登陆注册
15383000000137

第137章

The little party at the hosier's house sat at table discussing the recent event, when their mother returned, and casting a piercing glance all round the little circle, laid the letter flat on the table.She repeated every word of it by memory, following the lines with her finger, to cheat herself and bearers into the notion that she could read the words, or nearly.Then, suddenly lifting her head, she cast another keen look on Cornelis and Sybrandt: their eyes fell.

On this the storm that had long been brewing burst on their heads.

Catherine seemed to swell like an angry hen ruffling her feathers, and out of her mouth came a Rhone and Saone of wisdom and twaddle, of great and mean invective, such as no male that ever was born could utter in one current; and not many women.

The following is a fair though a small sample of her words: only they were uttered all in one breath"I have long had my doubts that you blew the flame betwixt Gerard and your father, and set that old rogue, Ghysbrecht, on.And now, here are Gerard's own written words to prove it.You have driven your own flesh and blood into a far land, and robbed the mother that bore you of her darling, the pride of her eye, the joy of her heart.But you are all of a piece from end to end.When you were all boys together, my others were a comfort; but you were a curse:

mischievous and sly; and took a woman half a day to keep your clothes whole: for why? work wears cloth, but play cuts it.With the beard comes prudence; but none came to you: still the last to go to bed, and the last to leave it; and why? because honesty goes to bed early, and industry rises betimes; where there are two lie-a-beds in a house there are a pair of ne'er-do-weels.Often I've sat and looked at your ways, and wondered where ye came from:

ye don't take after your father, and ye are no more like me than a wasp is to an ant; sure ye were changed in the cradle, or the cuckoo dropped ye on my floor: for ye have not our hands, nor our hearts: of all my blood, none but you ever jeered them that God afflicted; but often when my back was turned I've heard you mock at Giles, because he is not as big as some; and at my lily Kate, because she is not so strong as a Flanders mare.After that rob a church an you will! for you can be no worse in His eyes that made both Kate and Giles, and in mine that suffered for them, poor darlings, as I did for you, you paltry, unfeeling, treasonable curs! No, I will not hush, my daughter, they have filled the cup too full.It takes a deal to turn a mother's heart against the sons she has nursed upon her knees; and many is the time I have winked and wouldn't see too much, and bitten my tongue, lest their father should know them as I do; he would have put them to the door that moment.But now they have filled the cup too full.And where got ye all this money? For this last month you have been rolling in it.You never wrought for it.I wish I may never hear from other mouths how ye got it.It is since that night you were out so late, and your head came back so swelled, Cornelis.Sloth and greed are ill-mated, my masters.Lovers of money must sweat or steal.Well, if you robbed any poor soul of it, it was some woman, I'll go bail; for a man would drive you with his naked hand.No matter, it is good for one thing.It has shown me how you will guide our gear if ever it comes to be yourn.I have watched you, my lads, this while.You have spent a groat to-day between you.

And I spend scarce a groat a week, and keep you all, good and bad.

No I give up waiting for the shoes that will maybe walk behind your coffin; for this shop and this house shall never be yourn.

Gerard is our heir; poor Gerard, whom you have banished and done your best to kill; after that never call me mother again! But you have made him tenfold dearer to me.My poor lost boy! I shall soon see him again shall hold him in my arms, and set him on my knees.

Ay, you may stare! You are too crafty, and yet not crafty enow.

You cut the stalk away; but you left the seed - the seed that shall outgrow you, and outlive you.Margaret Brandt is quick, and it is Gerard's, and what is Gerard's is mine; and I have prayed the saints it may be a boy; and it will - it must.Kate, when Ifound it was so, my bowels yearned over her child unborn as if it had been my own.He is our heir.He will outlive us.You will not;for a bad heart in a carcass is like the worm in the nut, soon brings the body to dust.So, Kate, take down Gerard's bib and tucker that are in the drawer you wot of, and one of these days we will carry them to Sevenbergen.We will borrow Peter Buyskens'

cart, and go comfort Gerard's wife under her burden.She is his wife.Who is Ghysbrecht Van Swieten? Can he come between a couple and the altar, and sunder those that God and the priest make one?

She is my daughter, and I am as proud of her as I am of you, Kate, almost; and as for you, keep out of my way awhile, for you are like the black dog in my eyes.

Cornelis and Sybrandt took the hint and slunk out, aching with remorse, and impenitence, and hate.They avoided her eye as much as ever they could; and for many days she never spoke a word, good, bad, or indifferent, to either of them.Liberaverat animum suum.

同类推荐
  • 脉诀考证

    脉诀考证

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说方等泥洹经

    佛说方等泥洹经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大萨遮尼干子受记经

    大萨遮尼干子受记经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 孔子家语

    孔子家语

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 思辨录辑要

    思辨录辑要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 重生之美人凶猛

    重生之美人凶猛

    三观异常的隐性蛇神病患者肖女士,她身家千万,可是重生回了小萝莉,手里私房不超过300元!肖筱:被迫砍大号重打小号,要不要这么无理取闹重生了,可以早早成就白富美,迎娶高富帅啊?呵呵——蛇精病的重生路怎么会这么寻常呢!!!
  • 大道风云

    大道风云

    大道无形,生育天地;大道无情,运行日月;大道无名,长养万物。陈青锋不知何以为道,也不求道,他只想在这风云变幻的星辰大陆活下去……
  • 名侦探柯南之我心有你

    名侦探柯南之我心有你

    生不逢时,从小缺少关爱,自己最亲的人也去世,意外的穿越,让他有了一个家,生活从零开始!
  • 沧澜法师

    沧澜法师

    一个修真界的天降奇才,因为莫名的原因穿越到了异世,却惊讶的发现自己原本引以为傲的一身修为居然不能够继续使用了,取而代之的是强大之极的精神力。且看这个少年是如何在这魔法已经泯灭了万年之久的沧澜大陆之上掀起一番魔法狂潮。
  • 篡天史

    篡天史

    灵力大陆,强者为尊,弱者只能去接受决定,没有去选择的权力,这便是灵力大陆千百万年永恒不变的定律,想要有尊严,有地位,能被人看的起,只有去修炼灵力,一步步变强!灵力大陆上有神一个神奇之地,也是一座凶地,叫做灵路,传言灵修极致的秘密就隐藏其中,少年高无衣,被大能高手打死,意外重生,偶获得灵力大陆第一功法,改写过往历史……
  • 玄冥仙尊

    玄冥仙尊

    天际州沧源国一群天赋异禀的少年,从稚嫩到成熟,抵御外族入侵,保家卫国,可歌可泣!
  • 自尊的独语

    自尊的独语

    美丽、孤寂、荒芜、甚至罪恶,才可能徐徐燃起自己的生命火焰,才可能造就人类的光……人,确实是“无价”的;而一切卓越的有利于人类前景的创作,便是“无价之人”的“文”:无论是文义文采的“文”,还是文质彬彬的“文”。尽管我们对文学、对世界、对人自身的探究是无止境的,但我还是觉得韩少功是那种相对成熟或健全的作家,早先在读小说时就有这种印象,如今再读散文,这种印象便显得更清晰更深刻。
  • 重生之金牌经纪人

    重生之金牌经纪人

    她是苏氏千金,爱上一个大明星,奋不顾身,只为与他白头偕老。七年之痒,却落得一个丈夫出轨,胎儿流产,所有骄傲与尊严一败涂地的结局。有人说她可怜,她只觉得是自己活该!重活一世,她绝不会再如此懦弱!重生,她对娱乐圈了如指掌,预知未来,日子不要太舒坦。闲来无事,虐渣男辱渣女?NONONO!会脏了她的手。渣男上门,她淡然一瞥,当红大明星?她捧出的影帝分分钟甩他几条街!渣女挑衅,她不屑一顾,资深经纪人?她会告诉她资深这两娱乐圈内她如鱼得水,经济大业亦是风生水起。可是有一天!商业联姻?!(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 穿越之云夕苒

    穿越之云夕苒

    当蓝色水雾进入我身体的一瞬间,我不知道发生了什么,我只知道,我陷入了一片沉寂,昏睡着。。。。。。“萋萋绿远水,苒苒在空林。你终究不止是芳草,去吧,孩子。。。。。。“远方而来的一句话回荡在我的耳边。。。。。。陌生的大陆,究竟是谁颠覆了谁的世界观;陌生的人,是敌人,是朋友,还是。。。。。。魔女?这个外号我喜欢。危险重重、艰难险阻?跟我有关系吗,我可是有梦幻水滴的人。魔兽?你们是指这些小崽子吗。。。。。。21世纪?没去过吧,姐带你玩儿一圈。世间大道,走下去,就是你的路。愿我随心所欲,风雨无阻。。。。。。
  • 探索黑洞

    探索黑洞

    让我用文字带领你们穿越那无穷无尽的黑洞,去探险,去领会不同星球人之间的友情,那份坚毅