Multatuli

“ Myntje and Pietje got ready to help her; but the child clung to the balustrade and held her ground.
“Throw her out! The impudent thing!”
“Oh, Juffrouw, I’m not impudent. I will go. Just tell me whether Walter is sick. Tell me, and I will go right now. Just tell me if he’s sick—if, if he’s going—to die.”
The poor child began to weep. Anybody else but those Pieterse women would have been touched at the sight. They were too far up the ladder.
Plainer people, or nobler people would have understood Femke. Feeling, sympathy, is like the money in a gambling-place. ”

“ Klaasje laid the paper on the table.
“Yes, I dare say, he has brought into it all the widows mentioned in the Bible.”
“You see it’s a surprise. I told you so,” said Juffrouw Laps.
“Read it, Klaasje! There are seventy, Mynheer, seventy widows. Read, my boy.”
Klaas pulled at his clothes, arranged his cuffs and began:
“The widows that in the Bible appear,
I’ve brought together in this poem here,
For the birthday that we celebrate
Of him who sadly lost his mate,
Exalting always the Master of Love,
For all that we have comes from above.” ”

“ There were city aldermen in the number, and doctors, and professors, and prominent business men, including, perhaps, the great Kopperlith.
Another period of babbling and waiting; then another footman appeared. Again everybody sprang to his feet. Again all, except the silent Holsmas, railed at such stupidity.
The crowd became more restless. Innumerable times were they fooled by some footman or other, who opened a door to break the monotony. The people were already beginning to complain, but softly, cautiously.
Walter was carried away with the elegance and magnificence of it all. ”

“ I will not place Walter above Joseph, Theseus, Jason or Hippolytos. May Apollo preserve me from such blind partiality. Not by any means do I regard my hero as the most interesting mortal that ever left a woman in the lurch. No, not in Walter’s worth do I seek for the measure of the forsaken lady’s despair. [281] Indeed, Juffrouw Laps’s pain was not caused by any reflections as to the beauty or excellence of the vanished knight. ”

“ All the Rinaldos and Fra Diavolos are not to be mentioned in the same breath with Glorioso, this incomparable hero who carried away countesses by the dozen, plundered popes and cardinals as if they were ordinary fallible people, and made a testament-thief of Walter Pieterse.
To be sure, Glorioso was not to blame for this last, certainly not. One ought to be ashamed to be a [5] hero, or a genius, or even a robber, if on this account one is to be held responsible for all the crimes that may be committed years afterwards in the effort to get possession of one’s history. ”

“ A cat to fight murderers with!”
“No, Juffrouw, not to fight murderers; but a cat that might have eaten the potatoes.”
“I don’t know anything about a cat. I only know that the city is full of low-down people when so many murders are committed and no one tries to catch the murderers. Not that I am anxious about my life—no, not at all. When the Master calls me I shall say, ‘Let thy daughter go in peace; my eyes have seen thy glory.’”
“But, woman, why didn’t you look in your closet, and under the bed?”
“I didn’t want to do that, Juffrouw Pieterse! ”

“ For me to write such a poem? No, no, mother—for a boy like Walter it’s all right; but when one is already a teacher!”
“And Master Pennewip?” cried Juffrouw Laps.
“The very man!” cried Stoffel, as if this supported his former argument. “A happy thought! Master Pennewip will do it.”
“I’ve read a poem by him, Stoffel.”
“Yes, yes. And you’ve read a poem by him. That’s because—but how shall I explain that to you, Juffrouw Laps? You know that in teaching there are all kinds of things. Take Geography, for example. I will just mention one fact: Madrid is on the Manganares. Understand, mother?” ”

“ It was fortunate for him that a doctor was called in, and still more fortunate that it was a man who understood Walter’s mental troubles. He exerted a most wholesome influence on the boy; though this came later, as at first he could only treat the disease.
On Juffrouw Pieterse, too, he had a good influence. To her great astonishment, he explained to her that children ought not to be packed together in a bed as if they were superfluous pieces of furniture being thrown aside; that air, light, play, enjoyment, exercise are all necessary for the development of body and soul ”

“ Juffrouw Laps found it desirable, therefore, to continue along this line.
“Certainly, Walter, you’re a bachelor. Don’t you know that? It’s only because at home they treat you like a child. I tell you, you’re a bachelor, just as much so as anybody else. Do you think I like Stoffel as well as I do you? No, no, no! Not a bit of it! I like you lots better. Don’t you want a pipe to smoke? You are man enough for that. Of course you are; and why shouldn’t you smoke a pipe like other men?” ”

“ It is more convenient to imagine one’s self soaring over the distant mountain top than to lift a foot and step over the stone just in front of one. Of all the million things that you would like to do there are only a very few that you can do. [301] Busy yourself with these few. That is the way to succeed. Whatever comes up, always ask: ‘What is my immediate duty?’ Will you promise to do this?”
Walter gave Holsma his hand on it. ”

“ Won’t you have a slice of bread and butter? And how is your mother? Is she better now? She was sick, wasn’t she? That’s a good boy, father. Femke said so. Is your mother better again? It was fever, wasn’t it? or apoplexy—or what was it then?”
“Oh, no! Juffrouw.”
“You mustn’t call me Juffrouw. I am only a wash-woman. Everyone must stay in his own class, mustn’t he, father? Well, it’s all the better; I thought she had been sick. It must have been somebody else. One has so much to think of. Do you like cheese?” ”

“ In all this conquered land Walter was king and Femke was—queen! How magnificent the big red velvet cloak would look on her—and the gold crown!
Conquering continents was easy. He was scarcely thirteen; and yet he was afraid that somebody might get ahead of him while he was being detained by the treacherous Pennewip with declensions and conjugations. And, then there were still more things to learn before one could be king, even of a small country. Pocket-change would have to be increased too, for, with all possible economy, six doits a week were insufficient. The Hallemans—well, they had more ”

“ Right and left a cannonade of firecrackers was going on.
In the interest of privacy Juffrouw Laps took the precaution to blow out the light as quickly as possible. Another might have neglected this.
Walter looked down on it all with the delight of a child. He forgot the insistent kindness of his hostess; he thought of nothing but the crowd below and their antics. The noise and tumult sobered him; and it even had a quieting effect on Juffrouw Laps.
“How foolish the people are. They push one another hither and thither and don’t know themselves why they do it.” ”

“ I’ve been at his house—always in respectable houses—and he always said—it’s a house with high steps, and in the hall there’s a big clock about the wind and rain—and he always said: ‘Vrouw Stotter,’ said he, ‘you’re a good woman,’ said he, ‘and a faithful midwife. I always tell the people that,’ said he, ‘and,’ said he, ‘all of my connection must send for you,’ said he, ‘but,’ said he, ‘when people tell you this you must act as if you didn’t hear it’—thank you, Juffrouw Pieterse, my cup is turned over. Just as I said: Everyone must know what he’s doing. ”

“ Juffrouw Laps knew enough. Walter was as good as her prisoner: she now knew exactly how to take his fortifications, if they could be taken at all.
“If he doesn’t want to come to me, don’t compel him,” she said sweetly on leaving. “To force him won’t do any good. Let him exercise his own pleasure. I’m afraid you pick at the child too much, anyway. What an awful fuss we’ve made over a stiver!”
“That’s what I say, too,” replied the mother. “It looks as if we begrudged him the money! We could have spared another stiver, and we wouldn’t have missed it, would we, Stoffel?” ”

“ If, perchance, for those fourteen stivers Grandisson—weary remembrance—had fallen into his hands, his Wednesday’s poem would have been quite different. No doubt he would have sought a reconciliation with the butcher’s Keesje, forgiving him completely all his liberties with “Holland nobility” and even presenting him a few slate pencils.
For that is the striking characteristic of spirits such as Walter’s. Whatever they are, they are that with all their might, always going further in any direction than they would seem to be warranted in doing by the mere external circumstances. ”

“ Worldly, worldly, they were—and the princes and princesses. I thought, well, it’s no wonder that there’s so much robbery and murder; for they try God’s patience. I thought, God will punish you; He’s only abiding His time. He always does it, Juffrouw Pieterse! A lady—the creature had red pimples on her face, and was older than you—what do you suppose she had on her head? A turban! She rode in a carriage with four horses. What do you think of that? She was playing with a fan; and, when a prince rode up to her carriage, she stuck out her hand and let the fan go up and down three times. ”

“ Those confidential communications of Walter’s were beyond her comprehension; and often she looked at him as if she doubted his sanity. From her meagre weekly allowance she saved a few doits, thinking to gladden Walter’s heart with some ginger cakes, which he had always enjoyed. It was no use: Walter’s soul had outgrown ginger cakes. This discovery caused Leentje bitter pain.
“But, my dear child, be reasonable, and don’t worry over such foolishness. This Fancy, or whatever the creature’s name is, has mocked you; or you have dreamed it all.”
“No, no, no, Leentje. It’s all true. ”

“ How often have I told the boys at school!”
“Listen, Walter, and pay attention to what Stoffel says!” [147]
Encouraged by the approval of his mother, Stoffel continued.
“Yes, mother, virtue must be revered. That is God’s will; and what God does is well done. Of all sins sensual pleasure is—a very great sin, because it is forbidden; and because all sins are punished, either in this world or in the next.”
“Do you hear, Walter?”
“Here, or in the next world, mother! Innocent pleasure, yes; but sensual pleasure—it is forbidden! It loosens all the ties of human society. ”

“ The dressmaker gave him a peppermint-drop, and he said: ‘Watch the stage, Juffrouw, for you have paid to see it.’ It cost twelve stivers, without the waffles and chocolate. Then the Baron said—but I can’t tell it all exactly as it was. I will only say that the old woman wept all the time, and she could not be reconciled, because she was so unhappy. You see, Juffrouw, the child of love was her own child; and it was also the Baron’s child of love. That was bad—because it was just a child of love, you see; and that is always bad. ”

“ Walter was listening.
“A woman must always think of her reputation. But we’re here at home now, and that’s very different, entirely different. I know that of course you wouldn’t tell anything bad about me. Whoever tells anything bad on a woman isn’t a true gentleman. You know that.”
Yes, Walter knew it. He understood Juffrouw Laps better than she imagined. ”

“ As for Master Pennewip, he was busy, as usual, educating future grandparents of the past. His wig had not yet recovered from the excitement of the night before and was longing for Sunday.
Klaasje van der Gracht had been awarded the prize with an impressive, “Keep on that way, my boy”; and he kept on. I still see poems in the papers whose clearness, conciseness and sublimity betray his master hand. I have heard that he died of smallpox—he had not been vaccinated; it will be remembered—but I consider it my duty to protect him from any such slander. A genius does not die ”

“ Walter trudged along further; and, without thinking of where he was going, he came to the meadow where Femke and her mother dried their clothes. He sat down on the grass, intending to wait for the first signs of life in Femke’s home. He was not certain that she was there; he did not know but that she might still be at Holsma’s; but there would be somebody there.
Overcome by weariness he lay down and gradually fell asleep. His cap came off, rolled down into the ditch and disappeared in the mud.
If anyone passed by, he remarked that there lay a drunken fellow. Yes, youth begins early. ”

“ Nothing was more natural than that he should most ardently long to talk with the older schoolboys about the wonders of the real world, where people ride in coaches, devastate cities, marry princesses, and stay up in the evening till after 10 o’clock—even if it isn’t a birthday. And then at the table one helps one’s self, and may select just whatever one wants to eat. So think children.
Every boy has his heroic age, and humanity, as a whole, has worn the little coat with the big collar. ”

“ Walter made an awkward gesture with his hand.
“Salad?” asked Sietske.
“It will be crowded,” said Mevrouw Holsma. “Everyone will want to see the kings and princes. We haven’t asked our guest yet if he wants to go. We’re going to the theatre; would you like to go with us?”
Walter was charmed at the prospect. He had never been in a theatre, but had long wanted to see such a play as Leentje had described. He cared nothing for kings. He would have given a dozen kings for one baron carrying away a girl in the approved manner. The Glorioso influence was still on him. ”

“ Walter was delirious.
“They are carrying her away—around and around—Daughter of the Sun, decide—here is Telasco—thou shalt die, Aztalpa—Femke, stay, stay, I will watch the clothes—I will shoot the doe—a widower of God—together through the ivory gate—there she is again—stay, Omicron!”
“Ought we to call in a preacher?” asked Juffrouw [119] Pieterse hesitatingly. She didn’t know whether praying was needed or a whipping—or both.
And now, perhaps for the first time in his life, Stoffel expressed a sensible thought: “Mother, we ought to have a doctor. Walter is sick.” ”

“ Walter had nothing to say. Recently his mother had given him a shilling to give to Holsma’s maid. Walter neglected to do this, and spent one stiver of the money on snuff for an old soldier.
The mother continued her tirade, making use of the word “prodigue,” prodigal.
“No, mother,” said Stoffel, “that isn’t it. He’s behind in everything. He doesn’t know yet how to handle money, that’s it!”
“Yes. He doesn’t know how to handle money! All the other children at his age—when they have a stiver they either save it or buy themselves something. And he—what does he do? He goes and gives it away! ”

“ There are plenty of people who would gladly fall into a barrel of lemonade if they only understood the salutary effects of cleaning a coat.
The poor unfortunate who has never washed his own clothes does not know what life is.
I will ask her pardon, thought Walter; and he pictured it all to himself, wondering whether it would do for him to fall at her feet at Holsma’s, in the presence of the one who had delivered the message. Finally, however, he quieted himself with the thought that Femke would probably not be at the doctor’s very long. ”