hans brinker-第31部分

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　bag；　large　as　the　bed；　stuffed　with　swan's　down）；　and　the　pink　satin　quilts；　embroidered　with　garlands　of　flowers。　　He　could　scarcely　sleep　for　thinking　what　a　queer　little　bed　it　was；　so　comfortable　and　pretty；　too；　with　all　its　queerness。　　In　the　morning　he　examined　the　top　coverlet　with　care；　for　he　wished　to　send　home　a　description　of　it　in　his　next　letter。　　It　was　a　beautiful　Japanese　spread；　marvelous　in　texture　as　well　as　in　its　variety　of　brilliant　coloring；　and　worth；　as　Ben　afterward　learned；　not　less　than　three　hundred　dollars。

The　floor　was　of　polished　wooden　mosaic；　nearly　covered　with　a　rich　carpet　bordered　with　thick　black　fringe。　　Another　room　displayed　a　margin　of　satinwood　around　the　carpet。　　Hung　with　tapestry；　its　walls　of　crimson　silk　were　topped　with　a　gilded　cornice　which　shot　down　gleams　of　light　far　into　the　polished　floor。

Over　the　doorway　of　the　room　in　which　Jacob　and　Ben　slept　was　a　bronze　stork　that；　with　outstretched　neck；　held　a　lamp　to　light　the　guests　into　the　apartment。　　Between　the　two　narrow　beds　of　carved　whitewood　and　ebony；　stood　the　household　treasure　of　the　Van　Gends；　a　massive　oaken　chair　upon　which　the　Prince　of　Orange　had　once　sat　during　a　council　meeting。　　Opposite　stood　a　quaintly　carved　clothespress；　waxed　and　polished　to　the　utmost　and　filled　with　precious　stores　of　linen；　beside　it　a　table　holding　a　large　Bible；　whose　great　golden　clasps　looked　poor　compared　with　its　solid；　ribbed　binding　made　to　outlast　six　generations。

There　was　a　ship　model　on　the　mantleshelf；　and　over　it　hung　an　old　portrait　of　Peter　the　Great；　who；　you　know；　once　gave　the　dockyard　cats　of　Holland　a　fine　chance　to　look　at　a　king；　which　is　one　of　the　special　prerogatives　of　cats。　　Peter；　though　czar　of　Russia；　was　not　too　proud　to　work　as　a　common　shipwright　in　the　dockyards　of　Saardam　and　Amsterdam；　that　he　might　be　able　to　introduce　among　his　countrymen　Dutch　improvements　in　ship　building。　　It　was　this　willingness　to　be　thorough　even　in　the　smallest　beginnings　that　earned　for　him　the　title　of　Peter　the　Great。

Peter　the　little　（comparatively　speaking）　was　up　first；　the　next　morning；　knowing　the　punctual　habits　of　his　brother…in…law；　he　took　good　care　that　none　of　the　boys　should　oversleep　themselves。　　A　hard　task　he　found　it　to　wake　Jacob　Poot；　but　after　pulling　that　young　gentleman　out　of　bed；　and；　with　Ben's　help；　dragging　him　about　the　room　for　a　while；　he　succeeded　in　arousing　him。

While　Jacob　was　dressing　and　moaning　within　him　because　the　felt　slippers；　provided　him　as　a　guest；　were　too　tight　for　his　swollen　feet；　Peter　wrote　to　inform　their　friends　at　Broek　of　the　safe　arrival　of　his　party　at　The　Hague。　　He　also　begged　his　mother　to　send　word　to　Hans　Brinker　that　Dr。　Boekman　had　not　yet　reached　Leyden　but　that　a　letter　containing　Hans's　message　had　been　left　at　the　hotel　where　the　doctor　always　lodged　during　his　visits　to　the　city。　　〃Tell　him；　also；〃　wrote　Peter；　〃that　I　shall　call　there　again；　as　I　pass　through　Leyden。　　The　poor　boy　seemed　to　feel　sure　that　'the　meester'　would　hasten　to　save　his　father；　but　we；　who　know　the　gruff　old　gentleman　better；　may　be　confident　he　will　do　no　such　thing。　　It　would　be　a　kindness　to　send　a　visiting　physician　from　Amsterdam　to　the　cottage　at　once；　if　Jufvrouw　*｛In　Holland；　women　of　the　lower　grades　of　society　do　not　take　the　title　of　Mrs。　（or　Mevrouw）　when　they　marry；　as　with　us。　　They　assume　their　husbands'　names　but　are　still　called　Miss　（Jufvrouw；　pronounced　Yuffrow）。｝　Brinker　will　consent　to　receive　any　but　the　great　king　of　the　meesters；　as　Dr。　Boekman　certainly　is。

〃You　know；　Mother；〃　added　Peter；　〃that　I　have　always　considered　Sister　van　Gend's　house　as　rather　quiet　and　lonely；　but　I　assure　you；　it　is　not　so　now。　　He　says　we　make　him　wish　that　he　had　a　houseful　of　boys　of　his　own。　　He　has　promised　to　let　us　ride　on　his　noble　black　horses。　　They　are　gentle　as　kittens；　he　says；　if　one　have　but　a　firm　touch　at　the　rein。　　Ben；　according　to　Jacob's　account；　is　a　glorious　rider；　and　your　son　Peter　is　not　a　very　bad　hand　at　the　business；　so　we　two　are　to　go　out　together　this　morning　mounted　like　knights　of　old。　　After　we　return；　Brother　van　Gend　says　he　will　lend　Jacob　his　English　pony　and　obtain　three　extra　horses；　and　all　of　the　party　are　to　trot　about　the　city　in　a　grand　cavalcade；　led　on　by　him。　　He　will　ride　the　black　horse　which　Father　sent　him　from　Friesland。　　My　sister's　pretty　roan　with　the　long　white　tail　is　lame；　and　she　will　ride　none　other；　else　she　would　accompany　us。　　I　could　scarcely　close　my　eyes　last　night　after　Sister　told　me　of　the　plan。　　Only　the　thought　of　poor　Hans　Brinker　and　his　sick　father　checked　me；　but　for　that　I　could　have　sung　for　joy。　　Ludwig　has　given　us　a　name　alreadythe　Broek　Cavalry。　　We　flatter　ourselves　that　we　shall　make　an　imposing　appearance；　especially　in　single　file。　。　。　。〃

The　Broek　Cavalry　were　not　disappointed。　　Mynheer　van　Gend　readily　procured　good　horses；　and　all　the　boys　could　ride；　though　none　was　as　perfect　horsemen　（or　horseboys）　as　Peter　and　Ben。　　They　saw　The　Hague　to　their　hearts'　content；　and　The　Hague　saw　themexpressing　its　approbation　loudly；　through　the　mouths　of　small　boys　and　cart　dogs；　silently；　through　bright　eyes　that；　not　looking　very　deeply　into　things；　shone　as　they　looked　at　the　handsome　Carl　and　twinkled　with　fun　as　a　certainly　portly　youth　with　shaking　cheeks　rode　past　bumpetty；　bumpetty；　bump！

On　their　return；　the　boys　pronounced　the　great　porcelain　stove　in　the　family　sitting　room　a　decidedly　useful　piece　of　furniture；　for　they　could　gather　around　it　and　get　warm　without　burning　their　noses　or　bringing　on　chilblains。　　It　was　so　very　large　that；　though　hot　elsewhere；　it　seemed　to　send　out　warmth　by　the　houseful。　　Its　pure　white　sides　and　polished　brass　rings　made　it　a　pretty　object　to　look　upon；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　our　ungrateful　Ben；　while　growing　thoroughly　warm　and　comfortable　beside　it；　concocted　a　satirical　sentence　for　his　next　letter；　to　the　effect　that　a　stove　in　Holland　must；　of　course；　resemble　a　great　tower　of　snow　or　it　wouldn't　be　in　keeping　with　the　oddity　of　the　country。

To　describe　all　the　boys　saw　and　did　on　that　day　and　the　next　would　render　this　little　book　a　formidable　volume　indeed。　　They　visited　the　brass　cannon　foundry；　saw　the　liquid　fire　poured　into　molds；　and　watched　the　smiths；　who；　half　naked；　stood　in　the　shadow；　like　demons　playing　with　flame。　　They　admired　the　grand　public　buildings　and　massive　private　houses；　the　elegant　streets；　and　noble　Boschpride　of　all　beauty…loving　Hollanders。　　The　palace　with　its　brilliant　mosaic　floors；　its　frescoed　ceilings；　and　gorgeous　ornaments；　filled　Ben　with　delight；　he　was　surprised　that　some　of　the　churches　were　so　very　plainelaborate　sometimes　in　external　architecture　but　bare　and　bleak　within　with　their　blank；　whitewashed　walls。

If　there　were　no　printed　record；　the　churches　of　Holland　would　almost　tell　her　story。　　I　will　not　enter　into　the　subject　here；　except　to　say　that　Benwho　had　read　of　her　struggles　and　wrongs　and　of　the　terrible　retribution　she　had　from　time　to　time　dealt　forthcould　scarcely　tread　a　Holland　town　without　mentally　leaping　horror…stricken　over　the　bloody　stepping…stones　of　its　history。　　He　could　not　forget　Philip　of　Spain　nor　the　Duke　of　Alva　even　while　rejoicing　in　the　prosperity　that　followed　the　Liberation。　　He　looked　into　the　meekest　of　Dutch　eyes　for　something　of　the　fire　that　once　lit　the　haggard　faces　of　those　desperate；　lawless　men　who；　wearing　with　pride　the　title　of　〃Beggars；〃　which　their　oppressors　had　mockingly　cast　upon　them；　became　the　terror　of　land　and　sea。　　In　Haarlem　he　had　wondered　that　the　air　did　not　still　resound　with　the　cries　of　Alva's　three　thousand　victims。　　In　Leyden　his　heart　had　swelled　in　sympathy　as　he　thought　of　the　long　procession　of　scarred　and　famished　creatures　who　after　the　siege；　with　Adrian　van　der　Werf　at　their　head；　tottered　to　the　great　church　to　sing　a　glorious　anthem　because　Leyden　was　free！　　He　remembered　that　this　was　even　before　they　had　tasted　the　bread　brought　by　the　Dutch　ships。　　They　would　praise　God　first；　then　eat。　　Thousands　of　trembling　voices　were　raised　in　glad　thanksgiving。　　For　a　moment　it　swelled　higher　and　higher；　then　suddenly　changed　to　sobbingnot　one　of　all　the　multitude　could　sing　another　note。　　But　who　shall　say　that　anthem；　even　to　its　very　end；　was　not　heard　in　heaven！

Here；　in　The　Hague；　other　thoughts　came　to　Benof　how　Holland　in　later　years　unwillingly　put　her　head　under　the　French　yoke；　and　how；　galled　and　lashed　past　endurance；　she　had　resolutely　jerked　it　out　again。　　He　liked　her　for　that。　　What　nation　of　any　spirit；　thought　he；　could　be　expected　to　stand　such　work；　paying　all　her　wealth　into　a　foreign　treasury　and　yielding　up　the　flower　of　her　youth　under　foreign　conscription。　　It　was　not　so　very　long　ago；　either；　since　English　guns　had　been　heard　booming　close　by　in　the　German　Ocean；　wellall　the　fighting　was　over　at　last。　　Holland　was　a　snug　little　monarchy　now　in　her　own　right；　and　Ben；　for　one；　was　glad　of　it。　　Arrived　at　this　charitable　conclusion；　he　was　prepared　to　enjoy　to　the　utmost　all　the　wonders　of　her　capital；　he　quite　delighted　Mynheer　van　Gend　with　his　hearty　and　intelligent　interestso；