The attentive reader who knows human nature will naturally wish to
know why I closed the last chapter so tamely, and why that zoˆlogical
problem which, only a short time before had caused such a violent
explosion, was now allowed to rest in peace.
There are three reasons for this.
Firstly, the women had been so wrought up that they were now exhausted.
Secondly, Juffrouw Laps, the shrewd leader of the fight, looked over
the battlefield and, without thinking of the famous battle between
the Horatii and the Curiatii, saw with innate tactical talent the
correctness of "divide and conquer." With the forces Stotter, Mabbel,
Krummel and Zipperman against the house of Pieterse--that was all
right. But now that the house was supported by Pennewip's powerful
hand, it was prudent to withdraw from the battle. For who could
guarantee her that she might depend upon her allies? What assurance
had she that the midwife, or even Juffrouw Zipperman would not go over
to the enemy?--if only out of deference to the versatile wig! No, no,
no! She wouldn't risk her rhetorical artillery in such a doubtful
engagement! She was content to say to herself, "I will get even
with you later." Imagining her, with all her relations to society,
multiplied by twenty or thirty millions, we would have read the next
day in this or that official Laps organ something like this:
"Our relations with the Pietersian empire are most cordial. The
recent friendly meeting between the two sovereigns was merely that
they might have the mutual pleasure of seeing one another, and had
no political significance whatever. It will be seen how unfounded
were those rumors of 'strained relations,' which were said to have
been brought about by a discussion of certain characteristics of our
popular princess. The reader will recall that we never gave credence
to those rumors, and reported them with great reserve."
Thirdly. The third and chief cause of the armistice
was--curiosity. Under the present changed circumstances whoever
betrayed any anger would have to leave; and whoever left would not
find out why Master Pennewip had come, or what new crime Walter had
committed. Again we see the truth of the proposition, that everything
has its good side.
"But, Master Pennewip," asked Juffrouw Pieterse--she threw the
subdued sucking animal a look that was like a triumphant telegram,
and read: Where are you now?--"but Master Pennewip, what has Walter
been doing now?"
"Yes, what has he been up to this time," added Juffrouw Laps, delighted
that the conversation had taken this turn, and that she was now to
hear about Walter's latest sin.
For the sinner is a thing in which pious persons find much
edification. As we have already seen, Juffrouw Laps was fond of
edification.
Pennewip was just on the point of beginning his indictment when the
door-bell rang. It rang again: "It's for us"--and in a moment our
truant walked into the room.
He was paler than usual, and with good reason; for strange things
had happened to him since Fancy had lifted him up and borne him away.
"Juffrouw Pieterse," began Pennewip, "my school is famous, even as
far away as Kattenburg. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, Master Pennewip."
"I repeat it: Famous! And, too, chiefly on account of the fine moral
there--I mean, of course, in my school. Religion and morality occupy
the first place in my school. I could show you verses on the Deity--but
I pass over that. It is sufficient for you to know that my school is
famous as far as--but what am I talking about--I've even had a boy
from Wittenburg; and I was once consulted about the education of a
boy whose father lived at Muiderberg."
"Oh, Master Pennewip!"
"Yes, Juffrouw, I still have the letter and could show it to you. The
man was a gravedigger--the boy painted inappropriate figures on
the coffins. And just for this reason I feel it my duty to tell you
that I don't intend to see my school lose its good name through that
good-for-nothing boy of yours there!"
Poor Walter had fallen from the clouds. That sounded quite different
from a papal appointment--which he really no longer cared for, as he
had just received another appointment that pleased him better.
His mother wanted to pass immediately to what she called her "divine
worship" and give him a sound thrashing, in order to satisfy the
teacher that religion and morality took the first place in her
house, too.
But the teacher found it preferable to tell the party what the
trouble was, and incidentally to strengthen the feeling of guilt in
the patient.
"Your son belongs to the class of robbers, murderers, ravishers of
women, incendiaries----"
That was all.
"Holy grace! Heavenly righteousness! Compassionate Christian souls! Ah,
divine and human virtue, is it possible! What must we endure!"
I cannot always be exact; but, in general, such was the flood of
exclamations that all but swept away that ten-year-old robber,
murderer, ravisher of women and incendiary.
"I am going to read you something from his hand," said the teacher,
"and then if anybody still doubts the boy's viciousness----"
All tacitly promised to have no doubts.
The work that the teacher read was indeed of such a nature as to leave
small room for doubts; and I, who have chosen Walter for my hero,
anticipate difficulty in convincing the reader that he was not so
bad as he seemed--after his
"Robber Song."
"On the steed,
Off I speed,
With helmet on head
And a sword in my hand and the enemy dead;
Quick, away!"
"Christian souls," cried the whole party, "is he mad?"
"Rather late,
Near the gate
A push and a blow,
Vanquished dragoon, Margrave laid low----"
"Heaven save us, what has he against the Margrave," wailed the mother.
"For the spoil!"
"Don't you see, it's for booty," said Juffrouw Laps. "I told you so:
He began with the Bible, he'll end with----"
"And the prize--
Pretty eyes----"
"Did you ever hear the like--he has scarcely shed his milk teeth!"
"And the prize--
Pretty eyes--
She was bought with steel----"
"With ste-e-l!"
"And the prize--
Pretty eyes--
She was bought with steel;
I bore her away to the cave just to feel
How it seemed."
"Heavenly grace, what is he going to do in the cave?"
"In my arm,
Free from harm
Lay the maid as we sped;
Her cries, sweet complaints, and the tears----"
"Oh, blessed peace, and the poor thing crying!"
"Her cries, sweet complaints, and the tears she shed--
O, delight!"
"And he calls that delight! I'm getting right cold."
"Then again,
O'er the plain----"
"Holy Father, there he goes again!"
"Then again,
O'er the plain.
Right and left, nothing spurned,
Here a villa destroyed or a cloister burned
For fun."
"The Devil is in that boy. For fun!"
"Farther yet,
I forget--
But the deeds they were dire,
And the road was marked with blood and fire
And revenge!"
"Mercy on us! What had they done to him!"
"Revenge's sweet,
And is meet
For the King of the World----"
"Is he crazy? I'll make him a king!"
"Revenge's sweet
And is meet
For the King of the World,
Who alone is supreme, with a banner unfurled
Forever!"
"What sort of a thing is he talking about?"
"All! Hurrah!
But, I say----"
Everybody shuddered.
"All! Hurrah!
But, I say
No pardon shall be lavished,
The men shall be hanged and the women----"
"Trudie, Trudie, the camphor bottle! You see--I----"
"The men shall be hanged and the women ravished----"
"The camphor bottle! Trudie, Trudie!"
"For pleasure!"
"For pleasure," repeated the teacher in a grave-yard voice, "for
pleasure!"
"He--does--it--for--pleasure!"
The company was stupefied. Even Stoffel's pipe had gone out.
But Walter's was not a nature to be easily disturbed. After his mother
had beaten him till she came to her senses again, he went to bed
in the little back room, far from dissatisfied with the day's work,
and was soon dreaming of Fancy.