hans brinker-第52章

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〃Certainly；　you　must；　mynheer。　　It　was　your　son's　wish。〃

〃Even　so；〃　responded　the　doctor；　regarding　his　treasure　with　a　queer　frown；　for　his　face　could　not　throw　off　its　bad　habits　in　an　hour；　〃even　so。　　And　now　I　must　be　gone。　　No　medicine　is　needed　by　my　patient；　only　peace　and　cheerfulness；　and　both　are　here　in　plenty。　　Heaven　bless　you；　my　good　friends！　　I　shall　ever　be　grateful　to　you。〃

〃May　Heaven　bless　you；　too；　mynheer；　and　may　you　soon　find　the　young　gentleman；〃　said　Dame　Brinker　earnestly；　after　hurriedly　wiping　her　eyes　upon　the　corner　of　her　apron。

Raff　uttered　a　hearty；　〃Amen！〃　and　Gretel　threw　such　a　wistful；　eager　glance　at　the　doctor　that　he　patted　her　head　as　he　turned　to　leave　the　cottage。

Hans　went　out　also。

〃When　I　can　serve　you；　mynheer；　I　am　ready。〃

〃Very　well；　boy；〃　replied　Dr。　Boekman　with　peculiar　mildness。　　〃Tell　them；　within；　to　say　nothing　of　what　has　just　happened。　　Meantime；　Hans；　when　you　are　with　his　father；　watch　his　mood。　　You　have　tact。　　At　any　moment　he　may　suddenly　be　able　to　tell　us　more。〃

〃Trust　me　for　that；　mynheer。〃

〃Good　day；　my　boy！〃　cried　the　doctor　as　he　sprang　into　his　stately　coach。

Aha！　thought　Hans　as　it　rolled　away；　the　meester　has　more　life　in　him　than　I　thought。




The　Race



The　twentieth　of　December　came　at　last；　bringing　with　it　the　perfection　of　winter　weather。　　All　over　the　level　landscape　lay　the　warm　sunlight。　　It　tried　its　power　on　lake；　canal；　and　river；　but　the　ice　flashed　defiance　and　showed　no　sign　of　melting。　　The　very　weathercocks　stood　still　to　enjoy　the　sight。　　This　gave　the　windmills　a　holiday。　　Nearly　all　the　past　week　they　had　been　whirling　briskly；　now；　being　rather　out　of　breath；　they　rocked　lazily　in　the　clear；　still　air。　　Catch　a　windmill　working　when　the　weathercocks　have　nothing　to　do！

There　was　an　end　to　grinding；　crushing；　and　sawing　for　that　day。　　It　was　a　good　thing　for　the　millers　near　Broek。　　Long　before　noon　they　concluded　to　take　in　their　sails　and　go　to　the　race。　　Everybody　would　be　therealready　the　north　side　of　the　frozen　Y　was　bordered　with　eager　spectators。　　The　news　of　the　great　skating　match　had　traveled　far　and　wide。　　Men；　women；　and　children　in　holiday　attire　were　flocking　toward　the　spot。　　Some　wore　furs　and　wintry　cloaks　or　shawls；　but　many；　consulting　their　feelings　rather　than　the　almanac；　were　dressed　as　for　an　October　day。

The　site　selected　for　the　race　was　a　faultless　plain　of　ice　near　Amsterdam；　on　that　great　arm　of　the　Zuider　Zee；　which　Dutchmen；　of　course；　must　call　the　Eye。　　The　townspeople　turned　out　in　large　numbers。　　Strangers　to　the　city　deemed　it　a　fine　chance　to　see　what　was　to　be　seen。　　Many　a　peasant　from　the　northward　had　wisely　chosen　the　twentieth　as　the　day　for　the　next　city　trading。　　It　seemed　that　everybody；　young　and　old；　who　had　wheels；　skates；　or　feet　at　command　had　hastened　to　the　scene。

There　were　the　gentry　in　their　coaches；　dressed　like　Parisians；　fresh　from　the　boulevards；　Amsterdam　children　in　charity　uniforms；　girls　from　the　Roman　Catholic　Orphan　House；　in　sable　gowns　and　white　headbands；　boys　from　the　Burgher　Asylum；　with　their　black　tights　and　short…skirted；　harlequin　coats。　*｛This　is　not　said　in　derision。　　Both　the　boys　and　girls　of　this　institution　wear　garments　quartered　in　red　and　black；　alternately。　　By　making　the　dress　thus　conspicuous；　the　children　are；　in　a　measure；　deterred　from　wrongdoing　while　going　about　the　city。　　The　Burgher　Orphan　Asylum　affords　a　comfortable　home　to　several　hundred　boys　and　girls。　　Holland　is　famous　for　its　charitable　institutions。｝　　There　were　old…fashioned　gentlemen　in　cocked　hats　and　velvet　knee　breeches；　old…fashioned　ladies；　too；　in　stiff　quilted　skirts　and　bodices　of　dazzling　brocade。　　These　were　accompanied　by　servants　bearing　foot　stoves　and　cloaks。　　There　were　the　peasant　folk　arrayed　in　every　possible　Dutch　costume；　shy　young　rustics　in　brazen　buckles；　simple　village　maidens　concealing　their　flaxen　hair　under　fillets　of　gold；　women　whose　long；　narrow　aprons　were　stiff　with　embroidery；　women　with　short　corkscrew　curls　hanging　over　their　foreheads；　women　with　shaved　heads　and　close…fitting　caps；　and　women　in　striped　skirts　and　windmill　bonnets。　　Men　in　leather；　in　homespun；　in　velvet；　and　in　broadcloth；　burghers　in　model　European　attire；　and　burghers　in　short　jackets；　wide　trousers；　and　steeple…crowned　hats。

There　were　beautiful　Friesland　girls　in　wooden　shoes　and　coarse　petticoats；　with　solid　gold　crescents　encircling　their　heads；　finished　at　each　temple　with　a　golden　rosette　and　hung　with　lace　a　century　old。　　Some　wore　necklaces；　pendants；　and　earrings　of　the　purest　gold。　　Many　were　content　with　gilt　or　even　with　brass；　but　it　is　not　an　uncommon　thing　for　a　Friesland　woman　to　have　all　the　family　treasure　in　her　headgear。　　More　than　one　rustic　lass　displayed　the　value　of　two　thousand　guilders　upon　her　head　that　day。

Scattered　throughout　the　crowd　were　peasants　from　the　Island　or　Marken；　with　sabots；　black　stockings；　and　the　widest　of　breeches；　also　women　from　Marken　with　short　blue　petticoats；　and　black　jackets；　gaily　figured　in　front。　　They　wore　red　sleeves；　white　aprons；　and　a　cap　like　a　bishop's　miter　over　their　golden　hair。

The　children　often　were　as　quaint　and　odd…looking　as　their　elders。　　In　short；　one…third　of　the　crowd　seemed　to　have　stepped　bodily　from　a　collection　of　Dutch　paintings。

Everywhere　could　be　seen　tall　women　and　stumpy　men；　lively…faced　girls；　and　youths　whose　expression　never　changed　from　sunrise　to　sunset。

There　seemed　to　be　at　least　one　specimen　from　every　known　town　in　Holland。　　There　were　Utrecht　water　bearers；　Gouda　cheesemakers；　Delft　pottery　men；　Schiedam　distillers；　Amsterdam　diamond　cutters；　Rotterdam　merchants；　dried…up　herring　packers；　and　two　sleepy…eyes　shepherds　from　Texel。　　Every　man　of　them　had　his　pipe　and　tobacco　pouch。　　Some　carried　what　might　be　called　the　smoker's　complete　outfita　pipe；　tobacco；　a　pricker　with　which　to　clean　the　tube；　a　silver　net　for　protecting　the　bowl；　and　a　box　of　the　strongest　brimstone　matches。

A　true　Dutchman；　you　must　remember；　is　rarely　without　his　pipe　on　any　possible　occasion。　　He　may　for　a　moment　neglect　to　breathe；　but　when　the　pipe　is　forgotten；　he　must　be　dying　indeed。　　There　were　no　such　sad　cases　here。　　Wreaths　of　smoke　were　rising　from　every　possible　quarter。　　The　more　fantastic　the　smoke　wreath；　the　more　placid　and　solemn　the　smoker。

Look　at　those　boys　and　girls　on　stilts！　　That　is　a　good　idea。　　They　can　see　over　the　heads　of　the　tallest。　　It　is　strange　to　see　those　little　bodies　high　in　the　air；　carried　about　on　mysterious　legs。　　They　have　such　a　resolute　look　on　their　round　faces；　what　wonder　that　nervous　old　gentlemen　with　tender　feet　wince　and　tremble　while　the　long…legged　little　monsters　stride　past　them。

You　will　read　in　certain　books　that　the　Dutch　are　a　quiet　peopleso　they　are　generally。　　　But　listen！　　Did　you　ever　hear　such　a　din？　　All　made　up　of　human　voicesno；　the　horses　are　helping　somewhat；　and　the　fiddles　are　squeaking　pitifully　（how　it　must　pain　fiddles　to　be　tuned！）；　but　the　mass　of　the　sound　comes　from　the　great　vox　humana　that　belongs　to　a　crowd。

That　queer　little　dwarf　going　about　with　a　heavy　basket；　winding　in　and　out　among　the　people；　helps　not　a　little。　　You　can　hear　his　shrill　cry　above　all　the　other　sounds；　〃Pypen　en　tabac！　　Pypen　en　tabac！〃

Another；　his　big　brother；　though　evidently　some　years　younger；　is　selling　doughnuts　and　bonbons。　　He　is　calling　on　all　pretty　children　far　and　near　to　come　quickly　or　the　cakes　will　be　gone。

You　know　quite　a　number　among　the　spectators。　　High　up　in　yonder　pavilion；　erected　upon　the　border　of　the　ice；　are　some　persons　whom　you　have　seen　very　lately。　　In　the　center　is　Madame　van　Gleck。　　It　is　her　birthday；　you　remember；　she　has　the　post　of　honor。　　There　is　Mynheer　van　Gleck；　whose　meerschaum　has　not　really　grown　fast　to　his　lipsit　only　appears　so。　　There　are　Grandfather　and　Grandmother；　whom　you　met　at　the　Saint　Nicholas　fete。　　All　the　children　are　with　them。　　It　is　so　mild；　they　have　brought　even　the　baby。　　The　poor　little　creature　is　swathed　very　much　after　the　manner　of　an　Egyptian　mummy；　but　it　can　crow　with　delight　and；　when　the　band　is　playi