XXXIV
THE AWAKENING
An angel could not have entered the cottage more noiselessly. Gretel,not daring to look at any one, slid softly to her mother's side.
The room was very still. She could hear the old doctor breathe. Shecould almost hear the sparks as they fell into the ashes on the hearth.The mother's hand was very cold but a burning spot glowed on her cheek;and her eyes were like a deer's--so bright, so sad, so eager.
At last there was a movement upon the bed, very slight, but enough tocause them all to start; Dr. Boekman leaned eagerly forward.
Another movement. The large hand, so white and soft for a poor man'shand, twitched--then raised itself steadily toward the forehead.
It felt the bandage, not in a restless, crazy way, but with aquestioning movement, that caused even Dr. Boekman to hold his breath.Then the eyes opened slowly.
"Steady! steady!" said a voice that sounded very strangely to Gretel."Shift that mat higher, boys! now throw on the clay. The waters arerising fast--no time to----"
Dame Brinker sprang forward like a young panther.
She seized his hands, and leaning over him, cried, "Raff! Raff, boy,speak to me!"
"Is it you, Meitje?" he asked faintly--"I have been asleep, hurt, Ithink--where is little Hans?"
"Here I am, father!" shouted Hans half mad with joy. But the doctor heldhim back.
"He knows us!" screamed Dame Brinker. "Great God! he knows us! Gretel!Gretel! come, see your father!"
In vain Dr. Boekman commanded "silence!" and tried to force them fromthe bedside. He could not keep them off.
Hans and his mother laughed and cried together, as they hung over thenewly-awakened man. Gretel made no sound, but gazed at them all withglad, startled eyes. Her father was speaking in a faint voice.
"Is the baby asleep, Meitje?"
"The baby!" echoed Dame Brinker. "Oh, Gretel! that is _you_! And hecalls Hans, 'little Hans.' Ten years asleep! Oh, mynheer, you have savedus all. He has known nothing for ten years! Children, why don't youthank the meester?"
The good woman was beside herself with joy. Dr. Boekman said nothing;but as his eye met hers, he pointed upward. She understood. So did Hansand Gretel.
With one accord they knelt by the cot, side by side. Dame Brinker feltfor her husband's hand even while she was praying. Dr. Boekman's headwas bowed; the assistant stood by the hearth with his back toward them.
"Why do you pray?" murmured the father, looking feebly from the bed, asthey rose. "Is it God's day?"
It was not Sunday; but his vrouw bowed her head--she could not speak.
_There was a movement upon the bed_]
"Then we should have a chapter," said Raff Brinker, speaking slowly, andwith difficulty. "I do not know how it is. I am very, very weak. Mayhapthe minister will read to us."
Gretel lifted the big Dutch Bible from its carved shelf. Dr. Boekman,rather dismayed at being called a minister, coughed and handed thevolume to his assistant.
"Read," he muttered; "these people must be kept quiet or the man willdie yet."
When the chapter was finished, Dame Brinker motioned mysteriously to therest by way of telling them that her husband was asleep.
"Now, jufvrouw," said the doctor in a subdued tone, as he drew on histhick woolen mittens, "there must be perfect quiet. You understand. Thisis truly a most remarkable case. I shall come again to-morrow. Give thepatient no food to-day," and, bowing hastily, he left the cottage,followed by his assistant.
His grand coach was not far away; the driver had kept the horses movingslowly up and down by the canal, nearly all the time the doctor had beenin the cottage.
Hans went out also.
"May God bless you, mynheer!" he said, blushing and trembling. "I cannever repay you, but if----"
"Yes, you can," interrupted the doctor, crossly. "You can use your witswhen the patient wakes again. This clacking and snivelling is enough tokill a well man, let alone one lying on the edge of his grave. If youwant your father to get well, keep 'em quiet."
So saying, Dr. Boekman, without another word, stalked off, to meet hiscoach, leaving Hans standing there with eyes and mouth wide open.
Hilda was reprimanded severely that day for returning late to schoolafter recess, and for imperfect recitations.
She had remained near the cottage until she heard Dame Brinker laugh,until she had heard Hans say, "Here I am, father!" and then she had goneback to her lessons. What wonder that she missed them! How could she geta long string of Latin verbs by heart, when her heart did not care a figfor them, but would keep saying to itself, "Oh, I am so glad! I am soglad!"