hans brinker-第40节

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ly。　　〃Long　ago；　it's　all　gone　now。〃

〃Not　so；　indeed；〃　cried　Dame　Brinker　eagerly。　　〃Do　you　think　I　would　let　her　forget　it？　　Gretel；　child；　sing　the　old　song　thou　hast　known　so　long！〃

Raff　Brinker's　hand　fell　wearily　and　his　eyes　closed；　but　it　was　something　to　see　the　smile　playing　about　his　mouth　as　Gretel's　voice　floated　about　him　like　incense。

It　was　a　simple　air；　she　had　never　known　the　words。

With　loving　instinct　she　softened　every　note；　until　Raff　almost　fancied　that　his　two…year…old　baby　was　once　more　beside　him。


As　soon　as　the　song　was　finished；　Hans　mounted　a　wooden　stool　and　began　to　rummage　in　the　cupboard。

〃Have　a　care；　Hans；〃　said　Dame　Brinker；　who　through　all　her　poverty　was　ever　a　tidy　housewife。　　〃Have　a　care；　the　wine　is　there　at　your　right　and　the　white　bread　beyond　it。〃

〃Never　fear；　Mother；〃　answered　Hans；　reaching　far　back　on　an　upper　shelf。　　〃I　shall　do　no　mischief。〃

Jumping　down；　he　walked　toward　his　father　and　placed　an　oblong　block　of　pine　wood　in　his　hands。　　One　of　its　ends　was　rounded　off；　and　some　deep　cuts　had　been　made　on　the　top。

〃Do　you　know　what　that　is；　Father？〃　asked　Hans。

Raff　Brinker's　face　brightened。　　〃Indeed　I　do；　boy！　　It　is　the　boat　I　was　making　you　yestalack；　not　yesterday；　but　years　ago。〃

〃I　have　kept　it　ever　since；　Father。　　It　can　be　finished　when　your　hand　grows　strong　again。〃

〃Yes；　but　not　for　you；　my　lad。　　I　must　wait　for　the　grandchildren。　　Why；　you　are　nearly　a　man。　　Have　you　helped　your　mother　through　all　these　years？〃

〃Aye　and　bravely；〃　put　in　Dame　Brinker。

〃Let　me　see；〃　muttered　the　father；　looking　in　a　puzzled　way　at　them　all；　〃how　long　is　it　since　the　night　when　the　waters　were　coming　in？　　'Tis　the　last　I　remember。〃

〃We　have　told　thee　true；　Raff。　　It　was　ten　years　last　Pinxter　week。〃

〃Ten　yearsand　I　fell　then；　you　say？　　Has　the　fever　been　on　me　ever　since？〃

Dame　Brinker　scarcely　knew　how　to　reply。　　Should　she　tell　him　all？　　Tell　him　that　he　had　been　an　idiot；　almost　a　lunatic？　　The　doctor　had　charged　her　on　no　account　to　worry　or　excite　his　patient。

Hans　and　Gretel　looked　astonished。

〃Like　enough；　Raff；〃　she　said；　nodding　her　head　and　raising　her　eyebrows。　　〃When　a　heavy　man　like　thee　falls　on　his　head；　it's　hard　to　say　what　will　comebut　thou'rt　well　NOW；　Raff。　　Thank　the　good　Lord！〃

The　newly　awakened　man　bowed　his　head。

〃Aye；　well　enough；　mine　vrouw；〃　he　said　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃but　my　brain　turns　somehow　like　a　spinning　wheel。　　It　will　not　be　right　till　I　get　on　the　dikes　again。　　When　shall　I　be　at　work；　think　you？〃

〃Hear　the　man！〃　cried　Dame　Brinker；　delighted；　yet　frightened；　too；　for　that　matter。　　〃We　must　get　him　on　the　bed；　Hans。　　Work　indeed！〃

They　tried　to　raise　him　from　the　chair；　but　he　was　not　ready　yet。

〃Be　off　with　ye！〃　he　said　with　something　like　his　old　smile　（Gretel　had　never　seen　it　before）。　　〃Does　a　man　want　to　be　lifted　about　like　a　log？　　I　tell　you　before　three　suns　I　shall　be　on　the　dikes　again。　　Ah！　　There'll　be　some　stout　fellows　to　greet　me。　　Jan　Kamphuisen　and　young　Hoogsvliet。　　They　have　been　good　friends　to　thee；　Hans；　I'll　warrant。〃

Hans　looked　at　his　mother。　　Young　Hoogsvliet　had　been　dead　five　years。　　Jan　Kamphuisen　was　in　the　jail　at　Amsterdam。

〃Aye；　they'd　have　done　their　share　no　doubt；〃　said　Dame　Brinker；　parrying　the　inquiry；　〃had　we　asked　them。　　But　what　with　working　and　studying；　Hans　has　been　busy　enough　without　seeking　comrades。〃

〃Working　and　studying；〃　echoed　Raff；　in　a　musing　tone。　　〃Can　the　youngsters　read　and　cipher；　Meitje？〃

〃You　should　hear　them！〃　she　answered　proudly。　　〃They　can　run　through　a　book　while　I　mop　the　floor。　　Hans　there　is　as　happy　over　a　page　of　big　words　as　a　rabbit　in　a　cabbage　patch；　as　for　ciphering〃

〃Here；　lad；　help　a　bit；〃　interrupted　Raff　Brinker。　　〃I　must　get　me　on　the　bed　again。〃




The　Thousand　Guilders



None　seeing　the　humble　supper　eaten　in　the　Brinker　cottage　that　night　would　have　dreamed　of　the　dainty　repast　hidden　away　nearby。　　Hans　and　Gretel　looked　rather　wistfully　toward　the　cupboard　as　they　drank　their　cupful　of　water　and　ate　their　scanty　share　of　black　bread；　but　even　in　thought　they　did　not　rob　their　father。

〃He　relished　his　supper　well；〃　said　Dame　Brinker；　nodding　sidewise　toward　the　bed；　〃and　fell　asleep　the　next　moment。　　Ah；　the　dear　man　will　be　feeble　for　many　a　day。　　He　wanted　sore　to　sit　up　again；　but　while　I　made　show　of　humoring　him　and　getting　ready；　he　dropped　off。　　Remember　that；　my　girl；　when　you　have　a　man　of　your　own　（and　many　a　day　may　it　be　before　that　comes　to　pass）；　remember　that　you　can　never　rule　by　differing；　'humble　wife　is　husband's　boss。'　　Tut！　tut！　　Never　swallow　such　a　mouthful　as　that　again；　child。　　Why；　I　could　make　a　meal　off　two　such　pieces。　　What's　in　thee；　Hans？　　One　would　think　there　were　cobwebs　on　the　walls。〃

〃Oh；　no；　Mother；　I　was　only　thinking〃

〃Thinking　about　what？　　Ah；　no　use　asking；〃　she　added　in　a　changed　tone。　　〃I　was　thinking　of　the　same　a　while　ago。　　Well；　it's　no　blame　if　we　DID　look　to　hear　something　by　this　time　about　the　thousand　guilders　but　not　a　wordnoit's　plain　enough　he　knows　naught　about　them。〃

Hans　looked　up　anxiously；　dreading　lest　his　mother　should　grow　agitated；　as　usual；　when　speaking　of　the　lost　money；　but　she　was　silently　nibbling　her　bread　and　looking　with　a　doleful　stare　toward　the　window。

〃Thousand　guilders；〃　echoed　a　faint　voice　from　the　bed。　　〃Ah；　I　am　sure　they　have　been　of　good　use　to　you；　vrouw；　through　the　long　years　when　your　man　was　idle。〃

The　poor　woman　started　up。　　These　words　quite　destroyed　the　hope　that　of　late　had　been　glowing　within　her。

〃Are　you　awake；　Raff？〃　she　faltered。

〃Yes；　Meitje；　and　I　feel　much　better。　　Our　money　was　well　saved；　vrouw；　I　was　saying。　　Did　it　last　through　all　those　ten　years？〃

〃IIhave　not　got　it；　Raff；　I〃　　She　was　going　to　tell　him　the　whole　truth　when　Hans　lifted　his　finger　warningly　and　whispered；　〃Remember　what　the　meester　told　us。　　The　father　must　not　be　worried。〃

〃Speak　to　him；　child；〃　she　answered；　trembling。

Hans　hurried　to　the　bedside。

〃I　am　glad　you　are　feeling　better；〃　he　said；　leaning　over　his　father。　　〃Another　day　will　see　you　quite　strong　again。〃

〃Aye；　like　enough。　　How　long　did　the　money　last；　Hans？　　I　could　not　hear　your　mother。　　What　did　she　say？〃

〃I　said；　Raff；〃　stammered　Dame　Brinker　in　great　distress；　〃that　it　was　all　gone。〃

〃Well；　well；　wife；　do　not　fret　at　that；　one　thousand　guilders　is　not　so　very　much　for　ten　years　and　with　children　to　bring　up。　。　。but　it　has　helped　to　make　you　all　comfortable。　　Have　you　had　much　sickness　to　bear？〃

〃No；　no；〃　sobbed　Dame　Brinker；　lifting　her　apron　to　her　eyes。

〃Tut；　tut；　woman；　why　do　you　cry？〃　said　Raff　kindly。　　〃We　will　soon　fill　another　pouch　when　I　am　on　my　feet　again。　　Lucky　I　told　you　all　about　it　before　I　fell。〃

〃Told　me　what；　man？〃

〃Why；　that　I　buried　the　money。　　In　my　dream　just　now；　it　seemed　that　I　had　never　said　aught　about　it。〃

Dame　Brinker　started　forward。　　Hans　caught　her　arm。

〃Hist！　　Mother；〃　he　whispered；　hastily　leading　her　away；　〃we　must　be　very　careful。〃　　Then；　while　she　stood　with　clasped　hands　waiting　in　breathless　anxiety；　he　once　more　approached　the　cot。　　Trembling　with　eagerness　he　said；　〃That　was　a　troublesome　dream。　　Do　you　remember　WHEN　you　buried　the　money；　Father？〃

〃Yes；　my　boy。　　It　was　just　before　daylight　on　the　same　day　I　was　hurt。　　Jan　Kamphuisen　said　something；　the　sundown　before；　that　made　me　distrust　his　honesty。　　He　was　the　only　one　living　besides　Mother　who　knew　that　we　had　saved　a　thousand　guilders；　so　I　rose　up　that　night　and　buried　the　moneyblockhead　that　I　was　ever　to　suspect　an　old　friend！〃

〃I'll　be　bound；　Father；〃　pursued　Hans　in　a　laughing　voice；　motioning　to　his　mother　and　Gretel　to　remain　quiet；　〃that　you've　forgotten　where　you　buried　it。〃

〃Ha！　ha！　　Not　I；　indeed。　　But　good　night；　my　son；　I　can　sleep　again。〃

Hans　would　have　walked　away；　but　his　mother's　gestures　were　not　to　be　disobeyed。　　So　he　said　gently；　〃Good　night；　Father。　　Where　did　you　say　you　buried　the　money？　　I　was　only　a　little　one　then。〃

〃Close　by　the　willow　sapling　behind　the　cottage；〃　said　Raff　Brinker　drowsily。

〃Ah；　yes。　　North　side　of　the　tree；　wasn't　it；　Father？〃

〃No；　the　south　side。　　Ah；　you　know　the　spot　well　enough；　you　rogue。　　Like　enough　you　were　there　when　your　mother　lifted　it。　　Now；　son；　easy。　　Shift　this　pillow　so。　　Good　night。〃

〃Good　night；　Father！〃　said　Hans；　ready　to　dance　for　joy。

The　moon　rose　very　late　that　night；　shining　in；　full　and　clear；　at　the　little　window；　but　its　beams　did　not　disturb　Raff　Brinker。　　He　slept　soundly；　so　did　Gretel。　　As　for　Hans　and　his　mother；　they　had　something　else　to　do。

After　making　a　few　hurried　preparations；　they　stole　forth　with　bright；　expectant　faces；　bearing　a　broken　spade　and　a　rusty　implement　that　had　done　many　a　day's　service　when　Raff　was　a　hale　worker　on　the　dikes。

It　was　so　light　out　of　doors　that　they　could　see　the　willow　tree　distinctly。　　The　frozen　ground　was　hard　as　stone；　but　Hans　and　his　mother　were　resolute。　　Their　only　dread　was　that　they　might　disturb　the　sleepers　in　the　cottage。

〃This　ysbreeker　is　just　the　thing；　Mother；〃　said　Hans；　striking　many　a　vigorous　blow；　〃bu