hans brinker-第38章

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en　exercised　had　he　tried　to　feel　willing　that　Hollanders　should　follow　the　customs　of　their　country。　　But　his　English　heart　said　over　and　over　again；　〃It　is　outrageous！　　It　is　sinful！〃

There　is　an　angel　called　Charity　who　would　often　save　our　hearts　a　great　deal　of　trouble　if　we　would　but　let　her　in。




Homeward　Bound



On　Monday　morning；　bright　and　early；　our　boys　bade　farewell　to　their　kind　entertainers　and　started　on　their　homeward　journey。

Peter　lingered　awhile　at　the　lion…guarded　door；　for　he　and　his　sister　had　many　parting　words　to　say。

As　Ben　saw　them　bidding　each　other　good…bye；　he　could　not　help　feeling　that　kisses　as　well　as　clocks　were　wonderfully　alike　everywhere。　　The　English　kiss　that　his　sister　Jenny　had　given　him　when　he　left　home　had　said　the　same　thing　to　him　that　the　Vrouw　van　Gend's　Dutch　kiss　said　to　Peter。　　Ludwig　had　taken　his　share　of　the　farewell　in　the　most　matter…of…fact　manner　possible；　and　though　he　loved　his　sister　well；　had　winced　a　little　at　her　making　such　a　child　of　him　as　to　put　an　extra　kiss　〃for　mother〃　upon　his　forehead。

He　was　already　upon　the　canal　with　Carl　and　Jacob。　　Were　they　thinking　about　sisters　or　kisses？　　Not　a　bit　of　it。　　They　were　so　happy　to　be　on　skates　once　more；　so　impatient　to　dart　at　once　into　the　very　heart　of　Broek；　that　they　spun　and　wheeled　about　like　crazy　fellows；　relieving　themselves；　meantime；　by　muttering　something　about　〃Peter　and　donder〃　not　worth　translating。

Even　Lambert　and　Ben；　who　had　been　waiting　at　the　street　corner；　began　to　grow　impatient。

The　captain　joined　them　at　last　and　they　were　soon　on　the　canal　with　the　rest。

〃Hurry　up；　Peter；〃　growled　Ludwig。　　〃We're　freezing　by　inchesthere！　　I　knew　you'd　be　the　last　after　all　to　get　on　your　skates。〃

〃Did　you？〃　said　his　brother；　looking　up　with　an　air　of　deep　interest。　　〃Clever　boy！〃

Ludwig　laughed　but　tried　to　look　cross；　as　he　said；　〃I'm　in　earnest。　　We　must　get　home　sometime　this　year。〃

〃Now；　boys；〃　cried　Peter；　springing　up　as　he　fastened　the　last　buckle。　　〃There's　a　clear　way　before　us！　　We　will　imagine　it's　the　grand　race。　　Ready！　　One；　two；　three；　start！〃

I　assure　you　that　very　little　was　said　for　the　first　half　hour。　　They　were　six　Mercuries　skimming　the　ice。　　In　plain　English；　they　were　lightning。　　Nothat　is　imaginary　too。　　The　fact　is；　one　cannot　decide　what　to　say　when　half　a　dozen　boys　are　whizzing　past　at　such　a　rate。　　I　can　only　tell　you　that　each　did　his　best；　flying；　with　bent　body　and　eager　eyes；　in　and　out　among　the　placid　skates　on　the　canal；　until　the　very　guard　shouted　to　them　to　〃Hold　up！〃　　This　only　served　to　send　them　onward　with　a　two…boy　power　that　startled　all　beholders。

But　the　laws　of　inertia　are　stronger　even　than　canal　guards。

After　a　while　Jacob　slackened　his　speed；　then　Ludwig；　then　Lambert；　then　Carl。

They　soon　halted　to　take　a　long　breath　and　finally　found　themselves　standing　in　a　group　gazing　after　Peter　and　Ben；　who　were　still　racing　in　the　distance　as　if　their　lives　were　at　stake。

〃It　is　very　evident；〃　said　Lambert　at　he　and　his　three　companions　started　up　again；　〃that　neither　of　them　will　give　up　until　he　can't　help　it。〃

〃What　foolishness；〃　growled　Carl；　〃to　tire　themselves　at　the　beginning　of　the　journey！　　But　they're　racing　in　earnestthat's　certain。　　Halloo！　　Peter's　flagging！〃

〃Not　so！〃　cried　Ludwig。　　〃Catch　him　being　beaten！〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　sneered　Carl。　　〃I　tell　you；　boy；　Benjamin　is　ahead。〃

Now；　if　Ludwig　disliked　anything　in　this　world；　it　was　to　be　called　a　boyprobably　because　he　was　nothing　else。　　He　grew　indignant　at　once。

〃Humph；　what　are　YOU；　I　wonder。　　There；　sir！　　NOW　look　and　see　if　Peter　isn't　ahead！〃

〃I　think　he　IS；〃　interposed　Lambert；　〃but　I　can't　quite　tell　at　this　distance。〃

〃I　think　he　isn't！〃　retorted　Carl。

Jacob　was　growing　anxioushe　always　abhorred　an　argumentso　he　said　in　a　coaxing　tone；　〃Don't　quarreldon't　quarrel！〃

〃Don't　quarrel！〃　mocked　Carl；　looking　back　at　Jacob　as　he　skated。　　〃Who's　quarreling？　　Poot；　you're　a　goose！〃

〃I　can't　help　that；〃　was　Jacob's　meek　reply。　　〃See！　they　are　nearing　the　turn　of　the　canal。〃

〃NOW　we　can　see！〃　cried　Ludwig　in　great　excitement。

〃Peter　will　make　it　first；　I　know。〃

〃He　can'tfor　Ben　is　ahead！〃　insisted　Carl。　　〃Gunst！　　That　iceboat　will　run　over　him。　　No！　　He　is　clear！　　They're　a　couple　of　geese；　anyhow。　　Hurrah！　they're　at　the　turn。　　Who's　ahead？〃

〃Peter！〃　cried　Ludwig　joyfully。

〃Good　for　the　captain！〃　shouted　Lambert　and　Jacob。

And　Carl　condescended　to　mutter；　〃It　IS　Peter　after　all。　　I　thought；　all　the　time；　that　head　fellow　was　Ben。〃

This　turn　in　the　canal　had　evidently　been　their　goal；　for　the　two　racers　came　to　a　sudden　halt　after　passing　it。

Carl　said　something　about　being　〃glad　that　they　had　sense　enough　to　stop　and　rest；〃　and　the　four　boys　skated　on　in　silence　to　overtake　their　companions。

All　the　while　Carl　was　secretly　wishing　that　he　had　kept　on　with　Peter　and　Ben；　as　he　felt　sure　he　could　easily　have　come　out　winner。　　He　was　a　very　rapid；　though　by　no　means　a　graceful；　skater。

Ben　was　looking　at　Peter　with　mingled　vexation；　admiration；　and　surprise　as　the　boys　drew　near。

They　heard　him　saying　in　English；　〃You're　a　perfect　bird　on　the　ice；　Peter　van　Holp。　　The　first　fellow　that　ever　beat　me　in　a　fair　race；　I　can　tell　you！〃

Peter；　who　understood　the　language　better　than　he　could　speak　it；　returned　a　laughing　bow　at　Ben's　compliment　but　made　no　further　reply。　　Possibly　he　was　scant　of　breath　at　the　time。

〃Now；　Penchamin；　vat　you　do　mit　yourself？　　Get　so　hot　as　a　fire　brickdat　ish　no　goot；〃　was　Jacob's　plaintive　comment。

〃Nonsense！〃　answered　Ben。　　〃This　frosty　air　will　cool　me　soon　enough。　　I　am　not　tired。〃

〃You　are　beaten；　though；　my　boy；〃　said　Lambert　in　English；　〃and　fairly　too。　　How　will　it　be；　I　wonder；　on　the　day　of　the　grand　race？〃

Ben　flushed　and　gave　a　proud；　defiant　laugh；　as　if　to　say；　〃This　was　mere　pastime。　　I'm　DETERMINED　to　beat　then；　come　what　will！〃




Boys　and　Girls



By　the　time　the　boys　reached　the　village　of　Voorhout；　which　stands　near　the　grand　canal；　about　halfway　between　The　Hague　and　Haarlem；　they　were　forced　to　hold　a　council。　　The　wind；　though　moderate　at　first；　had　grown　stronger　and　stronger；　until　at　last　they　could　hardly　skate　against　it。　　The　weather　vanes　throughout　the　country　had　evidently　entered　into　a　conspiracy。

〃No　use　trying　to　face　such　a　blow　as　this；〃　said　Ludwig。　　〃It　cuts　its　way　down　a　man's　throat　like　a　knife。〃

〃Keep　your　mouth　shut；　then；〃　grunted　the　affable　Carl；　who　was　as　strong…chested　as　a　young　ox。　　〃I'm　for　keeping　on。〃

〃In　this　case；〃　interposed　Peter；　〃we　must　consul　the　weakest　of　the　party　rather　than　the　strongest。〃

The　captain's　principle　was　all　right；　but　its　application　was　not　flattering　to　Master　Ludwig。　　Shrugging　his　shoulders；　he　retorted；　〃Who's　weak？　　Not　I；　for　one；　but　the　wind's　stronger　than　any　of　us。　　I　hope　you'll　condescend　to　admit　that！〃

〃Ha；　ha！〃　laughed　Van　Mounen；　who　could　barely　keep　his　feet。　　〃So　it　is。〃

Just　then　the　weather　vanes　telegraphed　to　each　other　by　a　peculiar　twitchand；　in　an　instant；　the　gust　came。　　It　nearly　threw　the　strong…chested　Carl；　it　almost　strangled　Jacob　and　quite　upset　Ludwig。

〃This　settles　the　question；〃　shouted　Peter。　　〃Off　with　your　skates！　　We'll　go　into　Voorhout。〃

At　Voorhout　they　found　a　little　inn　with　a　big　yard。　　The　yard　was　well　stocked；　and　better　than　all；　was　provided　with　a　complete　set　of　skittles；　so　our　boys　soon　turned　the　detention　into　a　frolic。　　The　wind　was　troublesome　even　in　that　sheltered　quarter；　but　they　were　on　good　standing　ground　and　did　not　mind　it。

First　a　hearty　dinnerthen　the　game。　　With　pins　as　long　as　their　arms　and　balls　as　big　as　their　heads；　plenty　of　strength　left　for　rolling；　and　a　clean　sweep　of　sixty　yards　for　the　strokesno　wonder　they　were　happy。

That　night　Captain　Peter　and　his　men　slept　soundly。　　No　prowling　robber　came　to　disturb　them；　and；　as　they　were　distributed　in　separate　rooms；　they　did　not　even　have　a　bolster　battle　in　the　morning。

Such　a　breakfast　as　they　ate！　　The　landlord　looked　frightened。　　When　he　had　asked　them　where　they　〃belonged；〃　he　made　up　his　mind　that　the　B