hans brinker-第50节

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ing　under　you。　　Nay；　nayit'll　be　soon　enough　to　go　at　early　daylight。〃

〃Daylight；　indeed！〃　echoed　Raff。　　〃That　would　never　do。　　Nay；　Meitje；　he　must　go　this　hour。〃

The　vrouw　looked　for　an　instant　as　if　Raff's　recovery　was　becoming　rather　a　doubtful　benefit；　her　word　was　no　longer　sole　law　in　the　house。　　Fortunately　the　proverb　〃Humble　wife　is　husband's　boss〃　had　taken　deep　root　in　her　mind；　even　as　the　dame　pondered；　it　bloomed。

〃Very　well；　Raff；〃　she　said　smilingly；　〃it　is　thy　boy　as　well　as　mine。　　Ah！　　I've　a　troublesome　house；　young　masters。〃

Just　then　Peter　drew　a　long　strap　from　his　pocket。

Handing　it　to　Hans　he　said　in　an　undertone；　〃I　need　not　thank　you　for　lending　me　this；　Hans　Brinker。　　Such　boys　as　you　do　not　ask　for　thanks；　but　I　must　say　you　did　me　a　great　kindness；　and　I　am　proud　to　acknowledge　it。　　I　did　not　know；〃　he　added　laughingly；　〃until　fairly　in　the　race；　how　anxious　I　was　to　win。〃

Hans　was　glad　to　join　in　Peter's　laugh；　it　covered　his　embarrassment　and　gave　his　face　a　chance　to　cool　off　a　little。　　Honest；　generous　boys　like　Hans　have　such　a　stupid　way　of　blushing　when　you　least　expect　it。

〃It　was　nothing；　mynheer；〃　said　the　dame；　hastening　to　her　son's　relief。　　〃The　lad's　whole　soul　was　in　having　you　win　the　race；　I　know　it　was！〃

This　helped　matters　beautifully。

〃Ah；　mynheer；〃　Hans　hurried　to　say；　〃from　the　first　start　I　felt　stiff　and　strange　on　my　feet。　　I　was　well　out　of　it　so　long　as　I　had　no　chance　of　winning。〃

Peter　looked　rather　distressed。

〃We　may　hold　different　opinions　here。　　That　part　of　the　business　troubles　me。　　It　is　too　late　to　mend　it　now；　but　it　would　be　really　a　kindness　to　me　if〃

The　rest　of　Peter's　speech　was　uttered　so　confidentially　that　I　cannot　record　it。　　Enough　to　say；　Hans　soon　started　back　in　dismay；　and　Peter；　looking　very　much　ashamed；　stammered　out　something　to　the　effect　that　he　would　keep　them；　since　he　won　the　race；　but　it　was　〃all　wrong。〃

Here　Van　Mounen　coughed；　as　if　to　remind　Peter　that　lecture　hour　was　approaching　fast。　　At　the　same　moment　Ben　laid　something　upon　the　table。

〃Ah；〃　exclaimed　Peter；　〃I　forgot　my　other　errand。　　Your　sister　ran　off　so　quickly　today　that　Madame　van　Gleck　had　no　opportunity　to　give　her　the　case　for　her　skates。〃

〃S…s…t！〃　said　Dame　Brinker；　shaking　her　head　reproachfully　at　Gretel。　　〃She　was　a　very　rude　girl；　I'm　sure。〃　　Secretly　she　was　thinking　that　very　few　women　had　such　a　fine　little　daughter。〃

〃No；　indeed〃Peter　laughed〃she　did　exactly　the　right　thingran　home　with　her　richly　won　treasures。　　Who　would　not？　　Don't　let　us　detain　you；　Hans；〃　he　continued；　turning　around　as　he　spoke；　but　Hans；　who　was　eagerly　watching　his　father；　seemed　to　have　forgotten　their　presence。

Meantime；　Raff；　lost　in　thought；　was　repeating；　under　his　breath；　〃Thomas　Higgs；　Thomas　Higgs；　aye；　that's　the　name。　　Alack！　if　I　could　but　remember　the　place　as　well。〃

The　skate　case　was　elegantly　made　of　crimson　morocco；　ornamented　with　silver。　　If　a　fairy　had　designed　its　delicate　tracery；　they　could　not　have　been　more　daintily　beautiful。　　〃For　the　Fleetest〃　was　written　upon　the　cover　in　sparkling　letters。　　It　was　lined　with　velvet；　and　in　one　corner　was　stamped　the　name　and　address　of　the　maker。

Gretel　thanked　Peter　in　her　own　simple　way；　then；　being　quite　delighted　and　confused　and　not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　she　lifted　the　case；　carefully　examining　it　in　every　part。　　〃It's　made　by　Mynheer　Birmingham；〃　she　said　after　a　while；　still　blushing　and　holding　it　before　her　eyes。

〃Birmingham！〃　replied　Lambert　van　Mounen；　〃that's　the　name　of　a　place　in　England。　　Let　me　see　it。〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　　He　laughed；　holding　the　open　case　toward　the　firelight。　　〃No　wonder　you　thought　so；　but　it's　a　slight　mistake。　　The　case　was　made　at　Birmingham；　but　the　maker's　name　is　in　smaller　letters。　　Humph！　　They're　so　small；　I　can't　read　them。〃

〃Let　me　try；〃　said　Peter；　leaning　over　his　shoulder。　　〃Why；　man；　it's　perfectly　distinct。　　It's　T…Hit's　T〃

〃Well！〃　exclaimed　Lambert　triumphantly；　〃if　you　can　read　it　so　easily；　let's　hear　it；　T…H；　what？〃

〃T。H。…T。H。　　Oh！　　Why；　Thomas　Higgs；　to　be　sure；〃　replied　Peter；　pleased　to　be　able　to　decipher　it　at　last。　　Then；　feeling　that　they　had　been　acting　rather　unceremoniously；　he　turned　to　Hans。

Peter　turned　pale！　　What　was　the　matter　with　the　people？　　Raff　and　Hans　had　started　up　and　were　staring　at　him　in　glad　amazement。　　Gretel　looked　wild。　　Dame　Brinker；　with　an　unlighted　candle　in　her　hand；　was　rushing　about　the　room；　crying；　〃Hans！　　Hans！　　Where's　your　hat？　　Oh；　the　meester！　　Oh　the　meester！〃

〃Birmingham！　　Higgs！〃　exclaimed　Hans。　　〃Did　you　say　Higgs？　　We've　found　him！　　I　must　be　off。〃

〃You　see；　young　masters。〃　　The　dame　was　panting；　at　the　same　time　snatching　Hans's　hat　from　the　bed；　〃you　seewe　know　him。　　He's　ourno；　he　isn't。　　I　meanoh；　Hans；　you　must　go　to　Amsterdam　this　minute！〃

〃Good　night；　mynheers；〃　panted　Hans；　radiant　with　sudden　joy。　　〃Good　night。　　You　will　excuse　me；　I　must　go。　　BirminghamHiggsHiggsBirmingham。〃　　And　seizing　his　hat　from　his　mother　and　his　skates　from　Gretel　he　rushed　from　the　cottage。

What　could　the　boys　think；　but　that　the　entire　Brinker　family　had　suddenly　gone　crazy！

They　bade　an　embarrassed　〃Good　evening；〃　and　turned　to　go。　　But　Raff　stopped　them。

〃This　Thomas　Higgs；　young　masters；　is　aa　person。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Peter；　quite　sure　that　Raff　was　the　most　crazy　of　all。

〃Yes；　a　person。　　Aahema　friend。　　We　thought　him　dead。　　I　hope　it　is　the　same　man。　　In　England；　did　you　say？〃

〃Yes；　Birmingham；〃　answered　Peter。　　〃It　must　be　Birmingham　in　England。〃

〃I　know　the　man；〃　said　Ben；　addressing　Lambert。　　〃His　factory　is　not　four　miles　from　our　place。　　A　queer　fellowstill　as　an　oysterdoesn't　seem　at　all　like　an　Englishman。　　I've　often　seen　hima　solemn…looking　chap；　with　magnificent　eyes。　　He　made　a　beautiful　writing　case　once　for　me　to　give　Jenny　on　her　birthday。　　Makes　pocketbooks；　telescope　cases；　and　all　kinds　of　leatherwork。〃

As　this　was　said　in　English；　Van　Mounen　of　course　translated　it　for　the　benefit　of　all　concerned；　noticing　meanwhile　that　neither　Raff　nor　his　vrouw　looked　very　miserable；　though　Raff　was　trembling　and　the　dame's　eyes　were　swimming　with　tears。

You　may　believe　that　the　doctor　heard　every　word　of　the　story；　when　later　in　the　evening　he　came　driving　back　with　Hans。　　〃The　three　young　gentlemen　have　been　gone　some　time；〃　Dame　Brinker　said；　〃but　like　enough；　by　hurrying；　it　would　be　easy　to　find　them　coming　out　from　the　lecture；　wherever　that　was。〃

〃True；〃　said　Raff；　nodding　his　head。　　〃The　vrouw　always　hits　upon　the　right　thing。　　It　would　be　well　to　see　the　young　English　gentleman；　mynheer；　before　he　forgets　all　about　Thomas　Higgs。　　It's　a　slippery　name；　d'ye　see？　　One　can't　hold　it　safe　a　minute。　　It　come　upon　me　sudden　and　strong　as　a　pile　driver；　and　my　boy　writ　it　down。　　Aye；　mynheer；　I'd　haste　to　talk　with　the　English　lad。　　He's　seen　your　son　many　a　timeonly　to　think　on't！〃

Dame　Brinker　took　up　the　thread　of　the　discourse。

〃You'll　pick　out　the　lad　quick　enough；　mynheer；　because　he's　in　company　with　Peter　van　Holp；　and　his　hair　curls　up　over　his　forehead　like　foreign　folk's；　and　if　you　hear　him　speak；　he　talks　of　big　and　fast；　only　it's　English；　but　that　wouldn't　be　any　hindrance　to　your　honor。〃

The　doctor　had　already　lifted　his　hat　to　go。　　With　a　beaming　face　he　muttered　something　about　its　being　just　like　the　young　scamp　to　give　himself　a　rascally　English　name；　called　Hans　〃my　son；〃　thereby　making　that　young　gentleman　as　happy　as　a　lord；　and　left　the　cottage　with　very　little　ceremony；　considering　what　a　great　meester　he　was。


The　grumbling　coachman　comforted　himself　by　speaking　his　mind　as　he　drove　back　to　Amsterdam。　　Since　the　doctor　was　safely　stowed　away　in　the　coach　and　could　not　hear　a　word；　it　was　a　fine　time　to　say　terrible　things　of　folks　who　hadn't　no　manner　of　feeling　for　nobody；　and　who　were　always　wanting　the　horses　a　dozen　times　of　a　night。




Mysterious　Disappearance　of　Thomas　Higgs



Higgs's　factory　was　a　mine　of　delight　for　the　gossips　of　Birmingham。　　It　was　a　small　building　but　quite　large　enough　to　hold　a　mystery。　　Who　the　proprietor　was；　or　where　he　came　from　none　could　tell。　　He　looked　like　a　gentleman；　that　was　certain；　though　everybody　knew　he　had　risen　from　an　apprenticeship；　and　he　could　handle　his　pen　like　a　writing　master。

Years　ago　he　had　suddenly　appeared　in　the　place　a　lad　of　eighteen；　learned　his　trade　faithfully；　and　risen　in　the　confidence　of　his　employer；　been　taken　in　as　a　partner　soon　after　the　time　was　up。　　Finally；　when　old　Willett　died；　had　assumed　the　business　on　his　own　hands。　　This　was　all　that　was　known　of　his　affairs。

It　was　a　common　remark　among　some　of　the　good　people　that　he　never　had　a　word　to　say　to　a　Christian　soul；　while　others　declared　that　though　he　spoke　beautifully　when　he　chose　to；　there　was　something　wrong　in　his　accent。　　A　tidy　man；　too；　they　called　him；　all　but　for　having　that　scandalous　green　pond　alongside　of　his　factory；　which　wasn't　deep　enough　for　an　eel　and　was　〃just　a　fever　nest；　as　sure　as　you　live。〃

His　nationality　was　a　great　puzzle。　　The　English　name　spoke　plain　enough　for　ONE　side　of　his　house；　but　of　what　manner　of