they　were　in　flesh；　were　sharp　in　the　matter　of　study　hours。

Early　on　the　morning　of　his　return　they　ached　through　and　through；　giving　Jacob　a　twinge　at　every　stroke　of　the　school　bell；　as　if　to　say；　〃Stop　that　clapper！　　There's　trouble　in　it。〃　　After　school；　on　the　contrary；　they　were　quiet　and　comfortable；　in　fact；　seemed　to　be　taking　a　nap　among　their　cushions。

The　other　boys'　bones　behaved　in　a　similar　manner；　but　that　is　not　so　remarkable。　　Being　nearer　the　daylight　than　Jacob's；　they　might　be　expected　to　be　more　learned　in　the　ways　of　the　world。　　Master　Ludwig's；　especially；　were　like　beauty；　only　skin　deep；　they　were　the　most　knowing　bones　you　ever　heard　of。　　Just　put　before　him　ever　so　quietly　a　grammar　book　with　a　long　lessons　marked　in　it；　and　immediately　the　sly　bone　over　his　eyes　would　set　up　such　an　aching！　　Request　him　to　go　to　the　garret　for　your　foot　stove；　instantly　the　bones　would　remind　him　that　he　was　〃too　tired。〃　　Ask　him　to　go　to　the　confectioner's；　a　mile　away；　and　PRESTO！　not　a　bone　would　remember　that　it　had　ever　been　used　before。

Bearing　all　this　in　mind；　you　will　not　wonder　when　I　tell　you　that　our　five　boys　were　among　the　happiest　of　the　happy　throng　pouring　forth　from　the　schoolhouse　that　day。

Peter　was　in　excellent　spirits。　　He　had　heard　through　Hilda　of　Dame　Brinker's　laugh　and　of　Hans's　joyous　words；　and　he　needed　no　further　proof　that　Raff　Brinker　was　a　cured　man。　　In　fact；　the　news　had　gone　forth　in　every　direction；　for　miles　around。　　Persons　who　had　never　before　cared　for　the　Brinkers；　or　even　mentioned　them；　except　with　a　contemptuous　sneer　or　a　shrug　of　pretended　pity；　now　became　singularly　familiar　with　every　point　of　their　history。　　There　was　no　end　to　the　number　of　ridiculous　stories　that　were　flying　about。

Hilda；　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment；　had　stopped　to　exchange　a　word　with　the　doctor's　coachman　as　he　stood　by　the　horses；　pommelling　his　chest　and　clapping　his　hands。　　Her　kind　heart　was　overflowing。　　She　could　not　help　pausing　to　tell　the　cold；　tired…looking　man　that　she　thought　the　doctor　would　be　out　soon；　she　even　hinted　to　him　that　she　suspectedonly　suspectedthat　a　wonderful　cure　had　been　performed；　an　idiot　brought　to　his　senses。　　Nay；　she　was　SURE　of　it；　for　she　had　heard　his　widow　laughno；　not　his　widow；　of　course；　but　his　wifefor　the　man　was　as　much　alive　as　anybody；　and；　for　all　she　knew；　sitting　up　and　talking　like　a　lawyer。

All　this　was　very　indiscreet。　　Hilda；　in　an　impenitent　sort　of　way；　felt　it　to　be　so。

But　it　is　always　so　delightful　to　impart　pleasant　or　surprising　news！

She　went　tripping　along　by　the　canal；　quite　resolved　to　repeat　the　sin；　ad　infinitum；　and　tell　nearly　every　girl　and　boy　in　the　school。

Meantime　Janzoon　Kolp　came　skating　by。　　Of　course；　in　two　seconds；　he　was　striking　slippery　attitudes　and　shouting　saucy　things　to　the　coachman；　who　stared　at　him　in　indolent　disdain。

This；　to　Janzoon；　was　equivalent　to　an　invitation　to　draw　nearer。　　The　coachman　was　now　upon　his　box；　gathering　up　the　reins　and　grumbling　at　his　horses。

Janzoon　accosted　him。

〃I　say。　　What's　going　on　at　the　idiot's　cottage？　　Is　your　boss　in　there？〃

Coachman　nodded　mysteriously。

〃Whew！〃　whistled　Janzoon；　drawing　closer。　　〃Old　Brinker　dead？〃

The　driver　grew　big　with　importance　and　silent　in　proportion。

〃See　here；　old　pincushion；　I'd　run　home　yonder　and　get　you　a　chunk　of　gingerbread　if　I　thought　you　could　open　your　mouth。〃

Old　pincushion　was　humanlong　hours　of　waiting　had　made　him　ravenously　hungry。　　At　Janzoon's　hint；　his　countenance　showed　signs　of　a　collapse。

〃That's　right；　old　fellow；〃　pursued　his　tempter。　　〃Hurry　up！　　What　news？old　Brinker　dead？〃

〃No；　CURED！　　Got　his　wits；〃　said　the　coachman；　shooting　forth　his　words；　one　at　a　time；　like　so　many　bullets。

Like　bullets　（figuratively　speaking）　they　hit　Janzoon　Kolp。　　He　jumped　as　if　he　had　been　shot。

〃Goede　Gunst！　　You　don't　say　so！〃

The　man　pressed　his　lips　together　and　looked　significantly　toward　Master　Kolp's　shabby　residence。

Just　then　Janzoon　saw　a　group　of　boys　in　the　distance。　　Hailing　them　in　a　rowdy　style；　common　to　boys　of　his　stamp　all　over　the　world；　weather　in　Africa；　Japan；　Amsterdam；　or　Paris；　he　scampered　toward　them；　forgetting　coachman；　gingerbread；　everything　but　the　wonderful　news。

Therefore；　by　sundown　it　was　well　known　throughout　the　neighboring　country　that　Dr。　Boekman；　chancing　to　stop　at　the　cottage；　had　given　the　idiot　Brinker　a　tremendous　dose　of　medicine；　as　brown　as　gingerbread。　　It　had　taken　six　men　to　hold　him　while　it　was　poured　down。　　The　idiot　had　immediately　sprung　to　his　feet；　in　full　possession　of　all　his　faculties；　knocked　over　the　doctor　or　thrashed　him　（there　was　admitted　to　be　a　slight　uncertainty　as　to　which　of　these　penalties　was　inflicted）；　then　sat　down　and　addressed　him　for　all　the　world　like　a　lawyer。　　After　that　he　had　turned　and　spoken　beautifully　to　his　wife　and　children。　　Dame　Brinker　had　laughed　herself　into　violent　hysterics。　　Hans　had　said；　〃Here　I　am；　Father；　your　own　dear　son！〃　　And　Gretel　had　said；　〃Here　I　am；　Father；　your　own　dear　Gretel！〃　　And　the　doctor　had　afterward　been　seen　leaning　back　in　his　carriage　looking　just　as　white　as　a　corpse。




A　New　Alarm



When　Dr。　Boekman　called　the　next　day　at　the　Brinker　cottage；　he　could　not　help　noticing　the　cheerful；　comfortable　aspect　of　the　place。　　An　atmosphere　of　happiness　breathed　upon　him　as　he　opened　the　door。　　Dame　Brinker　sat　complacently　knitting　beside　the　bed；　her　husband　was　enjoying　a　tranquil　slumber；　and　Gretel　was　noiselessly　kneading　rye　bread　on　the　table　in　the　corner。

The　doctor　did　not　remain　long。　　He　asked　a　few　simple　questions；　appeared　satisfied　with　the　answers；　and　after　feeling　his　patient's　pulse；　said；　〃Ah；　very　weak　yet；　jufvrouw。　　Very　weak；　indeed。　　He　must　have　nourishment。　　You　may　begin　to　feed　the　patient。　　Ahem！　　Not　too　much；　but　what　you　do　give　him　let　it　be　strong　and　of　the　best。〃

〃Black　bread；　we　have；　mynheer；　and　porridge；〃　replied　Dame　Brinker　cheerily。　　〃They　have　always　agreed　with　him　well。〃

〃Tut；　tut！〃　said　the　doctor；　frowning。　　〃Nothing　of　the　kind。　　He　must　have　the　juice　of　fresh　meat；　white　bread；　dried　and　toasted；　good　Malaga　wine；　andahem！　　The　man　looks　cold。　　Give　him　more　covering；　something　light　and　warm。　　Where　is　the　boy？〃

〃Hans；　mynheer；　has　gone　into　Broek　to　look　for　work。　　He　will　be　back　soon。　　Will　the　meester　please　be　seated？

Whether　the　hard　polished　stool　offered　by　Dame　Brinker　did　not　look　particularly　tempting；　or　whether　the　dame　herself　frightened　him；　partly　because　she　was　a　woman；　and