the soul of nicholas snyders-第2章

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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
wrapped　it　about　her。

There　was　something　else　he　ought　to　do。　　The　idea　came　to　him　while
drawing　the　cloak　around　her　shoulders；　very　gently；　not　to　disturb
hersomething　he　wanted　to　do；　if　only　he　could　think　what　it　was。
The　girl's　lips　were　parted。　　She　appeared　to　be　speaking　to　him；
asking　him　to　do　this　thingor　telling　him　not　to　do　it。　　Nicholas
could　not　be　sure　which。　　Half　a　dozen　times　he　turned　away；　and　half
a　dozen　times　stole　back　to　where　she　sat　sleeping　with　that
delightfully　impertinent　expression　on　her　face；　her　lips　parted。　　But
what　she　wanted；　or　what　it　was　he　wanted；　Nicholas　could　not　think。

Perhaps　Christina　would　know。　　Perhaps　Christina　would　know　who　she
was　and　how　she　got　there。　　Nicholas　climbed　the　stairs；　swearing　at
them　for　creaking。

Christina's　door　was　open。　　No　one　was　in　the　room；　the　bed　had　not
been　slept　upon。　　Nicholas　descended　the　creaking　stairs。

The　girl　was　still　asleep。　　Could　it　be　Christina　herself？　　Nicholas
examined　the　delicious　features　one　by　one。　　Never　before；　so　far　as
he　could　recollect；　had　he　seen　the　girl；　yet　around　her
neckNicholas　had　not　noticed　it　beforelay　Christina's　locket；
rising　and　falling　as　she　breathed。　　Nicholas　knew　it　well；　the　one
thing　belonging　to　her　mother　Christina　had　insisted　on　keeping。　　The
one　thing　about　which　she　had　ever　defied　him。　　She　would　never　have
parted　with　that　locket。　　It　must　be　Christina　herself。　　But　what　had
happened　to　her？　　Or　to　himself。　　Remembrance　rushed　in　upon　him。　　The
odd　pedlar！　　The　scene　with　Jan！　　But　surely　all　that　had　been　a
dream？　　Yet　there　upon　the　littered　desk　still　stood　the　pedlar's
silver　flask；　together　with　the　twin　stained　glasses。

Nicholas　tried　to　think；　but　his　brain　was　in　a　whirl。　　A　ray　of
sunshine　streaming　through　the　window　fell　across　the　dusty　room。
Nicholas　had　never　seen　the　sun；　that　he　could　recollect。
Involuntarily　he　stretched　his　hands　towards　it；　felt　a　pang　of　grief
when　it　vanished；　leaving　only　the　grey　light。　　He　drew　the　rusty
bolts；　flung　open　the　great　door。　　A　strange　world　lay　before　him；　a
new　world　of　lights　and　shadows；　that　wooed　him　with　their　beautya
world　of　low；　soft　voices　that　called　to　him。　　There　came　to　him　again
that　bitter　sense　of　having　been　robbed。

〃I　could　have　been　so　happy　all　these　years；〃　murmured　old　Nicholas　to
himself。　　〃It　is　just　the　little　town　I　could　have　lovedso　quaint；
so　quiet；　so　homelike。　　I　might　have　had　friends；　old　cronies；
children　of　my　own　maybe〃

A　vision　of　the　sleeping　Christina　flashed　before　his　eyes。　　She　had
come　to　him　a　child；　feeling　only　gratitude　towards　him。　　Had　he　had
eyes　with　which　to　see　her；　all　things　might　have　been　different。

Was　it　too　late？　　He　is　not　so　oldnot　so　very　old。　　New　life　is　in
his　veins。　　She　still　loves　Jan；　but　that　was　the　Jan　of　yesterday。
In　the　future；　Jan's　every　word　and　deed　will　be　prompted　by　the　evil
soul　that　was　once　the　soul　of　Nicholas　Snydersthat　Nicholas　Snyders
remembers　well。　　Can　any　woman　love　that；　let　the　case　be　as　handsome
as　you　will？

Ought　he；　as　an　honest　man；　to　keep　the　soul　he　had　won　from　Jan　by
what　might　be　called　a　trick？　　Yes；　it　had　been　a　fair　bargain；　and
Jan　had　taken　his　price。　　Besides；　it　was　not　as　if　Jan　had　fashioned
his　own　soul；　these　things　are　chance。　　Why　should　one　man　be　given
gold；　and　another　be　given　parched　peas？　　He　has　as　much　right　to
Jan's　soul　as　Jan　ever　had。　　He　is　wiser；　he　can　do　more　good　with　it。
It　was　Jan's　soul　that　loved　Christina；　let　Jan's　soul　win　her　if　it
can。　　And　Jan's　soul；　listening　to　the　argument；　could　not　think　of　a
word　to　offer　in　opposition。

Christina　was　still　asleep　when　Nicholas　re…entered　the　kitchen。　　He
lighted　the　fire　and　cooked　the　breakfast　and　then　aroused　her　gently。
There　was　no　doubt　it　was　Christina。　　The　moment　her　eyes　rested　on
old　Nicholas；　there　came　back　to　her　the　frightened　rabbit　look　that
had　always　irritated　him。　　It　irritated　him　now；　but　the　irritation
was　against　himself。

〃You　were　sleeping　so　soundly　when　I　came　in　last　night〃　Christina
commenced。

〃And　you　were　afraid　to　wake　me；〃　Nicholas　interrupted　her。　　〃You
thought　the　old　curmudgeon　would　be　cross。　　Listen；　Christina。　　You
paid　off　yesterday　the　last　debt　your　father　owed。　　It　was　to　an　old
sailorI　had　not　been　able　to　find　him　before。　　Not　a　cent　more　do
you　owe；　and　there　remains　to　you；　out　of　your　wages；　a　hundred
florins。　　It　is　yours　whenever　you　like　to　ask　me　for　it。〃

Christina　could　not　understand；　neither　then　nor　during　the　days　that
followed；　nor　did　Nicholas　enlighten　her。　　For　the　soul　of　Jan　had
entered　into　a　very　wise　old　man；　who　knew　that　the　best　way　to　live
down　the　past　is　to　live　boldly　the　present。　　All　that　Christina　could
be　sure　of　was　that　the　old　Nicholas　Snyders　had　mysteriously
vanished；　that　in　his　place　remained　a　new　Nicholas；　who　looked　at　her
with　kindly　eyesfrank　and　honest；　compelling　confidence。　　Though
Nicholas　never　said　so；　it　came　to　Christina　that　she　herself；　her
sweet　example；　her　ennobling　influence　it　was　that　had　wrought　this
wondrous　change。　　And　to　Christina　the　explanation　seemed　not
impossibleseemed　even　pleasing。

The　sight　of　his　littered　desk　was　hateful　to　him。　　Starting　early　in
the　morning；　Nicholas　would　disappear　for　the　entire　day；　returning　in
the　evening　tired　but　cheerful；　bringing　with　him　flowers　that
Christina　laughed　at；　telling　him　they　were　weeds。　　But　what　mattered
names？　　To　Nicholas　they　were　beautiful。　　In　Zandam　the　children　ran
from　him；　the　dogs　barked　after　him。　　So　Nicholas；　escaping　through
byways；　would　wander　far　into　the　country。　　Children　in　the　villages
around　came　to　know　a　kind　old　fellow　who　loved　to　linger；　his　hands
resting　on　his　staff；　watching　their　play；　listening　to　their
laughter；　whose　ample　pockets　were　storehouses　of　good　things。　　Their
elders；　passing　by；　would　whisper　to　one　another　how　like　he　was　in
features　to　wicked　old　Nick；　the　miser　of　Zandam；　and　would　wonder
where　he　came　from。　　Nor　was　it　only　the　faces　of　the　children　that
taught　his　lips　to　smile。　　It　troubled　him　at　first　to　find　the　world
so　full　of　marvellously　pretty　girlsof　pretty　women　also；　all　more
or　less　lovable。　　It　bewildered　him。　　Until　he　found　that；
notwithstanding；　Christina　remained　always　in　his　thoughts　the
prettiest；　the　most　lovable　of　them　all。　　Then　every　pretty　face
rejoiced　him：　　it　reminded　him　of　Christina。

On　his　return　the　second　day；　Christina　had　met　him　with　sadness　in
her　eyes。　　Farmer　Beerstraater；　an　old　friend　of　her　father's；　had
called　to　see　Nicholas；　not　finding　Nicholas；　had　talked　a　little　with
Christina。　　A　hardhearted　creditor　was　turning　him　out　of　his　farm。
Christina　pretended　not　to　know　that　the　creditor　was　Nicholas
himself；　but　marvelled　that　such　wicked　men　could　be。　　Nicholas　said
nothing；　but　the　next　day　Farmer　Beerstraater　had　called　again；　all
smiles；　blessings；　and　great　wonder。

〃But　what　can　have　come　to　him？〃　repeated　Farmer　Beerstraater　over　and
over。

Christina　had　smiled　and　answered　that　perhaps　the　good　God　had
touched　his　heart；　but　thought　to　herself　that　perhaps　it　had　been　the
good　influence　of　another。　　The　tale　flew。　　Christina　found　herself
besieged　on　every　hand；　and；　finding　her　intercessions　invariably
successful；　grew　day　by　day　more　pleased　with　herself；　and　by
consequence　more　pleased　with　Nicholas　Snyders。　　For　Nicholas　was　a
cunning　old　gentleman。　　Jan's　soul　in　him　took　delight　in　undoing　the
evil　the　soul　of　Nicholas　had　wrought。　　But　the　brain　of　Nicholas
Snyders　that　remained　to　him　whispered：　　〃Let　the　little　maid　think　it
is　all　her　doing。〃

The　news　reached　the　ears　of　Dame　Toelast。　　The　same　evening　saw　her
seated　in　the　inglenook　opposite　Nicholas　Snyders；　who　smoked　and
seemed　bored。

〃You　are　making　a　fool　of　yourself；　Nicholas　Snyders；〃　the　Dame　told
him。　　〃Everybody　is　laughing　at　you。〃

〃I　had　rather　they　laughed　than　cursed　me；〃　growled　Nicholas。

〃Have　you　forgotten　all　that