hans brinker-第49节

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〃Mynheer；〃　pleaded　Hans　in　a　husky　voice；　〃you　have　called　me　your　friend。　　Take　this　strapquick！　　There　is　not　an　instant　to　lose。　　I　shall　not　skate　this　time。　　Indeed；　I　am　out　of　practice。　　Mynheer；　you　MUST　take　it。〃　　And　Hans；　blind　and　deaf　to　any　remonstrance；　slipped　his　strap　into　Peter's　skate　and　implored　him　to　put　it　on。

〃Come；　Peter！〃　cried　Lambert　from　the　line。　　〃We　are　waiting　for　you。〃

〃For　madame's　sake；〃　pleaded　Hans；　〃be　quick。　　She　is　motioning　to　you　to　join　the　racers。　　There；　the　skate　is　almost　on。　　Quick；　mynheer；　fasten　it。　　I　could　not　possibly　win。　　The　race　lies　between　Master　Schummel　and　yourself。〃

〃You　are　a　noble　fellow；　Hans！〃　cried　Peter；　yielding　at　last。　　He　sprang　to　his　post　just　as　the　white　handkerchief　fell　to　the　ground。　　The　bugle　sends　forth　its　blastloud；　clear；　and　ringing。

Off　go　the　boys！

〃Mine　Gott；〃　cries　a　tough　old　fellow　from　Delft。　　〃They　beat　everything；　these　Amsterdam　youngsters。　　See　them！〃

See　them；　indeed！　　They　are　winged　Mercuries；　every　one　of　them。　　What　mad　errand　are　they　on？　　Ah；　I　know。　　They　are　hunting　Peter　van　Holp。　　He　is　some　fleet…footed　runaway　from　Olympus。　　Mercury　and　his　troop　of　winged　cousins　are　in　full　chase。　　They　will　catch　him！　　Now　Carl　is　the　runaway。　　The　pursuit　grows　furiousBen　is　foremost！

The　chase　turns　in　a　cloud　of　mist。　　It　is　coming　this　way。　　Who　is　hunted　now？　　Mercury　himself。　　It　is　Peter；　Peter　van　Holp；　fly；　PeterHans　is　watching　you。　　He　is　sending　all　his　fleetness；　all　his　strength　into　your　feet。　　Your　mother　and　sister　are　pale　with　eagerness。　　Hilda　is　trembling　and　dares　not　look　up。　　Fly；　Peter！　　The　crowd　has　not　gone　deranged；　it　is　only　cheering。　　The　pursuers　are　close　upon　you！　　Touch　the　white　column！　　It　beckonsit　is　reeling　before　youit

〃Huzza！　　Huzza！　　Peter　has　won　the　silver　skates！〃

〃Peter　van　Holp！〃　shouted　the　crier。　　But　who　heard　him？　　〃Peter　van　Holp！〃　shouted　a　hundred　voices；　for　he　was　the　favorite　boy　of　the　place。　　〃Huzza！　　Huzza！〃

〃Now　the　music　was　resolved　to　be　heard。　　It　struck　up　a　lively　air；　then　a　tremendous　march。　　The　spectators；　thinking　something　new　was　about　to　happen；　deigned　to　listen　and　to　look。

The　racers　formed　in　single　file。　　Peter；　being　tallest；　stood　first。　　Gretel；　the　smallest　of　all；　took　her　place　at　the　end。　　Hans；　who　had　borrowed　a　strap　from　the　cake　boy；　was　near　the　head。

Three　gaily　twined　arches　were　placed　at　intervals　upon　the　river　facing　the　Van　Gleck　pavilion。

Skating　slowly；　and　in　perfect　time　to　the　music；　the　boys　and　girls　moved　forward；　led　on　by　Peter。

It　was　beautiful　to　see　the　bright　procession　glide　along　like　a　living　creature。　　It　curved　and　doubled；　and　drew　its　graceful　length　in　and　out　among　the　archeswhichever　way　Peter；　the　head；　went；　the　body　was　sure　to　follow。　　Sometimes　it　steered　direct　for　the　center　arch；　then；　as　if　seized　with　a　new　impulse；　turned　away　and　curled　itself　about　the　first　one；　then　unwound　slowly　and；　bending　low；　with　quick；　snakelike　curvings；　crossed　the　river；　passing　at　length　through　the　furthest　arch。

When　the　music　was　slow；　the　procession　seemed　to　crawl　like　a　thing　afraid。　　It　grew　livelier；　and　the　creature　darted　forward　with　a　spring；　gliding　rapidly　among　the　arches；　in　and　out；　curling；　twisting；　turning；　never　losing　form　until；　at　the　shrill　call　of　the　bugle　rising　above　the　music；　it　suddenly　resolved　itself　into　boys　and　girls　standing　in　a　double　semicircle　before　Madam　van　Gleck's　pavilion。

Peter　and　Gretel　stand　in　the　center　in　advance　of　the　others。　　Madame　van　Gleck　rises　majestically。　　Gretel　trembles　but　feels　that　she　must　look　at　the　beautiful　lady。　　She　cannot　hear　what　is　said；　there　is　such　a　buzzing　all　around　her。　　She　is　thinking　that　she　ought　to　try　and　make　a　curtsy；　such　as　her　mother　makes　to　the　meester；　when　suddenly　something　so　dazzling　is　placed　in　her　hand　that　she　gives　a　cry　of　joy。

Then　she　ventures　to　look　about　her。　　Peter；　too；　has　something　in　his　hands。　　〃Oh！　　Oh！　　How　splendid！〃　she　cries；　and　〃Oh！　　How　splendid！〃　is　echoed　as　far　as　people　can　see。

Meantime　the　silver　skates　flash　in　the　sunshine；　throwing　dashes　of　light　upon　those　two　happy　faces。

Mevrouw　van　Gend　sends　a　little　messenger　with　her　bouquets。　　One　for　Hilda；　one　for　Carl；　and　others　for　Peter　and　Gretel。

At　sight　of　the　flowers　the　queen　of　the　skaters　becomes　uncontrollable。　　With　a　bright　stare　of　gratitude；　she　gathers　skates　and　bouquets　in　her　apron；　hugs　them　to　her　bosom；　and　darts　off　to　search　for　her　father　and　mother　in　the　scattering　crowd。




Joy　in　the　Cottage



Perhaps　you　were　surprised　to　learn　that　Raff　and　his　vrouw　were　at　the　skating　race。　　You　would　have　been　more　so　had　you　been　with　them　on　the　evening　of　that　merry　twentieth　of　December。　　To　see　the　Brinker　cottage　standing　sulkily　alone　on　the　frozen　marsh；　with　its　bulgy；　rheumatic…looking　walls　and　its　slouched　hat　of　a　roof　pulled　far　over　its　eyes；　one　would　never　suspect　that　a　lively　scene　was　passing　within。　　Without；　nothing　was　left　of　the　day　but　a　low　line　of　blaze　at　the　horizon。　　A　few　venturesome　clouds　had　already　taken　fire；　and　others；　with　their　edges　burning；　were　lost　in　the　gathering　smoke。

A　stray　gleam　of　sunshine　slipping　down　from　the　willow　stump　crept　stealthily　under　the　cottage。　　It　seemed　to　feel　that　the　inmates　would　give　it　welcome　if　it　could　only　get　near　them。　　The　room　under　which　it　hid　was　as　clean　as　clean　could　be。　　The　very　cracks　in　the　rafters　were　polished。　　Delicious　odors　filled　the　air。　　A　huge　peat　fire　upon　the　hearth　sent　flashes　of　harmless　lightning　at　the　somber　walls。　　It　played　in　turn　upon　the　great　leather　Bible；　upon　Gretel's　closet…bed；　the　household　things　upon　their　pegs；　and　the　beautiful　silver　skates　and　the　flowers　upon　the　table。　　Dame　Brinker's　honest　face　shone　and　twinkled　in　the　changing　light。　　Gretel　and　Hans；　with　arms　entwined；　were　leaning　against　the　fireplace；　laughing　merrily；　and　Raff　Brinker　was　dancing！

I　do　not　mean　that　he　was　pirouetting　or　cutting　a　pigeon…wing；　either　of　which　would　have　been　entirely　too　undignified　for　the　father　of　a　family。　　I　simply　affirm　that　while　they　were　chatting　pleasantly　together　Raff　suddenly　sprang　from　his　seat；　snapped　his　fingers；　and　performed　two　or　three　flourishes　very　much　like　the　climax　of　a　highland　fling。　　Next　he　caught　his　vrouw　in　his　arms　and　fairly　lifted　her　from　the　ground　in　his　delight。

〃Huzza！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　have　it！　　I　have　it！　　It's　Thomas　Higgs。　　That's　the　name！　　It　came　upon　me　like　a　flash。　　Write　it　down；　lad；　write　it　down！〃

Someone　knocked　at　the　door。

〃It's　the　meester；〃　cried　the　delighted　dame。　　〃Goede　Gunst！　　How　things　come　to　pass！〃

Mother　and　children　came　in　merry　collision　as　they　rushed　to　open　the　door。

It　was　not　the　doctor；　after　all；　but　three　boys；　Peter　van　Holp；　Lambert；　and　Ben。

〃Good　evening；　young　gentlemen；〃　said　Dame　Brinker；　so　happy　and　proud　that　she　would　scarcely　have　been　surprised　at　a　visit　from　the　king　himself。

〃Good　evening；　jufvrouw；〃　said　the　trio；　making　magnificent　bows。

Dear　me；　thought　Dame　Brinker　as　she　bobbed　up　and　down　like　a　churn　dasher；　it's　lucky　I　learned　to　curtsy　at　Heidelberg！

Raff　was　content　to　return　the　boys'　salutations　with　a　respectful　nod。

〃Pray　be　seated；　young　masters；〃　said　the　dame　as　Gretel　bashfully　thrust　a　stool　at　them。　　〃There's　a　lack　of　chairs　as　you　see；　but　this　one　by　the　fire　is　at　your　service；　and　if　you　don't　mind　the　hardness；　that　oak　chest　is　as　good　a　seat　as　the　best。　　That's　right；　Hans；　pull　it　out。〃

By　the　time　the　boys　were　seated　to　the　dame's　satisfaction；　Peter；　acting　as　a　spokesman；　had　explained　that　they　were　going　to　attend　a　lecture　at　Amsterdam；　and　had　stopped　on　the　way　to　return　Hans's　strap。

〃Oh；　mynheer；〃　cried　Hans；　earnestly；　〃it　is　too　much　trouble。　　I　am　very　sorry。〃

〃No　trouble　at　all；　Hans。　　I　could　have　waited　for　you　to　come　to　your　work　tomorrow；　had　I　not　wished　to　call。　　And；　Hans；　talking　of　your　work；　my　father　is　much　pleased　with　it。　　A　carver　by　trade　could　not　have　done　it　better。　　He　would　like　to　have　the　south　arbor　ornamented；　also；　but　I　told　him　you　were　going　to　school　again。〃

〃Aye！〃　put　in　Raff　Brinker；　emphatically。　　〃Hans　must　go　to　school　at　onceand　Gretel　as　wellthat　is　true。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　you　say　so；〃　responded　Peter；　turning　toward　the　father；　〃and　very　glad　to　know　that　you　are　again　a　well　man。〃

〃Yes；　young　master；　a　well　man；　and　able　to　work　as　steady　as　ever；　thank　God！〃

Here　Hans　hastily　wrote　something　on　the　edge　of　a　time…worn　almanac　that　hung　by　the　chimney…place。　　〃Aye；　that's　right；　lad；　set　it　down。　　Figgs！　　Wiggs！　　Alack！　　Alack！〃　added　Raff　in　great　dismay；　〃it's　gone　again！〃

〃All　right；　Father；〃　said　Hans；　〃the　name's　down　now　in　black　and　white。　　Here；　look　at　it；　father；　mayhap　the　rest　will　come　to　you。　　If　we　had　the　place　as　well；　it　would　be　complete！〃　　Then　turning　to　Peter；　he　said　in　a　low　tone；　〃I　have　an　important　errand　in　town；　mynheer；　and　if〃

〃Wist！〃　exclaimed　the　dame；　lifting　her　hands。　　〃Not　to　Amsterdam　tonight；　and　you've　owned　your　legs　were　aching　under　you。　　N