hans brinker-第4部分

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u？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　Mother；　he　knew　everything　and　could　do　anything　under　the　sunand　how　he　would　sing！　　Why；　you　used　to　laugh　and　say　it　was　enough　to　set　the　windmills　dancing。〃

〃So　I　did。　　Bless　me！　how　the　boy　remembers！　　Gretel；　child；　take　that　knitting　needle　from　your　father；　quick；　he'll　get　it　in　his　eyes　maybe；　and　put　the　shoe　on　him。　　His　poor　feet　are　like　ice　half　the　time；　but　I　can't　keep　'em　covered；　all　I　can　do〃　　And　then；　half　wailing；　half　humming；　Dame　Brinker　would　sit　down　and　fill　the　low　cottage　with　the　whirr　of　her　spinning　wheel。

Nearly　all　the　outdoor　work；　as　well　as　the　household　labor；　was　performed　by　Hans　and　Gretel。　　At　certain　seasons　of　the　year　the　children　went　out　day　after　day　to　gather　peat；　which　they　would　stow　away　in　square；　bricklike　pieces；　for　fuel。　　At　other　times；　when　homework　permitted；　Hans　rode　the　towing…horses　on　the　canals；　earning　a　few　stivers　*｛A　stiver　is　worth　about　two　cents　of　our　money。｝　a　day；　and　Gretel　tended　geese　for　the　neighboring　farmers。

Hans　was　clever　at　carving　in　wood；　and　both　he　and　Gretel　were　good　gardeners。　　Gretel　could　sing　and　sew　and　run　on　great；　high　homemade　stilts　better　than　any　other　girl　for　miles　around。　　She　could　learn　a　ballad　in　five　minutes　and　find；　in　its　season；　any　weed　or　flower　you　could　name；　but　she　dreaded　books；　and　often　the　very　sight　of　the　figuring　board　in　the　old　schoolhouse　would　set　her　eyes　swimming。　　Hans；　on　the　contrary；　was　slow　and　steady。　　The　harder　the　task；　whether　in　study　or　daily　labor；　the　better　he　liked　it。　　Boys　who　sneered　at　him　out　of　school；　on　account　of　his　patched　clothes　and　scant　leather　breeches；　were　forced　to　yield　him　the　post　of　honor　in　nearly　every　class。　　It　was　not　long　before　he　was　the　only　youngster　in　the　school　who　had　not　stood　at　least　ONCE　in　the　corner　of　horrors；　where　hung　a　dreaded　whip；　and　over　it　this　motto：　　〃Leer；　leer！　jou　luigaart；　of　dit　endje　touw　zal　je　leeren！〃　*｛Learn！　learn！　you　idler；　or　this　rope's　end　shall　teach　you。｝

It　was　only　in　winter　that　Gretel　and　Hans　could　be　spared　to　attend　school；　and　for　the　past　month　they　had　been　kept　at　home　because　their　mother　needed　their　services。　　Raff　Brinker　required　constant　attention；　and　there　was　black　bread　to　be　made；　and　the　house　to　be　kept　clean；　and　stockings　and　other　things　to　be　knitted　and　sold　in　the　marketplace。

While　they　were　busily　assisting　their　mother　on　this　cold　December　morning；　a　merry　troop　of　girls　and　boys　came　skimming　down　the　canal。　　There　were　fine　skaters　among　them；　and　as　the　bright　medley　of　costumes　flitted　by；　it　looked　from　a　distance　as　though　the　ice　had　suddenly　thawed　and　some　gay　tulip　bed　were　floating　along　on　the　current。

There　was　the　rich　burgomaster's　daughter　Hilda　van　Gleck；　with　her　costly　furs　and　loose…fitting　velvet　sack；　and；　nearby；　a　pretty　peasant　girl；　Annie　Bouman；　jauntily　attired　in　a　coarse　scarlet　jacket　and　a　blue　skirt　just　short　enough　to　display　the　gray　homespun　hose　to　advantage。　　Then　there　was　the　proud　Rychie　Korbes；　whose　father；　Mynheer　van　Korbes；　was　one　of　the　leading　men　of　Amsterdam；　and；　flocking　closely　around　her；　Carl　Schummel；　Peter　and　Ludwig　van　Holp；　Jacob　Poot；　and　a　very　small　boy　rejoicing　in　the　tremendous　name　of　Voostenwalbert　Schimmelpenninck。　　There　were　nearly　twenty　other　boys　and　girls　in　the　party；　and　one　and　all　seemed　full　of　excitement　and　frolic。

Up　and　down　the　canal　within　the　space　of　a　half　mile　they　skated；　exerting　their　racing　powers　to　the　utmost。　　Often　the　swiftest　among　them　was　seen　to　dodge　from　under　the　very　nose　of　some　pompous　lawgiver　or　doctor　who；　with　folded　arms；　was　skating　leisurely　toward　the　town；　or　a　chain　of　girls　would　suddenly　break　at　the　approach　of　a　fat　old　burgomaster　who；　with　gold…headed　cane　poised　in　air；　was　puffing　his　way　to　Amsterdam。　　Equipped　in　skates　wonderful　to　behold；　with　their　superb　strappings　and　dazzling　runners　curving　over　the　instep　and　topped　with　gilt　balls；　he　would　open　his　fat　eyes　a　little　if　one　of　the　maidens　chanced　to　drop　him　a　curtsy　but　would　not　dare　to　bow　in　return　for　fear　of　losing　his　balance。

Not　only　pleasure　seekers　and　stately　men　of　note　were　upon　the　canal。　　There　were　workpeople；　with　weary　eyes；　hastening　to　their　shops　and　factories；　market　women　with　loads　upon　their　heads；　peddlers　bending　with　their　packs；　bargemen　with　shaggy　hair　and　bleared　faces；　jostling　roughly　on　their　way；　kind…eyed　clergymen　speeding　perhaps　to　the　bedsides　of　the　dying；　and；　after　a　while；　groups　of　children　with　satchels　slung　over　their　shoulders；　whizzing　past；　toward　the　distant　school。　　One　and　all　wore　skates　except；　indeed；　a　muffled…up　farmer　whose　queer　cart　bumped　along　on　the　margin　of　the　canal。

Before　long　our　merry　boys　and　girls　were　almost　lost　in　the　confusion　of　bright　colors；　the　ceaseless　motion；　and　the　gleaming　of　skates　flashing　back　the　sunlight。　　We　might　have　known　no　more　of　them　had　not　the　whole　party　suddenly　come　to　a　standstill　and；　grouping　themselves　out　of　the　way　of　the　passersby；　all　talked　at　once　to　a　pretty　little　maiden；　whom　they　had　drawn　from　the　tide　of　people　flowing　toward　the　town。

〃Oh；　Katrinka！〃　they　cried　in　one　breath；　〃have　you　heard　of　it？　　The　racewe　want　you　to　join！〃

〃What　race？〃　asked　Katrinka；　laughing。　　〃Don't　all　talk　at　once；　please；　I　can't　understand。〃

Everyone　panted　and　looked　at　Rychie　Korbes；　who　was　their　acknowledged　spokeswoman。

〃Why；〃　said　Rychie；　〃we　are　to　have　a　grand　skating　match　on　the　twentieth；　on　Mevrouw　van　Gleck's　birthday。　　It's　all　Hilda's　work。　　They　are　going　to　give　a　splendid　prize　to　the　best　skater。〃

〃Yes；〃　chimed　in　half　a　dozen　voices；〃　a　beautiful　pair　of　silver　skatesperfectly　magnificentwith；　oh！　such　straps　and　silver　bells　and　buckles！〃

〃WHO　said　they　had　bells？〃　put　in　a　small　voice　of　the　boy　with　the　big　name。

〃I　say　so；　Master　Voost；〃　replied　Rychie。

〃So　they　have〃；　〃No；　I'm　sure　they　haven't〃；　〃OH；　how　can　you　say　so？〃；　〃It's　an　arrow〃；　〃And　Mynheer　van　Korbes　told　MY　mother　they　had　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。