Hans Brinker; Or, The Silver SkatesDodge, Mary Mapes
History
Hans Brinker; Or, The Silver Skates
Dodge, Mary Mapes
Netherlands -- History -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction; Siblings -- Juvenile fiction; Skating -- Juvenile fiction
There was a model of the cabin at Saardam in which Peter the Great lived
during his short career as a ship-builder. Also, wallets and bowls--once
carried by the "Beggar" Confederates who, uniting under the Prince of
Orange, had freed Holland from the tyranny of Spain; the sword of
Admiral Van Speyk who about ten years before had perished in voluntarily
blowing up his own ship; and Van Tromp's armor with the marks of bullets
upon it. Jacob looked around, hoping to see the broom which the plucky
admiral fastened to his mast-head--but it was not there. The waistcoat
which William Third[27] of England wore during the last days of his
life, possessed great interest for Ben; and one and all gazed with a
mixture of reverence and horror-worship at the identical clothing worn
by William the Silent[27] when he was murdered at Delft by Balthazar
Geraerts. A tawny leather doublet and plain surcoat of gray cloth, a
soft felt hat, and a high neck-ruff from which hung one of the
"Beggars'" medals--these were not in themselves very princely objects,
though the doublet had a tragic interest from its dark stains, and
bullet holes. Ben could readily believe, as he looked upon the garments,
that the Silent Prince, true to his greatness of character, had been
exceedingly simple in his attire. His aristocratic prejudices were,
however, decidedly shocked when Lambert told him of the way in which
William's bride first entered the Hague.
[Footnote 27: William, Prince of Orange, who became King of England, was
a great grandson of William the Silent, Prince of Orange, who was
murdered by Geraerts (or Gerard) July 10th, 1584.]
"The beautiful Louisa de Coligny, whose father and former husband both
had fallen at the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, was coming to be fourth
wife to the Prince, and of course," said Lambert, "we Hollanders were
too gallant to allow the lady to enter the town on foot. No, sir, we
sent (or rather my ancestors did) a clean, open post-wagon to meet her,
with a plank across it for her to sit upon!"
"Very gallant indeed!" exclaimed Ben with almost a sneer in his polite
laugh--"and she the daughter of an Admiral of France."
"Was she? Upon my word I had nearly forgotten that. But, you see Holland
had very plain ways in the good old time, in fact we are a very simple,
frugal people to this day. The Van Gend establishment is a decided
exception, you know."
"A very agreeable exception, I think," said Ben.
"Certainly, certainly. But, between you and me, Mynheer van Gend, though
he has wrought his own fortunes, can afford to be magnificent, and yet
be frugal."
"Exactly so," said Ben profoundly; at the same time stroking his upper
lip and chin, which latterly he believed had been showing delightful
and unmistakable signs of coming dignities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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