hans brinker-第5节

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ad　bells〃came　from　the　excited　group；　but　Mynheer　Voostenwalbert　Schimmelpenninck　essayed　to　settle　the　matter　with　a　decisive　〃Well；　you　don't　any　of　you　know　a　single　thing　about　it；　they　haven't　a　sign　of　a　bell　on　them；　they〃

〃Oh！　oh！〃　and　the　chorus　of　conflicting　opinions　broke　forth　again。

〃The　girls'　pair　is　to　have　bells；〃　interposed　Hilda　quietly；　〃but　there　is　to　be　another　pair　for　the　boys　with　an　arrow　engraved　upon　the　sides。〃

〃THERE！　　I　told　you　so！〃　cried　nearly　all　the　youngsters　in　one　breath。

Katrinka　looked　at　them　with　bewildered　eyes。

〃Who　is　to　try？〃　she　asked。

〃All　of　us；〃　answered　Rychie。　　〃It　will　be　such　fun！　　And　you　must；　too；　Katrinka。　　But　it's　schooltime　now；　we　will　talk　it　all　over　at　noon。　　Oh！　you　will　join；　of　course。〃

Katrinka；　without　replying；　made　a　graceful　pirouette　and　laughing　out　a　coquettish；　〃Don't　you　hear　the　last　bell？　　Catch　me！〃　darted　off　toward　the　schoolhouse　standing　half　a　mile　away　on　the　canal。

All　started；　pell…mell；　at　this　challenge；　but　they　tried　in　vain　to　catch　the　bright…eyed；　laughing　creature　who；　with　golden　hair　streaming　in　the　sunlight；　cast　back　many　a　sparkling　glance　of　triumph　as　she　floated　onward。

Beautiful　Katrinka！　　Flushed　with　youth　and　health；　all　life　and　mirth　and　motion；　what　wonder　thine　image；　ever　floating　in　advance；　sped　through　one　boy's　dreams　that　night！　　What　wonder　that　it　seemed　his　darkest　hour　when；　years　afterward；　thy　presence　floated　away　from　him　forever。




Hans　and　Gretel　Find　a　Friend



At　noon　our　young　friends　poured　forth　from　the　schoolhouse；　intent　upon　having　an　hour's　practice　upon　the　canal。

They　had　skated　but　a　few　moments　when　Carl　Schummel　said　mockingly　to　Hilda；　〃There's　a　pretty　pair　just　coming　upon　the　ice！　　The　little　ragpickers！　　Their　skates　must　have　been　a　present　from　the　king　direct。〃

〃They　are　patient　creatures；〃　said　Hilda　gently。　　〃It　must　have　been　hard　to　learn　to　skate　upon　such　queer　affairs。　　They　are　very　poor　peasants；　you　see。　　The　boy　has　probably　made　the　skates　himself。〃

Carl　was　somewhat　abashed。

〃Patient　they　may　be；　but　as　for　skating；　they　start　off　pretty　well；　only　to　finish　with　a　jerk。　　They　could　move　well　to　your　new　staccato　piece；　I　think。〃

Hilda　laughed　pleasantly　and　left　him。　　After　joining　a　small　detachment　of　the　racers　and　sailing　past　every　one　of　them；　she　halted　beside　Gretel；　who；　with　eager　eyes；　had　been　watching　the　sport。

〃What　is　your　name；　little　girl？〃

〃Gretel；　my　lady；〃　answered　the　child；　somewhat　awed　by　Hilda's　rank；　though　they　were　nearly　of　the　same　age；　〃and　my　brother　is　called　Hans。〃

〃Hans　is　a　stout　fellow；〃　said　Hilda　cheerily；　〃and　seems　to　have　a　warm　stove　somewhere　within　him；　but　YOU　look　cold。　　You　should　wear　more　clothing；　little　one。〃

Gretel；　who　had　nothing　else　to　wear；　tried　to　laugh　as　she　answered；　〃I　am　not　so　very　little。　　I　am　past　twelve　years　old。〃

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon。　　You　see；　I　am　nearly　fourteen；　and　so　large　for　my　age　that　other　girls　seem　small　to　me；　but　that　is　nothing。　　Perhaps　you　will　shoot　up　far　above　me　yet；　but　not　unless　you　dress　more　warmly；　though。　　Shivering　girls　never　grow。〃

Hans　flushed　as　he　saw　tears　rising　in　Gretel's　eyes。

〃My　sister　has　not　complained　of　the　cold；　but　this　is　bitter　weather；　they　all　say。〃　　And　he　looked　sadly　upon　Gretel。

〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　Gretel。　　〃I　am　often　warmtoo　warm　when　I　am　skating。　　You　are　good；　jufvrouw；　*｛Miss；　young　lady　（pronounced　yuffrow）。　　In　studied　or　polite　address　it　would　be　jongvrowe　（pronounced　youngfrow）。｝　to　think　of　it。〃

〃No；　no；〃　answered　Hilda；　quite　angry　at　herself。　　〃I　am　careless；　cruel；　but　I　meant　no　harm。　　I　wanted　to　ask　youI　mean；　if〃　　And　here　Hilda；　coming　to　the　point　of　her　errand；　faltered　before　the　poorly　clad　but　noble…looking　children　she　wished　to　serve。

〃What　is　it；　young　lady？〃　exclaimed　Hans　eagerly。　　〃If　there　is　any　service　I　can　do；　any〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　laughed　Hilda；　shaking　off　her　embarrassment。　　〃I　only　wished　to　speak　to　you　about　the　grand　race。　　Why　do　you　not　join　it？　　You　both　can　skate　well；　and　the　ranks　are　free。　　Anyone　may　enter　for　the　prize。〃

Gretel　looked　wistfully　at　Hans；　who；　tugging　at　his　cap；　answered　respectfully。

〃Ah；　jufvrouw；　even　if　we　could　enter；　we　could　skate　only　a　few　strokes　with　the　rest。　　Our　skates　are　hard　wood；　you　see〃holding　up　the　sole　of　his　foot〃but　they　soon　become　damp；　and　then　they　stick　and　trip　us。〃

Gretel's　eyes　twinkled　with　fun　as　she　thought　of　Hans's　mishap　in　the　morning；　but　she　blushed　as　she　faltered　out　timidly；　〃Oh；　no；　we　can't　join；　but　may　we　be　there；　my　lady；　on　the　great　day　to　look　on？〃

〃Certainly；〃　answered　Hilda；　looking　kindly　into　the　two　earnest　faces　and　wishing　from　her　heart　that　she　had　not　spent　so　much　of　her　monthly　allowance　for　lace　and　finery。　　She　had　but　eight　kwartjes　*｛A　kwartje　is　a　small　silver　coin　worth　one…quarter　of　a　guilder；　or　ten　cents　in　American　currency。｝　left；　and　they　would　buy　but　one　pair　of　skates；　at　the　furthest。

Looking　down　with　a　sigh　at　the　two　pairs　of　feet　so　very　different　in　size；　she　asked：

〃Which　of　you　is　the　better　skater？〃

〃Gretel；〃　replied　Hans　promptly。

〃Hans；〃　answered　Gretel　in　the　same　breath。

Hilda　smiled。

〃I　cannot　buy　you　each　a　pair　of　skates；　or　even　one　good　pair；　but　here　are　eight　kwartjes。　　Decide　between　you　which　stands　the　best　chance　of　winning　the　race；　and　buy　the　skates　accordingly。　　I　wish　I　had　enough　to　buy　better　ones。　　Good…bye！〃　　And；　with　a　nod　and　a　smile；　Hilda；　after　handing　the　money　to　the　electrified　Hans；　glided　swiftly　away　to　rejoin　her　companions。

〃Jufvrouw！　　Jufvrouw　van　Gleck！〃　called　Hans　in　a　loud　tone；　stumbling　after　her　as　well　as　he　could；　for　one　of　his　skate　strings　was　untied。

Hilda　turned　and；　with　one　hand　raised　to　shield　her　eyes　from　the　sun；　seemed　to　him　to　be　floating　through　the　air；　nearer　and　nearer。

〃We　cannot　take　this　money；〃　panted　Hans；　〃though　we　know　your　goodness　in　giving　it。〃

〃Why　not；　indeed？〃　asked　Hilda；　flushing。

〃Because；〃　replied　Hans；　bowing　like　a　clown　but　looking　with　the　eye　of　a　prince　at　the　queenly　girl；　〃we　have　not　earned　it。〃

Hilda　was　quick…witted。　　She　had　noticed　a　pretty　wooden　chain　upon　Gretel's　neck。

〃Carve　me　a　chain；　Hans；　like　the　one　your　sister　wears。〃

〃That　I　will；　lady；　with　all　my　heart。　　We　have　whitewood　in　the　house；　fine　as　ivory；　you　shall　have　one　tomorrow。〃　　And　Hans　hastily　tried　to　return　the　money。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Hilda　decidedly。　　〃That　sum　will　be　but　a　poor　price　for　the　chain。〃　　And　off　she　darted　outstripping　the　fleetest　among　the　skaters。

Hans　sent　a　long；　bewildered　gaze　after　her；　it　was　useless；　he　felt；　to　make　any　further　resistance。

〃It　is　right；〃　he　muttered；　half　to　himself；　half　to　his　faithful　shadow；　Gretel。　　〃I　must　work　hard　every　minute；　and　sit　up　half　the　night　if　the　mother　will　let　me　burn　a　candle；　but　the　chain　shall　be　finished。　　We　may　keep　the　money；　Gretel。〃

〃What　a　good　little　lady！〃　cried　Gretel；　clapping　her　hands　with　delight。　　〃Oh！　Hans；　was　it　for　nothing　the　stork　settled　on　our　roof　last　summer？　　Do　you　remember　how　the　mother　said　it　would　bring　us　luck　and　how　she　cried　when　Janzoon　Kolp　shot　him？　　And　she　set　it　would　bring　him　trouble。　　But　the　luck　has　come　to　us　at　last！　　Now；　Hans；　if　the　mother　sends　us　to　town　tomorrow；　you　can　buy　the　skates　in　the　marketplace。〃

Hans　shook　his　head。　　〃The　young　lady　would　have　given　us　the　money　to　buy　skates；　but　if　I　EARN　it；　Gretel；　it　shall　be　spent　for　wool。　　You　must　have　a　warm　jacket。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Gretel　in　real　dismay；　〃not　buy　the　skates？　　Why；　I　am　not　often　cold！　　Mother　says　the　blood　runs　up　and　down　in　poor　children's　veins；　humming；　'I　must　keep　'em　warm！　　I　must　keep　'em　warm。'

〃Oh；　Hans；〃　she　continued　with　something　like　a　sob；　〃don't　say　you　won't　buy　the　skates。　　It　makes　me　feel　just　like　crying。　　Besides；　I　want　to　be　cold。　　I　mean；　I'm　real；　awful　warmso　now！〃

Hans　looked　up　hurriedly。　　He　had　a　true　Dutch　horror　or　tears；　or　emotion　of　any　kind；　and　most　of　all；　he　dreaded　to　see　his　sisters'　blue　eyes　overflowing。

〃Now；　mind；〃　cried　Gretel；　seeing　her　advantage；　〃I'll　feel　awful　if　you　give　up　the　skates。　　I　don't　want　them。　　I'm　not　so　stingy　as　that；　but　I　want　YOU　to　have　them；　and　then　when　I　get　bigger；　they'll　do　for　meohcount　the　pieces；　Hans。　　Did　you　ever　see　so　many！〃

Hans　turned　the　money　thoughtfully　in　his　palm。　　Never　in　all　his　life　had　he　longed　so　intensely　for　a　pair　of　skates；　for　he　had　known　of　the　race　and　had　fairly　ached　for　a　chance　to　test　his　powers　with　the　other　children。　　He　felt　confident　that　with　a　good　pair　of　steel　runners　he　could　readily　outdistance　most　of　the　boys　on　the　canal。　　Then；　too；　Gretel's　argument　was　plausible。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　knew　that　she；　with　her　strong　but　lithe　little　frame；　needed　but　a　week's　practice　on　good　runners　to　make　her　a　better　skater　than　Rychie　Korbes　or　even　Katrinka　Flack。　　As　soon　as　this　last　thought　flashed　upon　him；　his　resolve　was　made。　　If　Gretel　would　not　have　the　jacket；　she　should　have　the　skates。

〃No；　Gretel；〃　he　answered　at　last；　〃I　can