hans brinker-第13部分

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coffee　and　cakes；　beside　a　great　bunch　of　water　lilies　on　the　table。　　It's　very　fine；　I　can　tell　you；　only　（between　ourselves）；　though　I　was　born　here；　I　shall　never　fancy　the　odor　of　stagnant　water　that　hangs　about　most　of　the　summer　houses。　　Nearly　every　one　you　see　is　built　over　a　ditch。　　Probably　I　feel　it　more；　from　having　lived　so　long　in　England。〃

〃Perhaps　I　shall　notice　it　too；〃　said　Ben；　〃if　a　thaw　comes。　　The　early　winter　has　covered　up　the　fragrant　waters　for　my　benefitmuch　obliged　to　it。　　Holland　without　this　glorious　skating　wouldn't　be　the　same　thing　at　all。〃

〃How　very　different　you　are　from　the　Poots！〃　exclaimed　Lambert；　who　had　been　listening　in　a　sort　of　brown　study。　　〃And　yet　you　are　cousinsI　cannot　understand　it。〃

〃We　ARE　cousins；　or　rather　we　have　always　considered　ourselves　such；　but　the　relationship　is　not　very　close。　　Our　grandmothers　were　half…sisters。　　MY　side　of　the　family　is　entirely　English；　while　he　is　entirely　Dutch。　　Old　Great…grandfather　Poot　married　twice；　you　see；　and　I　am　a　descendant　of　his　English　wife。　　I　like　Jacob；　though；　better　than　half　of　my　English　cousins　put　together。　　He　is　the　truest…hearted；　best…natured　boy　I　ever　knew。　　Strange　as　you　may　think　it；　my　father　became　accidentally　acquainted　with　Jacob's　father　while　on　a　business　visit　to　Rotterdam。　　They　soon　talked　over　their　relationshipin　French；　by　the　wayand　they　have　corresponded　in　the　language　ever　since。　　Queer　things　come　about　in　this　world。　　My　sister　Jenny　would　open　her　eyes　at　some　of　Aunt　Poot's　ways。　　Aunt　is　a　thorough　lady；　but　so　different　from　motherand　the　house；　too；　and　furniture；　and　way　of　living；　everything　is　different。〃

〃Of　course；〃　assented　Lambert；　complacently；　as　if　to　say　You　could　scarcely　expect　such　general　perfection　anywhere　else　than　in　Holland。　　〃But　you　will　have　all　the　more　to　tell　Jenny　when　you　go　back。〃

〃Yes；　indeed。　　I　can　say　one　thingif　cleanliness　is；　as　they　claim；　next　to　godliness；　Broek　is　safe。　　It　is　the　cleanest　place　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。　　Why；　my　Aunt　Poot；　rich　as　she　is；　scrubs　half　the　time；　and　her　house　looks　as　if　it　were　varnished　all　over。　　I　wrote　to　mother　yesterday　that　I　could　see　my　double　always　with　me；　feet　to　feet；　in　the　polished　floor　of　the　dining　room。〃

〃Your　DOUBLE！　　That　word　puzzles　me；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　my　reflection；　my　apparition。　　Ben　Dobbs　number　two。〃

〃Ah；　I　see；〃　exclaimed　Van　Mounen。　　〃Have　you　ever　been　in　your　Aunt　Poot's　grand　parlor？〃

Ben　laughed。　　〃Only　once；　and　that　was　on　the　day　of　my　arrival。　　Jacob　says　I　shall　have　no　chance　of　entering　it　again　until　the　time　of　his　sister　Kanau's　wedding；　the　week　after　Christmas。　　Father　has　consented　that　I　shall　remain　to　witness　the　great　event。　　Every　Saturday　Aunt　Poot　and　her　fat　Kate　go　into　that　parlor　and　sweep　and　polish　and　scrub；　then　it　is　darkened　and　closed　until　Saturday　comes　again；　not　a　soul　enters　it　in　the　meantime；　but　the　schoonmaken；　as　she　calls　it；　must　be　done　just　the　same。〃

〃That　is　nothing。　　Every　parlor　in　Broek　meets　with　the　same　treatment；〃　said　Lambert。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　those　moving　figures　in　her　neighbor's　garden？〃

〃Oh；　they're　well　enough；　the　swans　must　seem　really　alive　gliding　about　the　pond　in　summer；　but　that　nodding　mandarin　in　the　corner；　under　the　chestnut　trees；　is　ridiculous；　only　fit　for　children　to　laugh　at。　　And　then　the　stiff　garden　patches；　and　the　trees　all　trimmed　and　painted。　　Excuse　me；　Van　Mounen；　but　I　shall　never　learn　to　admire　Dutch　taste。〃

〃It　will　take　time；〃　answered　Lambert　condescendingly；　〃but　you　are　sure　to　agree　with　it　at　last。　　I　saw　much　to　admire　in　England；　and　I　hope　I　shall　be　sent　back　with　you　to　study　at　Oxford；　but；　take　everything　together；　I　like　Holland　best。〃

〃Of　course　you　do；〃　said　Ben　in　a　tone　of　hearty　approval。　　〃You　wouldn't　be　a　good　Hollander　if　you　didn't。　　Nothing　like　loving　one's　country。　　It　is　strange；　though；　to　have　such　a　warm　feeling　for　such　a　cold　place。　　If　we　were　not　exercising　all　the　time；　we　should　freeze　outright。〃

Lambert　laughed。

〃That's　your　English　blood；　Benjamin。　　I'M　not　cold。　　And　look　at　the　skaters　here　on　the　canalthey're　red　as　roses　and　happy　as　lords。　　Halloo；　good　Captain　van　Holp；〃　called　out　Lambert　in　Dutch；　〃what　say　you　to　stopping　at　yonder　farmhouse　and　warming　our　toes？〃

〃Who　is　cold？〃　asked　Peter；　turning　around。

〃Benjamin　Dobbs。〃

〃Benjamin　Dobbs　shall　be　warmed；〃　and　the　party　was　brought　to　a　halt。




On　the　Way　to　Haarlem



On　approaching　the　door　of　the　farmhouse　the　boys　suddenly　found　themselves　in　the　midst　of　a　lively　domestic　scene。　　A　burly　Dutchman　came　rushing　out；　closely　followed　by　his　dear　vrouw；　and　she　was　beating　him　smartly　with　her　long…handled　warming　pan。　　The　expression　on　her　face　gave　our　boys　so　little　promise　of　a　kind　reception　that　they　prudently　resolved　to　carry　their　toes　elsewhere　to　be　warmed。

The　next　cottage　proved　to　be　more　inviting。　　Its　low　roof　of　bright　red　tiles　extended　over　the　cow　stable　that；　clean　as　could　be；　nestled　close　to　the　main　building。　　A　neat；　peaceful…looking　old　woman　sat　at　one　window；　knitting。　　At　the　other　could　be　discerned　part　of　the　profile　of　a　fat　figure　that；　pipe　in　mouth；　sat　behind　the　shining　little　panes　and　snowy　curtain。　　In　answer　to　Peter's　subdued　knock；　a　fair…haired；　rosy…cheeked　lass　in　holiday　attire　opened　the　upper　half　of　the　green　door　（which　was　divided　across　the　middle）　and　inquired　their　errand。

〃May　we　enter　and　warm　ourselves；　jufvrouw？〃　asked　the　captain　respectfully。

〃Yes；　and　welcome〃　was　the　reply　as　the　lower　half　of　the　door　swung　softly　toward　its　mate。　　Every　boy；　before　entering；　rubbed　long　and　faithfully　upon　the　rough　mat；　and　each　made　his　best　bow　to　the　old　lady　and　gentleman　at　the　window。　　Ben　was　half　inclined　to　think　that　these　personages　were　automata　like　the　moving　figures　in　the　garden　at　Broek；　for　they　both　nodded　their　heads　slowly；　in　precisely　the　same　way；　and　both　went　on　with　their　employment　as　steadily　and　stiffly　as　though　they　worked　by　machinery。　　The　old　man　puffed；　puffed；　and　his　vrouw　clicked　her　knitting　needles；　as　if　regulated　by　internal　cog　wheels。　　Even　the　real　smoke　issuing　from　the　motionless　pipe　gave　no　convincing　proof　that　they　were　human。

But　the　rosy…cheeked　maiden。　　Ah；　how　she　bustled　about。　　How　she　gave　the　boys　polished　high…backed　chairs　to　sit　upon；　how　she　made　the　fire　blaze　as　if　it　were　inspired；　how　she　made　Jacob　Poot　almost　weep　for　joy　by　bringing　forth　a　great　square　of　gingerbread　and　a　stone　jug　of　sour　wine！　　How　she　laughed　and　nodded　as　the　boys　ate　like　wild　animals　on　good　behavior；　and　how　blank　she　looked　when　Ben　politely　but　firmly　refused　to　take　any　black　bread　and　sauerkraut！　　How　she　pulled　off　Jacob's　mitten；　which　was　torn　at　the　thumb；　and　mended　it　before　his　eyes；　biting　off　the　thread　with　her　whit　teeth；　and　saying　〃Now　it　will　be　warmer〃　as　she　bit；　and　finally；　how　she　shook　hands　with　every　boy　in　turn　and；　throwing　a　deprecating　glance　at　the　female　automaton；　insisted　upon　filling　their　pockets　with　gingerbread！

All　this　time　the　knitting　needles　clicked　on；　and　the　pipe　never　missed　a　puff。

When　the　boys　were　fairly　on　their　way　again；　they　came　in　sight　of　the　Zwanenburg　Castle　with　its　massive　stone　front；　and　its　gateway　towers；　each　surmounted　with　a　sculptured　swan。

〃Halfweg；　*｛Halfway。｝　boys；〃　said　Peter；　〃off　with　your　skates。〃

〃You　see；〃　explained　Lambert　to　his　companions；　〃the　Y　and　the　Haarlem　Lake　meeting　here　make　it　rather　troublesome。　　The　river　is　five　feet　higher　than　the　land；　so　we　must　have　everything　strong　in　the　way　of　dikes　and　sluice　gates；　or　there　would　be　wet　work　at　once。　　The　sluice　arrangements　are　supposed　to　be　something　extra。　　We　will　walk　over　them　and　you　shall　see　enough　to　make　you　open　your　eyes。　　The　spring　water　of　the　lake；　they　say；　has　the　most　wonderful　bleaching　powers　of　any　in　the　world；　all　the　great　Haarlem　bleacheries　use　it。　　I　can't　say　much　upon　that　subject；　but　I　can　tell　you　ONE　thing　from　personal　experience。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃Why；　the　lake　is　full　of　the　biggest　eels　you　ever　saw。　　I've　caught　them　here；　oftenperfectly　prodigious！　　I　tell　you　they're　sometimes　a　match　for　a　fellow；　they'd　almost　wriggle　your　arm　from　the　socket　if　you　were　not　on　your　guard。　　But　you're　not　interested　in　eels；　I　perceive。　　The　castle's　a　big　affair；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes。　　What　do　those　swans　mean？　　Anything？〃　asked　Ben；　looking　up　at　the　stone　gate　towers。

〃The　swan　is　held　almost　in　reverence　by　us　Hollanders。　　These　give　the　building　its　nameZwanenburg；　swan　castle。　　That　is　all　I　know。　　This　is　a　very　important　spot；　for　it　is　here　that　the　wise　ones　hold　council　with　regard　to　dike　matters。　　The　castle　was　once　the　residence　of　the　celebrated　Christian　Brunings。〃

〃What　about　HIM？〃　asked　Ben。

〃Peter　could　answer　you　better　than　I；〃　said　Lambert；　〃if　you　could　only　understand　each　other；　or　were　not　such　cowards　about　leaving　your　mother　tongues。　　But　I　have　often　heard　my　grandfather　speak　of　Brunings。　　He　is　never　tired　of　telling　us　of　the　great　engineerhow　good　he　was　and　how　learned　and　how；　when　he　died；　the　whole　country　seemed　to　mourn　as　for　a　friend。　　He　belonged　to　a　great　many　learned　societies　and　was　at　the　head　of　the　State　Department　intrusted　with　the　care　of　the　dikes　and　other　defences　against　the　sea。　　There's　no　counting　the　improvements　he　made　in　dikes　and　sluices　and　water　mills　and　all　that　kind　of　thing。　　We　Hollanders；　you　know；　consider　our　great　engineers　as　the　highest　of　public　benefactors。　　Brunings　died　years　ago；　they've　a　monument　to　his　memory　in　the　cathedral　of　Haarlem。　　I　have　seen　his　portrait；　and　I　tell　you；　Ben；　he　was　right　noble…looking。　　No　wonder　the　castle　looks　so　stiff　and　proud。　　It　is　something　to　have　given　shelter　to　such　a　man！〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Ben。　　〃I　wonder；　Van　Mounen；　whether　you　or　I　will　ever　give　any　old　building　a　right　to　feel　so　proud。　　Heigh…ho！　　There's　a　great　deal　to　be　done　yet　in　this　world　and　some　of　us；　who　are　boys　now；　will　have　to　do　it。　　Look　to　your　shoe　latchet；　Van。　　It's　unfastened。




A　Catastrophe



It　was　nearly　one