按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Now； Annie； I know you would never mean that！ You must return some of this money。〃
〃But I'll not do any such thing；〃 insisted Annie。 〃They're sold； and that's an end of it。〃 Then； seeing that he looked really pained； she added in a lower tone； 〃Will you believe me； Hans； when I say that there has been no mistake； that the person who bought your skates INSISTED upon paying seven guilders for them？〃
〃I will；〃 he answered； and the light from his clear blue eyes seemed to settle and sparkle under Annie's lashes。
Dame Brinker was delighted at the sight of so much silver； but when she learned that Hans had parted with his treasures to obtain it； she sighed and then exclaimed； 〃Bless thee； child！ That will be a sore loss for thee！〃
〃Here； Mother；〃 said the boy； plunging his hands far into his pocket； 〃here is morewe shall be rich if we keep on！〃
〃Aye； indeed；〃 she answered； eagerly reaching forth her hand。 Then； lowering her voice； added； 〃We SHOULD be rich but for that Jan Kamphuisen。 He was at the willow tree years ago； Hans。 Depend upon it！〃
〃Indeed； it seems likely；〃 sighed Hans。 〃Well； Mother； we must give up the money bravely。 It is certainly gone。 The father has told us all he knows。 Let us think no more about it。〃
〃That's easy saying； Hans。 I shall try； but it's hard and my poor man wanting so many comforts。 Bless me！ How girls fly about！ They were here but this instant。 Where did they run to？〃
〃They slipped behind the cottage；〃 said Hans； 〃like enough to hide from us。 Hist！ I'll catch them for you！ They both can move quicker and softer than yonder rabbit； but I'll give them a good start first。〃
〃Why； there IS a rabbit； sure enough。 Hold； Hans； the poor thing must have been in sore need to venture from its burrow in this bitter weather。 I'll get a few crumbs for it within。〃
So saying； the good woman bustled into the cottage。 She soon came out again； but Hans had forgotten to wait； and the rabbit； after taking a cool survey of the premises； had scampered off to unknown quarters。 Turning the corner of the cottage； Dame Brinker came upon the children。 Hans and Gretel were standing before Annie； who was seated carelessly upon a stump。
〃That is as good as a picture！〃 cried Dame Brinker； halting in admiration of the group。 〃Many a painting have I seen at the grand house at Heidelberg not a whit prettier。 My two are rough chubs； Annie； but YOU look like a fairy。〃
〃Do I？〃 laughed Annie； sparkling with animation。 〃Well； then； Gretel and Hans； imagine I'm your godmother just paying you a visit。 Now I'll grant you each a wish。 What will you have； Master Hans？〃
A shade of earnestness passed over Annie's face as she looked up at him； perhaps it was because she wished from the depths of her heart that for once she could have a fairy's power。
Something whispered to Hans that； for a moment； she was more than mortal。 〃I wish；〃 said he solemnly； 〃that I could find something I was searching for last night！〃
Gretel laughed merrily。 Dame Brinker moaned。 〃Shame on you； Hans！〃 And she went wearily into the cottage。
The fairy godmother sprang up and stamped her foot three times。
〃Thou shalt have thy wish；〃 said she。 〃Let them say what they will。〃 Then； with playful solemnity； she put her hand in her apron pocket and drew forth a large glass bead。 〃Bury this；〃 said she； giving it to Hans； 〃where I have stamped； and ere moonrise thy wish shall be granted。〃
Gretel laughed more merrily than ever。
The godmother pretended great displeasure。
〃Naughty child；〃 said she； scowling terribly。 〃In punishment for laughing at a fairy； THY wish shall not be granted。〃
〃Ha！〃 cried Gretel in high glee； 〃better wait till you're asked； godmother。 I haven't made any wish！〃
Annie acted her part well。 Never smiling； through all their merry laughter； she stalked away； the embodiment of offended dignity。
〃Good night； fairy！〃 they cried again and again。
〃Good night； mortals！〃 she called out at last as she sprang over a frozen ditch and ran quickly homeward。
〃Oh； isn't she just like flowersso sweet and lovely！〃 cried Gretel； looking after her in great admiration。 〃And to think how many days she stays in that dark room with her grandmother。 Why； brother Hans！ What is the matter？ What are you going to do？〃
〃Wait and see！〃 answered Hans as he plunged into the cottage and came out again； all in an instant； bearing the spade and ysbreeker in his hands。 〃I'm going to bury my magic bead！〃
Raff Brinker still slept soundly。 His wife took a small block of peat from her nearly exhausted store and put it upon the embers。 Then opening the door； she called gently； 〃Come in； children。〃
〃Mother！ Mother！ See here！〃 shouted Hans。
〃Holy Saint Bavon！〃 exclaimed the dame； springing over the doorstep。 〃What ails the boy！〃
〃Come quick； Mother；〃 he cried in great excitement； working with all his might and driving in the ysbreeker at each word。 〃Don't you see？ THIS is the spotright here on the south side of the stump。 Why didn't we think of it last night？ THE STUMP is the old willow treethe one you cut down last spring because it shaded the potatoes。 That little tree wasn't here when Father。 。 。Huzza！〃
Dame Brinker could not speak。 She dropped on her knees beside Hans just in time to see him drag forth THE OLD STONE POT！
He thrust in his hand and took out a piece of brick； then another； then another； then the stocking and the pouch； black and moldy； but filled with the long…lost treasure！
Such a time！ Such laughing！ Such crying！ Such counting after they went into the cottage！ It was a wonder that Raff did not waken。 His dreams were pleasant； however； for he smiled in his sleep。
Dame Brinker and her children had a fine supper； I can assure you。 No need of saving the delicacies now。
〃We'll get Father some nice fresh things tomorrow；〃 Dame Brinker said as she brought forth cold meat； wine； bread； and jelly； and placed them on the clean pine table。 〃Sit by； children； sit by。〃
That night Annie fell asleep wondering whether it was a knife Hans had lost and thinking how funny it would be if he should find it； after all。
Hans had scarcely closed his eyes before he found himself trudging along a thicket； pots of gold were lying all around； and watches and skates； and glittering beads were swinging from every branch。
Strange to say； each tree； as he approached it； changed into a stump； and on the stump sat the prettiest fairy imaginable； clad in a scarlet jacket and a blue petticoat。
The Mysterious Watch
Something else than the missing guilders was brought to light on the day of the fairy godmother's visit。 This was the story of the watch that for ten long years had been so jealously guarded by Raff's faithful vrouw。 Through many an hour of sore temptation she had dreaded almost to look upon it； lest she might be tempted to disobey her husband's request。 It had been hard to see her children hungry and to know that the watch； if sold； would enable the roses to bloom in their cheeks again。 〃But nay；〃 she would exclaim； 〃Meitje Brinker is not one to forget her man's last bidding； come what may。〃
〃Take good care of this； mine vrouw；〃 he had said as he handed it to herthat was all。 No explanation followed； for the words were scarcely spoken when one of his fellow workmen rushed into the cottage； crying； 〃Come； man！ The waters are rising！ You're wanted on the dikes。〃
Raff had started at once； and that was the last Dame Brinker saw of him in his right mind。
On the day when Hans was in Amsterdam looking for work； and Gretel； after performing her household labors； was wandering in search of chips； twigs； anything that could be burned； Dame Brinker with suppressed excitement had laid the watch in her husband's hand。
〃It wasn't in reason；〃 as she afterward said to Hans； 〃to wait any longer； when a word from the father would settle all。 No woman living but would want to know how he came by that watch。〃 Raff Brinker turned the bright polished thing over and over in his hand； then he examined the bit of smoothly ironed black ribbon fastened to it。 He seemed hardly to recognize it。 At last he said； 〃Ah； I remember this！ Why； you've been rubbing it； vrouw； till it shines like a new guilder。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Dame Brinker； nodding her head complacently。
Raff looked at it again。 〃Poor boy！〃 he murmured； then fell into a brown study。
This was too much for the dame。 〃'Poor boy！'〃 she echoed； somewhat tartly。 〃What do you think I'm standing here for； Raff Brinker； and my spinning awaiting； if not to hear more than that？〃
〃I told ye all； long since；〃 said Raff positively as he looked up in surprise。
〃Indeed； and you never did！〃 retorted the vrouw。
〃Well； if not； since it's no affair of ours； we'll say no more about it；〃 said Raff； shaking his head sadly。 〃Like enough while I've been dead on the earth； all this time； the poor boy's died and been in heaven。 He looked near enough to it； poor lad！〃
〃Raff Brinker！ If you're going to treat me this way； and I nursing you and bearing with you since I was twenty…two years old； it's a shame。 Aye； and a disgrace；〃 cried the vrouw； growing quite red and scant of bre