hans brinker-第17章

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〃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　o'clock　when　Captain　van　Holp　and　his　command　entered　the　grand　old　city　of　Haarlem。　　They　had　skated　nearly　seventeen　miles　since　morning　and　were　still　as　fresh　as　young　eagles。　　From　the　youngest　（Ludwig　van　Holp；　who　was　just　fourteen）　to　the　eldest；　no　less　a　personage　than　the　captain　himself；　a　veteran　of　seventeen；　there　was　but　one　opinionthat　this　was　the　greatest　frolic　of　their　lives。　　To　be　sure；　Jacob　Poot　had　become　rather　short　of　breath　during　the　last　mile　of　two；　and　perhaps　he　felt　ready　for　another　nap；　but　there　was　enough　jollity　in　him　yet　for　a　dozen。　　Even　Carl　Schummel；　who　had　become　very　intimate　with　Ludwig　during　the　excursion；　forgot　to　be　ill…natured。　　As　for　Peter；　he　was　the　happiest　of　the　happy　and　had　sung　and　whistled　so　joyously　while　skating　that　the　staidest　passersby　had　smiled　as　they　listened。

〃Come；　boys！　　It's　nearly　tiffin　hour；〃　he　said　as　they　neared　a　coffeehouse　on　the　main　street。　　〃We　must　have　something　more　solid　than　the　pretty　maiden's　gingerbread〃and　the　captain　plunged　his　hands　into　his　pockets　as　if　to　say；　〃There's　money　enough　here　to　feed　an　army！〃

〃Halloo！〃　cried　Lambert。　　〃What　ails　the　man？〃

Peter；　pale　and　staring；　was　clapping　his　hands　upon　his　breast　and　sides。　　He　looked　like　one　suddenly　becoming　deranged。

〃He's　sick！〃　cried　Ben。

〃No；　he's　lost　something；〃　said　Carl。

Peter　could　only　gasp；　〃The　pocketbook　with　all　our　money　in　itit's　gone！〃

For　an　instant　all　were　too　much　startled　to　speak。

Carl　at　last　came　out　with　a　gruff；　〃No　sense　in　letting　one　fellow　have　all　the　money。　　I　said　so　from　the　first。　　Look　in　your　other　pocket。〃

〃I　did。　　It　isn't　there。〃

〃Open　your　underjacket。〃

Peter　obeyed　mechanically。　　He　even　took　off　his　hat　and　looked　into　it；　then　thrust　his　hand　desperately　into　every　pocket。

〃It's　gone；　boys；〃　he　said　at　last　in　a　hopeless　tone。　　〃No　tiffin　for　us；　nor　dinner；　either。　　What　is　to　be　done？　　We　can't　get　on　without　money。　　If　we　were　in　Amsterdam；　I　could　get　as　much　as　we　want；　but　there　is　not　a　man　in　Haarlem　from　whom　I　can　borrow　a　stiver。　　Doesn't　one　of　you　know　anyone　here　who　would　lend　us　a　few　guilders？〃

Each　boy　looked　into　five　blank　faces。　　Then　something　like　a　smile　passed　around　the　circle；　but　it　got　sadly　knotted　up　when　it　reached　Carl。

〃That　wouldn't　do；〃　he　said　crossly。　　〃I　know　some　people　here；　rich　ones；　too；　but　father　would　flog　me　soundly　if　I　borrowed　a　cent　from　anyone。　　He　has　'An　honest　man　need　not　borrow'　written　over　the　gateway　of　his　summer　house。〃

〃Humph！〃　responded　Peter；　not　particularly　admiring　the　sentiment　just　at　that　moment。

The　boys　grew　desperately　hungry　at　once。

〃It　wash　my　fault；〃　said　Jacob；　in　a　penitent　tone；　to　Ben。　　〃I　say　first；　petter　all　de　boys　put　zair　pursh　into　Van　Holp's　monish。〃

〃Nonsense；　Jacob。　　You　did　it　all　for　the　best。〃

Ben　said　this　in　such　a　sprightly　tone　that　the　two　Van　Holps　and　Carl　felt　sure　that　he　had　proposed　a　plan　that　would　relieve　the　party　at　once。

〃What？　what？　　Tell　us；　Van　Mounen；〃　they　cried。

〃He　says　it　is　not　Jacob's　fault　that　the　money　is　lostthat　he　did　it　for　the　best　when　he　proposed　that　Van　Holp　should　put　all　of　our　money　into　his　purse。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Ludwig　dismally。　　〃He　need　not　have　made　such　a　fuss　in　just　saying　THAT。　　How　much　money　have　we　lost？〃

〃Don't　you　remember？〃　said　Peter。　　〃We　each　put　in　exactly　ten　guilders。　　The　purse　had　sixty　guilders　in　it。　　I　am　the　stupidest　fellow　in　the　world；　little　Schimmelpenninck　would　have　made　you　a　better　captain。　　I　could　pommel　myself　for　bringing　such　a　disappointment　upon　you。〃

〃Do　it；　then；〃　growled　Carl。　　〃Pooh；〃　he　added；　〃we　all　know　that　it　was　an　accident；　but　that　doesn't　help　matters。　　We　must　have　money；　Van　Holpeven　if　you　have　to　sell　your　wonderful　watch。〃

〃Sell　my　mother's　birthday　present！　　Never！　　I　will　sell　my　coat；　my　hat；　anything　but　my　watch。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Jacob　pleasantly；　〃we　are　making　too　much　of　this　affair。　　We　can　go　home　and　start　again　in　a　day　or　two。〃

〃YOU　may　be　able　to　get　another　ten…guilder　piece；〃　said　Carl；　〃but　the　rest　of　us　will　not　find　it　so　easy。　　If　we　go　home；　we　stay　home；　you　may　depend。〃

Our　captain；　whose　good　nature　had　not　yet　forsaken　him　for　a　moment；　grew　indignant。

〃Do　you　think　that　I　will　let　you　suffer　for　my　carelessness？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　have　three　times　sixty　guilders　in　my　strong　box　at　home！〃

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Carl　hastily；　adding　in　a　surlier　tone；　〃Well；　I　see　no　better　way　than　to　go　back　hungry。〃

〃I　see　a　better　plan　than　that；〃　said　the　captain。

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　all　the　boys。

〃Why；　to　make　the　best　of　a　bad　business　and　go　back　pleasantly　and　like　men；〃　said　Peter；　looking　so　gallant　and　handsome　as　he　turned　his　frank　face　and　clear　blue　eyes　upon　them　that　they　caught　his　spirit。

〃Ho　for　the　captain！〃　they　shouted。

〃Now；　boys；　we　may　as　well　make　up　our　minds；　there's　no　place　like　Broek；　after　alland　that　we　mean　to　be　there　in　two　hours。　　Is　that　agreed　to？〃

〃Agreed！〃　cried　all　as　they　ran　to　the　canal。

〃On　with　your　skates！　　Are　you　ready？　　Here；　Jacob；　let　me　help　you。〃

〃Now。　　One；　two；　three；　start！〃

And　the　boyish　faces　that　left　Haarlem　at　that　signal　were　nearly　as　bright　as　those　that　had　entered　it　with　Captain　Peter　half　an　hour　before。




Hans



〃Donder　and　Blixin！〃　cried　Carl　angrily；　before　the　party　had　skated　twenty　yards　from　the　city　gates；　〃if　here　isn't　that　wooden…skate　ragamuffin　in　the　patched　leather　breeches。　　That　fellow　is　everywhere；　confound　him！　　We'll　be　lucky；〃　he　added；　in　as　sneering　a　tone　as　he　dared　to　assume；　〃if　our　captain　doesn't　order　us　to　halt　and　shake　hands　with　him。〃

〃Your　captain　is　a　terrible　fellow；〃　said　Peter　pleasantly；　〃but　this　is　a　false　alarm；　Carl。　　I　cannot　spy　your　bugbear　anywhere　among　the　skaters。　　Ah；　there　he　is！　　Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　the　lad？〃

Poor　Hans！　　His　face　was　pale；　his　lips　compressed。　　He　skated　like　one　under　the　effects　of　a　fearful　dream。　　Just　as　he　was　pass