hans brinker-第39节

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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　partly　because　an　anxious；　distressed　look　had　suddenly　appeared　in　her　face；　I　cannot　say。　　Certain　it　is　that　our　eccentric　doctor　looked　hurriedly　about　him；　muttered　something　about　〃an　extraordinary　case；〃　bowed；　and　disappeared　before　Dame　Brinker　had　time　to　say　another　word。

Strange　that　the　visit　of　their　good　benefactor　should　have　left　a　cloud；　yet　so　it　was。　　Gretel　frowned；　an　anxious；　childish　frown；　and　kneaded　the　bread　dough　violently　without　looking　up。　　Dame　Brinker　hurried　to　her　husband's　bedside；　leaned　over　him；　and　fell　into　silent　but　passionate　weeping。

In　a　moment　Hans　entered。

〃Why；　Mother；〃　he　whispered　in　alarm；　〃what　ails　thee？　　Is　the　father　worse？〃

She　turned　her　quivering　face　toward　him；　making　no　attempt　to　conceal　her　distress。

〃Yes。　　He　is　starvingperishing。　　A　meester　said　it。〃

Hans　turned　pale。

〃What　does　this　mean；　Mother？　　We　must　feed　him　at　once。　　Here；　Gretel；　give　me　the　porridge。〃

〃Nay！〃　cried　his　mother；　distractedly；　yet　without　raising　her　voice。　　〃It　may　kill　him。　　Our　poor　fare　is　too　heavy　for　him。　　Oh；　Hans；　he　will　diethe　father　will　DIE；　if　we　use　him　this　way。　　He　must　have　meat　and　sweet　wine　and　a　dekbed。　　Oh；　what　shall　I　do；　what　shall　I　do？〃　she　sobbed；　wringing　her　hands。　　〃There　is　not　a　stiver　in　the　house。〃

Gretel　pouted。　　It　was　the　only　way　she　could　express　sympathy　just　then。　　Her　tears　fell　one　by　one　into　the　dough。

〃Did　the　meester　say　he　MUST　have　these　things；　Mother？〃　asked　Hans。

〃Yes；　he　did。〃

〃Well；　Mother；　don't　cry；　HE　SHALL　HAVE　THEM。　　I　shall　bring　meat　and　wine　before　night。　　Take　the　cover　from　my　bed。　　I　can　sleep　in　the　straw。〃

〃Yes；　Hans；　but　it　is　heavy；　scant　as　it　is。　　The　meester　said　he　must　have　something　light　and　warm。　　He　will　perish。　　Our　peat　is　giving　out；　Hans。　　The　father　has　wasted　it　sorely；　throwing　it　on　when　I　was　not　looking；　dear　man。〃

〃Never　mind；　Mother；〃　whispered　Hans　cheerfully。　　〃We　can　cut　down　the　willow　tree　and　burn　it；　if　need　be；　but　I'll　bring　home　something　tonight。　　There　MUST　be　work　in　Amsterdam；　though　there's　none　in　Broek。　　Never　fear；　Mother；　the　worst　trouble　of　all　is　past。　　We　can　brave　anything　now　that　the　father　is　himself　again。〃

〃Aye！〃　sobbed　Dame　Brinker；　hastily　drying　her　eyes。　　〃That　is　true　indeed。〃

〃Of　course　it　is。　　Look　at　him；　Mother；　how　softly　he　sleeps。　　Do　you　think　God　would　let　him　starve；　just　after　giving　him　back　to　us？　　Why；　Mother；　I'm　as　SURE　of　getting　all　the　father　needs　as　if　my　pocket　were　bursting　with　gold。　　There；　now；　don't　fret。〃　　And；　hurriedly　kissing　her；　Hans　caught　up　his　skates　and　slipped　from　the　cottage。

Poor　Hans！　　Disappointed　in　his　morning's　errand；　half　sickened　with　this　new　trouble；　he　wore　a　brave　look　and　tried　to　whistle　as　he　tramped　resolutely　off　with　the　firm　intention　of　mending　matters。

Want　had　never　before　pressed　so　sorely　upon　the　Brinker　family。　　Their　stock　of　peat　was　nearly　exhausted；　and　all　the　flour　in　the　cottage　was　in　Gretel's　dough。　　They　had　scarcely　cared　to　eat　during　the　past　few　days；　scarcely　realized　their　condition。　　Dame　Brinker　had　felt　so　sure　that　she　and　the　children　could　earn　money　before　the　worst　came　that　she　had　given　herself　up　to　the　joy　of　her　husband's　recovery。　　She　had　not　even　told　Hans　that　the　few　pieces　of　silver　in　the　old　mitten　were　quite　gone。

Hans　reproached　himself；　now；　that　he　had　not　hailed　the　doctor　when　he　saw　him　enter　his　coach　and　drive　rapidly　away　in　the　direction　of　Amsterdam。

Perhaps　there　is　some　mistake；　he　thought。　　The　meester　surely　would　have　known　that　meat　and　sweet　wine　were　not　at　our　command；　and　yet　the　father　looks　very　weakhe　certainly　does。　　I　MUST　get　work。　　If　Mynheer　van　Holp　were　back　from　Rotterdam；　I　could　get　plenty　to　do。　　But　Master　Peter　told　me　to　let　him　know　if　he　could　do　aught　to　serve　us。　　I　shall　go　to　him　at　once。　　Oh；　if　it　were　but　summer！

All　this　time　Hans　was　hastening　toward　the　canal。　　Soon　his　skates　were　on；　and　he　was　skimming　rapidly　toward　the　residence　of　Mynheer　van　Holp。

〃The　father　must　have　meat　and　wine　at　once；〃　he　muttered；　〃but　how　can　I　earn　the　money　in　time　to　buy　them　today？　　There　is　no　other　way　but　to　go；　as　I　PROMISED；　to　Master　Peter。　　What　would　a　gift　of　meat　and　wine　be　to　him？　　When　the　father　is　once　fed；　I　can　rush　down　to　Amsterdam　and　earn　the　morrow's　supply。〃

Then　came　other　thoughtsthoughts　that　made　his　heart　thump　heavily　and　his　cheeks　burn　with　a　new　shame。　　It　is　BEGGING；　to　say　the　least。　　Not　one　of　the　Brinkers　has　ever　been　a　beggar。　　Shall　I　be　the　first？　　Shall　my　poor　father　just　coming　back　into　life　learn　that　his　family　has　asked　for　charityhe；　always　so　wise　and　thrifty？　　〃No；〃　cried　Hans　aloud；　〃better　a　thousand　times　to　part　with　the　watch。〃

I　can　at　least　borrow　money　on　it；　in　Amsterdam！　he　thought；　turning　around。　　That　will　be　no　disgrace。　　I　can　find　work　at　once　and　get　it　back　again。　　Nay；　perhaps　I　can　even　SPEAK　TO　THE　FATHER　ABOUT　IT！

This　last　thought　made　the　lad　dance　for　joy。　　Why　not；　indeed；　speak　to　the　father？　　He　was　a　rational　being　now。　　He　may　wake；　thought　Hans；　quite　bright　and　restedmay　tell　us　the　watch　is　of　no　consequence；　to　sell　it　of　course！　　And　Hans　almost　flew　over　the　ice。

A　few　moments　more　and　the　skates　were　again　swinging　from　his　arm。　　He　was　running　toward　the　cottage。

His　mother　met　him　at　the　door。

〃Oh；　Hans！〃　she　cried；　her　face　radiant　with　joy；　〃the　young　lady　has　been　here　with　her　maid。　　She　brought　everythingmeat；　jelly；　wine；　and　breada　whole　basketful！　　Then　the　meester　sent　a　man　from　town　with　more　wine　and　a　fine　bed　and　blankets　for　the　father。　　Oh！　he　will　get　well　now。　　God　bless　them！〃

〃God　bless　them！〃　echoed　Hans；　and　for　the　first　time　that　day　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。




The　Father's　Return



That　evening　Raff　Brinker　felt　so　much　better　that　he　insisted　upon　sitting　up　for　a　while　on　the　rough　high…backed　chair　by　the　fire。　　For　a　few　moments　there　was　quite　a　commotion　in　the　little　cottage。　　Hans　was　all…important　on　the　occasion；　for　his　father　was　a　heavy　man　and　needed　something　firm　to　lean　upon。　　The　dame；　though　none　of　your　fragile　ladies；　was　in　such　a　state　of　alarm　and　excitement　at　the　bold　step　they　were　taking　in　lifting　him　without　the　meester's　orders　that　she　came　near　pulling　her　husband　over；　even　while　she　believed　herself　to　be　his　main　prop　and　support。

〃Steady；　vrouw；　steady；〃　panted　Raff。　　〃Have　I　grown　old　and　feeble；　or　is　it　the　fever　makes　me　thus　helpless？〃

〃Hear　the　man！〃Dame　Brinker　laughed〃talking　like　any　other　Christian！　　Why；　you're　only　weak　from　the　fever；　Raff。　　Here's　the　chair；　all　fixed　snug　and　warm。　　Now；　sit　thee　downhi…di…didythere　we　are！〃

With　these　words　Dame　Brinker　let　her　half　of　the　burden　settle　slowly　into　the　chair。　　Hans　prudently　did　the　same。

Meanwhile　Gretel　flew　about　generally；　bringing　every　possible　thing　to　her　mother　to　tuck　behind　the　father's　back　and　spread　over　his　knees。　　Then　she　twitched　the　carved　bench　under　his　feet；　and　Hans　kicked　the　fire　to　make　it　brighter。

The　father　was　sitting　up　at　last。　　What　wonder　that　he　looked　about　him　like　one　bewildered。　　〃Little　Hans〃　had　just　been　almost　carrying　him。　　〃The　baby〃　was　over　four　feet　long　and　was　demurely　brushing　up　the　hearth　with　a　bundle　of　willow　wisps。　　Meitje；　the　vrouw；　winsome　and　fair　as　ever；　had　gained　at　least　fifty　pounds　in　what　seemed　to　him　a　few　hours。　　She　also　had　some　new　lines　in　her　face　that　puzzled　him。　　The　only　familiar　things　in　the　room　were　the　pine　table　that　he　had　made　before　he　was　married；　the　Bible　upon　the　shelf；　and　the　cupboard　in　the　corner。

Ah！　　Raff　Brinker；　it　was　only　natural　that　your　eyes　should　fill　with　hot　tears　even　while　looking　at　the　joyful　faces　of　your　loved　ones。　　Ten　years　dropped　from　a　man's　life　are　no　small　loss；　ten　years　of　manhood；　of　household　happiness　and　care；　ten　years　of　honest　labor；　of　conscious　enjoyment　of　sunshine　and　outdoor　beauty；　ten　years　of　grateful　lifeone　day　looking　forward　to　all　this；　the　next；　waking　to　find　them　passed　and　a　blank。　　What　wonder　the　scalding　tears　dropped　one　by　one　upon　your　cheek！

Tender　little　Gretel！　　The　prayer　of　her　life　was　answered　through　those　tears。　　She　LOVED　her　father　silently　at　that　moment。　　Hans　and　his　mother　glanced　silently　at　each　other　when　they　saw　her　spring　toward　him　and　throw　her　arms　about　his　neck。

〃Father；　DEAR　Father；〃　she　whispered；　pressing　her　cheek　close　to　his；　〃don't　cry。　　We　are　all　here。〃

〃God　bless　thee；〃　sobbed　Raff；　kissing　her　again　and　again。　　〃I　had　forgotten　that！〃

Soon　he　looked　up　again　and　spoke　in　a　cheerful　voice。　　〃I　should　know　her；　vrouw；〃　he　said；　holding　the　sweet　young　face　between　his　hands　and　gazing　at　it　as　though　he　were　watching　it　grow。　　〃I　should　know　her。　　The　same　blue　eyes　and　the　lips；　and　ah！　me；　the　little　song　she　could　sing　almost　before　she　could　stand。　　But　that　was　long　ago；〃　he　added；　with　a　sigh；　still　looking　at　her　dreamily。　　〃Lo