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！
me to wish the little maid to share with me my poverty。 But now I am
no longer poor。〃
〃Sit down；〃 responded Nicholas in kindly tone。 〃I have heard of it。
So now you are master and the owner of your shipyour very own。〃
〃My very own after one more voyage；〃 laughed Jan。 〃I have Burgomaster
Allart's promise。〃
〃A promise is not a performance；〃 hinted Nicholas。 〃Burgomaster
Allart is not a rich man； a higher bid might tempt him。 Another might
step in between you and become the owner。〃
Jan only laughed。 〃Why； that would be the work of an enemy； which；
God be praised； I do not think that I possess。〃
〃Lucky lad！〃 commented Nicholas； 〃so few of us are without enemies。
And your parents； Jan； will they live with you？〃
〃We wished it；〃 answered Jan； 〃both Christina and I。 But the mother
is feeble。 The old mill has grown into her life。〃
〃I can understand；〃 agreed Nicholas。 〃The old vine torn from the old
wall withers。 And your father； Jan； people will gossip。 The mill is
paying？〃
Jan shook his head。 〃It never will again； and the debts haunt him。
But all that； as I tell him； is a thing of the past。 His creditors
have agreed to look to me and wait。〃
〃All of them？〃 queried Nicholas。
〃All of them I could discover；〃 laughed Jan。
Nicholas Snyders pushed back his chair and looked at Jan with a smile
upon his wrinkled face。 〃And so you and Christina have arranged it
all？〃
〃With your consent； sir；〃 answered Jan。
〃You will wait for that？〃 asked Nicholas。
〃We should like to have it； sir。〃 Jan smiled； but the tone of his
voice fell agreeably on Nicholas Snyders' ear。 Nicholas Snyders loved
best beating the dog that； growled and showed its teeth。
〃Better not wait for that；〃 said Nicholas Snyders。 〃You might have to
wait long。〃
Jan rose； an angry flush upon his face。 〃So nothing changes you；
Nicholas Snyders。 Have it your own way； then。〃
〃You will marry her in spite of me？〃
〃In spite of you and of your friends the fiends； and of your master
the Devil！〃 flung out Jan。 For Jan had a soul that was generous and
brave and tender and excessively short…tempered。 Even the best of
souls have their failings。
〃I am sorry；〃 said old Nicholas。
〃I am glad to hear it；〃 answered Jan。
〃I am sorry for your mother；〃 explained Nicholas。 〃The poor dame； I
fear； will be homeless in her old age。 The mortgage shall be
foreclosed； Jan； on your wedding…day。 I am sorry for your father；
Jan。 His creditors； Janyou have overlooked just one。 I am sorry
for him； Jan。 Prison has always been his dread。 I am sorry even for
you； my young friend。 You will have to begin life over again。
Burgomaster Allart is in the hollow of my hand。 I have but to say the
word； your ship is mine。 I wish you joy of your bride； my young
friend。 You must love her very dearlyyou will be paying a high
price for her。〃
It was Nicholas Snyders' grin that maddened Jan。 He sought for
something that； thrown straight at the wicked mouth； should silence
it； and by chance his hand lighted on the pedlar's silver flask。 In
the same instance Nicholas Snyders' hand had closed upon it also。 The
grin had died away。
〃Sit down；〃 commanded Nicholas Snyders。 〃Let us talk further。〃 And
there was that in his voice that compelled the younger man's
obedience。
〃You wonder； Jan； why I seek always anger and hatred。 I wonder at
times myself。 Why do generous thoughts never come to me； as to other
men！ Listen； Jan； I am in a whimsical mood。 Such things cannot be；
but it is a whim of mine to think it might have been。 Sell me your
soul； Jan； sell me your soul； that I； too； may taste this love and
gladness that I hear about。 For a little while； Jan； only for a
little while； and I will give you all you desire。〃
The old man seized his pen and wrote。
〃See； Jan； the ship is yours beyond mishap； the mill goes free； your
father may hold up his head again。 And all I ask； Jan； is that you
drink to me； willing the while that your soul may go from you and
become the soul of old Nicholas Snydersfor a little while； Jan； only
for a little while。〃
With feverish hands the old man had drawn the stopper from the
pedlar's flagon； had poured the wine into twin glasses。 Jan's
inclination was to laugh； but the old man's eagerness was almost
frenzy。 Surely he was mad； but that would not make less binding the
paper he had signed。 A true man does not jest with his soul； but the
face of Christina was shining down on Jan from out the gloom。
〃You will mean it？〃 whispered Nicholas Snyders。
〃May my soul pass from me and enter into Nicholas Snyders！〃 answered
Jan； replacing his empty glass upon the table。 And the two stood
looking for a moment into one another's eyes。
And the high candles on the littered desk flickered and went out； as
though a breath had blown them； first one and then the other。
〃I must be getting home；〃 came the voice of Jan from the darkness。
〃Why did you blow out the candles？〃
〃We can light them again from the fire；〃 answered Nicholas。 He did
not add that he had meant to ask that same question of Jan。 He thrust
them among the glowing logs； first one and then the other； and the
shadows crept back into their corners。
〃You will not stop and see Christina？〃 asked Nicholas。
〃Not to…night；〃 answered Jan。
〃The paper that I signed；〃 Nicholas reminded him〃you have it？〃
〃I had forgotten it；〃 Jan answered。
The old man took it from the desk and handed it to him。 Jan thrust it
into his pocket and went out。 Nicholas bolted the door behind him and
returned to his desk； sat long there； his elbow resting on the open
ledger。
Nicholas pushed the ledger aside and laughed。 〃What foolery！ As if
such things could be！ The fellow must have bewitched me。〃
Nicholas crossed to the fire and warmed his hands before the blaze。
〃Still； I am glad he is going to marry the little lass。 A good lad； a
good lad。〃
Nicholas must have fallen asleep before the fire。 When he opened his
eyes； it was to meet the grey dawn。 He felt cold； stiff； hungry； and
decidedly cross。 Why had not Christina woke him up and given him his
supper。 Did she think he had intended to pass the night on a wooden
chair？ The girl was an idiot。 He would go upstairs and tell her
through the door just what he thought of her。
His way upstairs led through the kitchen。 To his astonishment； there
sat Christina； asleep before the burnt…out grate。
〃Upon my word；〃 muttered Nicholas to himself； 〃people in this house
don't seem to know what beds are for！〃
But it was not Christina； so Nicholas told himself。 Christina had the
look of a frightened rabbit： it had always irritated him。 This girl；
even in her sleep； wore an impertinent expressiona delightfully
impertinent expression。 Besides； this girl was prettymarvellously
pretty。 Indeed； so pretty a girl Nicholas had never seen in all his
life before。 Why had the girls； when Nicholas was young； been so
entirely different！ A sudden bitterness seized Nicholas： it was as
though he had just learnt that long ago； without knowing it； he had
been robbed。
The child must be cold。 Nicholas fetched his fur…lined cloak and
w