hans brinker-第24部分

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After　breakfast　the　boys　went　to　the　police　court；　accompanied　by　Huygens　Kleef　and　his　daughter。　　Mynheer's　testimony　was　principally　to　the　effect　that　such　a　thing　as　a　robber　at　the　Red　Lion　had　been　unheard　of　until　last　night；　and　as　for　the　Red　Lion；　it　was　a　most　respectable　inn；　as　respectable　as　any　house　in　Leyden。　　Each　boy；　in　turn；　told　all　that　he　knew　of　the　affair　and　identified　the　prisoner　in　the　box　as　the　same　man　who　entered　their　room　in　the　dead　of　night。　　Ludwig　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　prisoner　in　the　box　was　a　man　of　ordinary　sizeespecially　after　he　had　described　him；　under　oath；　to　the　court　as　a　tremendous　fellow　with　great；　square　shoulders　and　legs　of　prodigious　weight。　　Jacob　swore　that　he　was　awakened　by　the　robber　kicking　and　thrashing　upon　the　floor；　and　immediately　afterward；　Peter　and　the　rest　（feeling　sorry　that　they　had　not　explained　the　matter　to　their　sleepy　comrade）　testified　that　the　man　had　not　moved　a　muscle　from　the　moment　the　point　of　the　dagger　touched　his　throat；　until；　bound　from　head　to　foot；　he　was　rolled　over　for　inspection。　　The　landlord's　daughter　made　one　boy　blush；　and　all　the　court　smile；　by　declaring；　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　that　handsome　young　gentleman　there〃pointing　to　Peter〃they　might　have　all　been　murdered　in　their　beds；　for　the　dreadful　man　had　a　great；　shining　knife　most　as　long　as　Your　Honor's　arm；〃　and　SHE　believed；　〃the　handsome　young　gentleman　had　struggled　hard　enough　to　get　it　away　from　him；　but　he　was　too　modest；　bless　him！　to　say　so。〃

Finally；　after　a　little　questioning；　and　cross…questioning　from　the　public　prosecutor；　the　witnesses　were　dismissed；　and　the　robber　was　handed　over　to　the　consideration　of　the　criminal　court。

〃The　scoundrel！〃　said　Carl　savagely　when　the　boys　reached　the　street。　　〃He　ought　to　be　sent　to　jail　at　once。　　If　I　had　been　in　your　place；　Peter；　I　certainly　should　have　killed　him　outright！〃

〃He　was　fortunate；　then；　in　falling　into　gentler　hands；〃　was　Peter's　quiet　reply。　　〃It　appears　he　has　been　arrested　before　under　a　charge　of　housebreaking。　　He　did　not　succeed　in　robbing　this　time；　but　he　broke　the　door…fastenings；　and　that　I　believe　constitutes　a　burglary　in　the　eyes　of　the　law。　　He　was　armed　with　a　knife；　too；　and　that　makes　it　worse　for　him；　poor　fellow！〃

〃Poor　fellow！〃　mimicked　Carl。　　〃One　would　think　he　was　your　brother！〃

〃So　he　is　my　brother；　and　yours　too；　Carl　Schummel；　for　that　matter；〃　answered　Peter；　looking　into　Carl's　eye。　　〃We　cannot　say　what　we　might　have　become　under　other　circumstances。　　WE　have　been　bolstered　up　from　evil；　since　the　hour　we　were　born。　　A　happy　home　and　good　parents　might　have　made　that　man　a　fine　fellow　instead　of　what　he　is。　　God　grant　that　the　law　may　cure　and　not　crush　him！〃

〃Amen　to　that！〃　said　Lambert　heartily　while　Ludwig　van　Holp　looked　at　his　brother　in　such　a　bright；　proud　way　that　Jacob　Poot；　who　was　an　only　son；　wished　from　his　heart　that　the　little　form　buried　in　the　old　church　at　home　had　lived　to　grow　up　beside　him。

〃Humph！〃　said　Carl。　　〃It's　all　very　well　to　be　saintly　and　forgiving；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　but　I'm　naturally　hard。　　All　these　fine　ideas　seem　to　rattle　off　me　like　hailstonesand　it's　nobody's　business；　either；　if　they　do。〃

Peter　recognized　a　touch　of　good　feeling　in　this　clumsy　concession。　　Holding　out　his　hand；　he　said　in　a　frank；　hearty　tone；　〃Come；　lad；　shake　hands；　and　let　us　be　good　friends；　even　if　we　don't　exactly　agree　on　all　questions。〃

〃We　do　agree　better　than　you　think；〃　sulked　Carl　as　he　returned　Peter's　grasp。

〃All　right；〃　responded　Peter　briskly。　　〃Now；　Van　Mounen；　we　await　Benjamin's　wishes。　　Where　would　he　like　to　go？〃

〃To　the　Egyptian　Museum？〃　answered　Lambert　after　holding　a　brief　consultation　with　Ben。

〃That　is　on　the　Breedstraat。　　To　the　museum　let　it　be。　　Come；　boys！〃




The　Beleaguered　Cities



〃This　open　square　before　us；〃　said　Lambert；　as　he　and　Ben　walked　on　together；　〃is　pretty　in　summer；　with　its　shady　trees。　　They　call　it　the　Ruine。　　Years　ago　it　was　covered　with　houses；　and　the　Rapenburg　Canal；　here；　ran　through　the　street。　　Well；　one　day　a　barge　loaded　with　forty　thousand　pounds　of　gunpowder；　bound　for　Delft；　was　lying　alongside；　and　the　bargemen　took　a　notion　to　cook　their　dinner　on　the　deck；　and　before　anyone　knew　it；　sir；　the　whole　thing　blew　up；　killing　lots　of　persons　and　scattering　about　three　hundred　houses　to　the　winds。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Ben。　　〃Did　the　explosion　destroy　three　hundred　houses！〃

〃Yes；　sir；　my　father　was　in　Leyden　at　the　time。　　He　says　it　was　terrible。　　The　explosion　occurred　just　at　noon　and　it　was　like　a　volcano。　　All　this　part　of　the　town　was　on　fire　in　an　instant；　buildings　tumbling　down　and　men；　women；　and　children　groaning　under　the　ruins。　　The　king　himself　came　to　the　city　and　acted　nobly；　Father　says；　staying　out　in　the　streets　all　night；　encouraging　the　survivors　in　their　efforts　to　arrest　the　fire　and　rescue　as　many　as　possible　from　under　the　heaps　of　stone　and　rubbish。　　Through　his　means　a　collection　for　the　benefit　of　the　sufferers　was　raised　throughout　the　kingdom；　besides　a　hundred　thousand　guilders　paid　out　of　the　treasury。　　Father　was　only　nineteen　years　old　then。　　It　was　in　1807；　I　believe；　but　he　remembers　it　perfectly。　　A　friend　of　his；　Professor　Luzac；　was　among　the　killed。　　They　have　a　tablet　erected　to　his　memory；　in　Saint　Peter's　Church；　farther　onthe　queerest　thing　you　ever　saw；　with　an　image　of　the　professor　carved　upon　it；　representing　him　just　as　he　looked　when　he　was　found　after　the　explosion。〃

〃What　a　strange　idea！　　Isn't　Boerhaave's　monument　in　Saint　Peter's　also？〃

〃I　cannot　remember。　　Perhaps　Peter　knows。〃

The　captain　delighted　Ben　by　saying　that　the　monument　was　there　and　that　he　thought　they　might　be　able　to　see　it　during　the　day。

〃Lambert；〃　continued　Peter；　〃ask　Ben　if　he　saw　Van　der　Werf's　portrait　at　the　town　hall　last　night？〃

〃No；〃　said　Lambert；　〃I　can　answer　for　him。　　It　was　too　late　to　go　in。　　I　say；　boys；　it　is　really　wonderful　how　much　Ben　knows。　　Why；　he　has　told　me　a　volume　of　Dutch　history　already。　　I'll　wager　he　has　the　siege　of　Leyden　at　his　tongue's　end。〃

〃His　tongue　must　burn；　then；〃　interposed　Ludwig；　〃for　if　Bilderdyk's　account　is　true；　it　was　a　pretty　hot　affair。〃

Ben　was　looking　at　them　with　an　inquiring　smile。

〃We　are　speaking　of　the　siege　of　Leyden；〃　explained　Lambert。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Ben；　eagerly；　〃I　had　forgotten　all　about　it。　　This　was　the　very　place。　　Let's　give　old　Van　der　Werf　three　cheers。　　Hur〃

Van　Mounen　uttered　a　hasty　〃Hush！〃　and　explained　that；　patriotic　as　the　Dutch　were；　the　police　would　soon　have　something　to　say　if　a　party　of　boys　cheered　in　the　street　at　midday。

〃What？　　Not　cheer　Van　der　Werf？〃　cried　Ben；　indignantly。　　〃One　of　the　greatest　chaps　in　history？　　Only　think！　　Didn't　he　hold　out　against　those　murderous　Spaniards　for　months　and　months？　　There　was　the　town；　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　the　enemy；　great　black　forts　sending　fire　and　death　into　the　very　heart　of　the　citybut　no　surrender！　　Every　man　a　herowomen　and　children；　too；　brave　and　fierce　as　lions；　provisions　giving　out；　the　very　grass　from　between　the　paving　stones　gonetill　people　were　glad　to　eat　horses　and　cats　and　dogs　and　rats。　　Then　came　the　plaguehundreds　dying　in　the　streetsbut　no　surrender！　　Then　when　they　could　bear　no　more；　when　the　people；　brave　as　they　were；　crowded　about　Van　der　Werf　in　the　public　square　begging　him　to　give　up；　what　did　the　noble　old　burgomaster　say？　　'I　have　sworn　to　defend　this　city；　and　with　God's　help；　I　MEAN　TO　DO　IT！　　If　my　body　can　satisfy　your　hunger；　take　it；　and　divide　it　among　you；　but　expect　no　surrender　so　long　as　I　am　alive。'　　Hurrah！　hur〃

Ben　was　getting　uproarious；　Lambert　playfully　clapped　his　hand　over　his　friend's　mouth。　　The　result　was　one　of　those　quick　India…rubber　scuffles　fearful　to　behold　but　delightful　to　human　nature　in　its　polliwog　state。

〃Vat　wash　te　matter；　Pen？〃　asked　Jacob；　hurrying　forward。

〃Oh！　nothing　at　all；〃　panted　Ben；　〃except　that　Van　Mounen　was　afraid　of　starting　an　English　riot　in　this　orderly　town。　　He　stopped　my　cheering　for　old　Van　der〃

〃Ya！　yait　ish　no　goot　to　sheerto　make　te　noise　for　dat。　　You　vill　shee　old　Van　der　Does's　likeness　mit　te　Stadhuis。〃

〃See　old　Van　der　Does？　　I　thought　it　was　Van　der　Werf's　picture　they　had　there。〃

〃Ya；〃　responded　Jacob；　〃Van　der　Werfvell；　vot　of　it！　　Both　ish　just　ash　goot〃

〃Yes；　Van　der　Does　was　a　noble　old　Dutchman；　but　he　was　not　Van　der　Werf。　　I　know　he　defended　the　city　like　a　brick；　and〃

〃Now　vot　for　you　shay　dat；　Penchamin？　　He　no　defend　te　city　mit　breek；　he　fight　like　goot　soltyer　mit　his　guns。　　You　like　make　te　fun　mit　effrysinks　Tutch。〃

〃No！　　No！　　No！　　I　said　he　defended　the　city　LIKE　a　brick。　　That　is　very　high　praise；　I　would　have　you　understand。　　We　English　call　even　the　Duke　of　Wellington　a　brick。〃

Jacob　looked　puzzled；　but　his　indignation　was　already　on　the　ebb。

〃Vell；　it　ish　no　matter。　　I　no　tink；　before；　soltyer　mean　breek；　but　it　ish　no　matter。〃

Ben　laughed　good…naturedly；　and　seeing　that　his　cousin　was　tired　of　talking　in　English；　he　turned　to　his　friend　of　the　two　languages。

〃Van　Mounen；　they　say　the　very　carrier　pigeons　that　brought　news　of　relief　to　the　besieged　city　are　somewhere　here　in　Leyden。　　I　really　should　like　to　see　them。　　Just　think　of　it！　　At　the　very　height　of　the　trouble；　if　the　wind　didn't　turn　and　blow　in　the　waters；　and　drown　hundreds　of　Spaniards　and　enable　the　Dutch　boats　to　sail　in　right　over　the　land　with　men　and　provisions　to　the　very　gates　of　the　city。　　The　pigeons；　you　know；　did　great　service；　in　bearing　letters　to　and　fro。　　I　have　read　somewhere　that　they　were　reverently　cared　for　from　that　day；　and　when　they　died；　they　were　stuffed　and　placed　for　safekeeping　in　the　town　hall。　　We　must　be　sure　to　have　a　look　at　them。〃

Van　Mounen　laughed。　　〃On　that　principle；　Ben；　I　suppose　when　you　go　to　Rome　you'll　expect　to　see　the　identical　goose　who　saved　the　capitol。　　But　it　will　be　easy　enough　to　see　the　pigeons。　　They　are　in　the　same　building　with　Van　der　Werf's　portrait。　　Which　was　the　greater　defense；　Ben；　the　siege　of　Leyden　or　the　siege　of　Haarlem？〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Ben　thoughtfully；　〃Van　der　Werf　is　one　of　my　heroes