hans brinker-第24章

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it；　at　any　cost。〃

〃Whew！〃　cried　Master　Ben。　　〃Big　talking　that！〃

〃It's　true　talk　anyway；〃　rejoined　Lambert；　so　very　quietly　that　Ben　wisely　resolved　to　make　no　further　comment。




On　the　Canal



The　skating　season　had　commenced　unusually　early；　our　boys　were　by　no　means　alone　upon　the　ice。　　The　afternoon　was　so　fine　that　men；　women；　and　children；　bent　upon　enjoying　the　holiday；　had　flocked　to　the　grand　canal　from　far　and　near。　　Saint　Nicholas　had　evidently　remembered　the　favorite　pastime；　shining　new　skates　were　everywhere　to　be　seen。　　Whole　families　were　skimming　their　way　to　Haarlem　or　Leyden　or　the　neighboring　villages。　　The　ice　seemed　fairly　alive。　　Men　noticed　the　erect；　easy　carriage　of　women；　and　their　picturesque　variety　of　costume。　　There　were　the　latest　fashions；　fresh　from　Paris；　floating　past　dingy；　moth…eaten　garments　that　had　seen　service　through　two　generations；　coal…scuttle　bonnets　perched　over　freckled　faces　bright　with　holiday　smiles；　stiff　muslin　caps　with　wings　at　the　sides；　flapping　beside　cheeks　rosy　with　health　and　contentment；　furs；　too；　encircling　the　whitest　of　throats；　and　scanty　garments　fluttering　below　faces　ruddy　with　exercise。　　In　short；　every　quaint　and　comical　mixture　of　dry　goods　and　flesh　that　Holland　could　furnish　seemed　sent　to　enliven　the　scene。

There　were　belles　from　Leyden；　and　fishwives　from　the　border　villages；　cheese　women　from　Gouda；　and　prim　matrons　from　beautiful　country　seats　on　the　Haarlemmer　Meer。　　Gray…headed　skaters　were　constantly　to　be　seen；　wrinkled　old　women　with　baskets　upon　their　heads；　and　plump　little　toddlers　on　skates　clutching　at　their　mothers'　gowns。　　Some　women　carried　their　babies　upon　their　backs；　firmly　secured　with　a　bright　shawl。　　The　effect　was　pretty　and　graceful　as　they　darted　by　or　sailed　slowly　past；　now　nodding　to　an　acquaintance；　now　chirruping　and　throwing　soft　baby　talk　to　the　muffled　little　ones　they　carried。

Boys　and　girls　were　chasing　each　other　and　hiding　behind　the　one…horse　sleds　that；　loaded　high　with　peat　or　timber；　pursued　their　cautious　way　along　the　track　marked　out　as　〃safe。〃　　Beautiful；　queenly　women　were　there；　enjoyment　sparkling　in　their　quiet　eyes。　　Sometimes　a　long　file　of　young　men；　each　grasping　the　coat　of　the　one　before　him；　flew　by　with　electric　speed；　and　sometimes　the　ice　squeaked　under　the　chair　of　some　gorgeous　old　dowager；　or　rich　burgomaster's　lady；　who；　very　red　in　the　nose　and　sharp　in　the　eyes；　looked　like　a　scare…thaw　invented　by　old　Father　Winter　for　the　protection　of　his　skating　grounds。　　The　chair　would　be　heavy　with　foot　stoves　and　cushions；　to　say　nothing　of　the　old　lady。　　Mounted　upon　shining　runners；　it　slid　along；　pushed　by　the　sleepiest　of　servants；　who；　looking　neither　to　the　right　nor　the　left；　bent　himself　to　his　task　while　she　cast　direful　glances　upon　the　screaming　little　rowdies　who　invariably　acted　as　bodyguard。

As　for　the　men；　they　were　pictures　of　placid　enjoyment。　　Some　were　attired　in　ordinary　citizen's　dress；　but　many　looked　odd　enough　with　their　short　woolen　coats；　wide　breeches；　and　big　silver　buckles。　　These　seemed　to　Ben　like　little　boys　who　had；　by　a　miracle；　sprung　suddenly　into　manhood　and　were　forced　to　wear　garments　that　their　astonished　mothers　had　altered　in　a　hurry。　　He　noticed；　too；　that　nearly　all　the　men　had　pipes　as　they　passed　him；　whizzing　and　smoking　like　so　many　locomotives。　　There　was　every　variety　of　pipes；　from　those　of　common　clay　to　the　most　expensive　meerschaums　mounted　in　silver　and　gold。　　Some　were　carved　into　extraordinary　and　fantastic　shapes；　representing　birds；　flowers；　heads；　bugs；　and　dozens　of　other　things；　some　resembled　the　〃Dutchman's　pipe〃　that　grows　in　our　American　woods；　some　were　red　and　many　were　of　a　pure；　snowy　white；　but　the　most　respectable　were　those　which　were　ripening　into　a　shaded　brown。　　The　deeper　and　richer　the　brown；　of　course；　the　more　honored　the　pipe；　for　it　was　proof　that　the　owner；　if　honestly　shading　it；　was　deliberately　devoting　his　manhood　to　the　effort。　　What　pipe　would　not　be　proud　to　be　the　object　of　such　a　sacrifice！

For　a　while　Ben　skated　on　in　silence。　　There　was　so　much　to　engage　his　attention　that　he　almost　forgot　his　companions。　　Part　of　the　time　he　had　been　watching　the　iceboats　as　they　flew　over　the　great　Haarlemmer　Meer　（or　lake）；　the　frozen　surface　of　which　was　now　plainly　visible　from　the　canal。　　These　boats　had　very　large　sails；　much　larger；　in　proportion；　than　those　of　ordinary　vessels；　and　were　set　upon　a　triangular　frame　furnished　with　an　iron　〃runner〃　at　each　cornerthe　widest　part　of　the　triangle　crossing　the　bow；　and　its　point　stretching　beyond　the　stem。　　They　had　rudders　for　guiding　and　brakes　for　arresting　their　progress　and　were　of　all　sizes　and　kinds；　from　small；　rough　affairs　managed　by　a　boy；　to　large　and　beautiful　ones　filled　with　gay　pleasure　parties　and　manned　by　competent　sailors；　who；　smoking　their　stumpy　pipes；　reefed　and　tacked　and　steered　with　great　solemnity　and　precision。

Some　of　the　boats　were　painted　and　gilded　in　gaudy　style　and　flaunted　gay　pennons　from　their　mastheads；　others；　white　as　snow；　with　every　spotless　sail　rounded　by　the　wind；　looked　like　swans　borne　onward　by　a　resistless　current。　　It　seemed　to　Ben　as；　following　his　fancy；　he　watched　one　of　these　in　the　distance；　that　he　could　almost　hear　its　helpless；　terrified　cry；　but　he　soon　found　that　the　sound　arose　from　a　nearer　and　less　romantic　causefrom　an　iceboat　not　fifty　yards　from　him；　using　its　brakes　to　avoid　a　collision　with　a　peat　sled。

It　was　a　rare　thing　for　these　boats　to　be　upon　the　canal；　and　their　appearance　generally　caused　no　little　excitement　among　skaters；　especially　among　the　timid；　but　today　every　iceboat　in　the　country　seemed　afloat　or　rather　aslide；　and　the　canal　had　its　full　share。

Ben；　though　delighted　at　the　sight；　was　often　startled　at　the　swift　approach　of　the　resistless；　high…winged　things　threatening　to　dart　in　any　and　every　possible　direction。　　It　required　all　his　energies　to　keep　out　of　the　way　of　the　passersby　and　to　prevent　those　screaming　little　urchins　from　upsetting　him　with　their　sleds。　　Once　he　halted　to　watch　some　boys　who　were　making　a　hole　in　the　ice　preparatory　to　using　their　fishing　spears。　　Just　as　he　concluded　to　start　again；　he　found　himself　suddenly　bumped　into　an　old　lady's　lap。　　Her　push…chair　had　come　upon　him　from　the　rear。　　The　old　lady　screamed；　the　servant　who　was　propelling　her　gave　a　warning　hiss。　　In　another　instant　Ben　found　himself　apologizing　to　empty　air。　　The　indignant　old　lady　was　far　ahead。

This　was　a　slight　mishap　compared　with　one　that　now　threatened　him。　　A　huge　iceboat；　under　full　sail；　came　tearing　down　the　canal；　almost　paralyzing　Ben　with　the　thought　of　instant　destruction。　　It　was　close　upon　him！　　He　saw　its　gilded　prow；　heard　the　schipper　*｛Skipper。　　Master　of　a　small　trading　vessela　pleasure　boat　or　iceboat。｝　shout；　felt　the　great　boom　fairly　whiz　over　his　head；　was　blind；　deaf；　and　dumb　all　in　an　instant；　then　opened　his　eyes　to　find　himself　spinning　some　yards　behind　its　great　skatelike　rudder。　　It　had　passed　within　an　inch　of　his　shoulder；　but　he　was　safe！　　Safe　to　see　England　again；　safe　to　kiss　the　dear　faces　that　for　an　instant　had　flashed　before　him　one　by　oneFather；　Mother；　Robby；　and　Jennythat　great　boom　had　dashed　their　images　into　his　very　soul。　　He　knew　now　how　much　he　loved　them。　　Perhaps　this　knowledge　made　him　face　complacently　the　scowls　of　those　on　the　canal　who　seemed　to　feel　that　a　boy　in　danger　was　necessarily　a　BAD　boy　needing　instant　reprimand。

Lambert　chided　him　roundly。

〃I　thought　it　was　all　over　with　you；　you　careless　fellow！　　Why　don't　you　look　where　you　are　going？　　Not　content　with　sitting　on　all　the　old　ladies'　laps；　you　must　make　a　Juggernaut　of　every　iceboat　that　comes　along。　　We　shall　have　to　hand　you　over　to　the　aanspreekers　yet；　if　you　don't　look　out！〃

〃Please　don't；〃　said　Ben　with　mock　humility；　then　seeing　how　pale　Lambert's　lips　were；　he　added　in　a　low　tone；　〃I　do　believe　I　THOUGHT　more　in　that　one　moment；　Van　Mounen；　than　in　all　the　rest　of　my　past　life。〃

There　was　no　reply；　and；　for　a　while；　the　two　boys　skated　on　in　silence。

Soon　a　faint　sound　of　distant　bells　reached　their　ears。