安徒生童话-第15章

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　knelt　before；　and　the　priest　joinedtheir　hands　and　united　them　for　life。　Then　music　was　heard　again；　itwas　wonderfully　sweet；　like　a　child's　voice；　full　of　joy　andexpectation；　swelling　to　the　powerful　tones　of　a　full　organ；　sometimessoft　and　sweet；　then　like　the　sounds　of　a　tempest；　delightful　andelevating　to　hear；　yet　strong　enough　to　burst　the　stone　tombs　of　thedead。　Then　the　little　ship　that　hung　from　the　roof　of　the　choir　waslet　down　and　looked　wonderfully　large　and　beautiful　with　its　silkensails　and　rigging：

　〃The　ropes　were　of　silk；　the　anchor　of　gold；

　　And　everywhere　riches　and　pomp　untold；〃as　the　old　song　says。

The　young　couple　went　on　board；　acpanied　by　the　wholecongregation；　for　there　was　room　and　enjoyment　for　them　all。　Thenthe　walls　and　arches　of　the　church　were　covered　with　floweringjunipers　and　lime　trees　breathing　forth　fragrance；　the　branches　waved；creating　a　pleasant　coolness；　they　bent　and　parted；　and　the　shipsailed　between　them　through　the　air　and　over　the　sea。　Every　candlein　the　church　became　a　star；　and　the　wind　sang　a　hymn　in　which　theyall　joined。　〃Through　love　to　glory；　no　life　is　lost；　the　future　isfull　of　blessings　and　happiness。　Hallelujah！〃　These　were　the　lastwords　Jurgen　uttered　in　this　world；　for　the　thread　that　bound　hisimmortal　soul　was　severed；　and　nothing　but　the　dead　body　lay　in　thedark　church；　while　the　storm　raged　outside；　covering　it　with　loosesand。

The　next　day　was　Sunday；　and　the　congregation　and　their　pastorwent　to　the　church。　The　road　had　always　been　heavy；　but　now　it　wasalmost　unfit　for　use；　and　when　they　at　last　arrived　at　the　church；　agreat　heap　of　sand　lay　piled　up　in　front　of　them。　The　whole　church　waspletely　buried　in　sand。　The　clergyman　offered　a　short　prayer；　andsaid　that　God　had　closed　the　door　of　His　house　here；　and　that　thecongregation　must　go　and　build　a　new　one　for　Him　somewhere　else。　Sothey　sung　a　hymn　in　the　open　air；　and　went　home　again。

Jurgen　could　not　be　found　anywhere　in　the　town　of　Skjagen；　noron　the　dunes；　though　they　searched　for　him　everywhere。　They　came　tothe　conclusion　that　one　of　the　great　waves；　which　had　rolled　far　upon　the　beach；　had　carried　him　away；　but　his　body　lay　buried　in　agreat　sepulchre…　the　church　itself。　The　Lord　had　thrown　down　acovering　for　his　grave　during　the　storm；　and　the　heavy　mound　of　sandlies　upon　it　to　this　day。　The　drifting　sand　had　covered　the　vaultedroof　of　the　church；　the　arched　cloisters；　and　the　stone　aisles。　Thewhite　thorn　and　the　dog　rose　now　blossom　above　the　place　where　thechurch　lies　buried；　but　the　spire；　like　an　enormous　monument　over　agrave；　can　be　seen　for　miles　round。　No　king　has　a　more　splendidmemorial。　Nothing　disturbs　the　peaceful　sleep　of　the　dead。　I　was　thefirst　to　hear　this　story；　for　the　storm　sung　it　to　me　among　thesand…hills。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　ANNE　LISBETH

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

ANNE　LISBETH　was　a　beautiful　young　woman；　with　a　red　and　whiteplexion；　glittering　white　teeth；　and　clear　soft　eyes；　and　herfootstep　was　light　in　the　dance；　but　her　mind　was　lighter　still。　Shehad　a　little　child；　not　at　all　pretty；　so　he　was　put　out　to　benursed　by　a　laborer's　wife；　and　his　mother　went　to　the　count's　castle。She　sat　in　splendid　rooms；　richly　decorated　with　silk　and　velvet；not　a　breath　of　air　was　allowed　to　blow　upon　her；　and　no　one　wasallowed　to　speak　to　her　harshly；　for　she　was　nurse　to　the　count'schild。　He　was　fair　and　delicate　as　a　prince；　and　beautiful　as　anangel；　and　how　she　loved　this　child！　Her　own　boy　was　provided　for　bybeing　at　the　laborer's　where　the　mouth　watered　more　frequently　thanthe　pot　boiled；　and　where　in　general　no　one　was　at　home　to　take　careof　the　child。　Then　he　would　cry；　but　what　nobody　knows　nobody　caresfor；　so　he　would　cry　till　he　was　tired；　and　then　fall　asleep；　andwhile　we　are　asleep　we　can　feel　neither　hunger　nor　thirst。　Ah；　yes；sleep　is　a　capital　invention。

As　years　went　on；　Anne　Lisbeth's　child　grew　apace　like　weeds；although　they　said　his　growth　had　been　stunted。　He　had　bee　quitea　member　of　the　family　in　which　he　dwelt；　they　received　money　tokeep　him；　so　that　his　mother　got　rid　of　him　altogether。　She　had　beequite　a　lady；　she　had　a　fortable　home　of　her　own　in　the　town；　andout　of　doors；　when　she　went　for　a　walk；　she　wore　a　bon；　but　shenever　walked　out　to　see　the　laborer：　that　was　too　far　from　the　town；and；　indeed；　she　had　nothing　to　go　for；　the　boy　now　belonged　tothese　laboring　people。　He　had　food；　and　he　could　also　do　somethingtowards　earning　his　living；　he　took　care　of　Mary's　red　cow；　for　heknew　how　to　tend　cattle　and　make　himself　useful。

The　great　dog　by　the　yard　gate　of　a　nobleman's　mansion　sitsproudly　on　the　top　of　his　kennel　when　the　sun　shines；　and　barks　atevery　one　that　passes；　but　if　it　rains；　he　creeps　into　his　house；and　there　he　is　warm　and　dry。　Anne　Lisbeth's　boy　also　sat　in　thesunshine　on　the　top　of　the　fence；　cutting　out　a　little　toy。　If　itwas　spring…time；　he　knew　of　three　strawberry…plants　in　blossom；which　would　certainly　bear　fruit。　This　was　his　most　hopeful　thought；though　it　often　came　to　nothing。　And　he　had　to　sit　out　in　the　rainin　the　worst　weather；　and　get　wet　to　the　skin；　and　let　the　cold　winddry　the　clothes　on　his　back　afterwards。　If　he　went　near　the　farmyardbelonging　to　the　count；　he　was　pushed　and　knocked　about；　for　the　menand　the　maids　said　he　was　so　horrible　ugly；　but　he　was　used　to　allthis；　for　nobody　loved　him。　This　was　how　the　world　treated　AnneLisbeth's　boy；　and　how　could　it　be　otherwise。　It　was　his　fate　to　bebeloved　by　no　one。　Hitherto　he　had　been　a　land　crab；　the　land　atlast　cast　him　adrift。　He　went　to　sea　in　a　wretched　vessel；　and　satat　the　helm；　while　the　skipper　sat　over　the　grog…can。　He　was　dirty　andugly；　half…frozen　and　half…starved；　he　always　looked　as　if　he　neverhad　enough　to　eat；　which　was　really　the　case。

Late　in　the　autumn；　when　the　weather　was　rough；　windy；　and　wet；and　the　cold　perated　through　the　thickest　clothing；　especially　atsea；　a　wretched　boat　went　out　to　sea　with　only　two　men　on　board；　or；more　correctly；　a　man　and　a　half；　for　it　was　the　skipper　and　hisboy。　There　had　only　been　a　kind　of　twilight　all　day；　and　it　soongrew　quite　dark；　and　so　bitterly　cold；　that　the　skipper　took　a　dram　towarm　him。　The　bottle　was　old；　and　the　glass　too。　It　was　perfect　in　theupper　part；　but　the　foot　was　broken　off；　and　it　had　therefore　beenfixed　upon　a　little　carved　block　of　wood；　painted　blue。　A　dram　is　agreat　fort；　and　two　are　better　still；　thought　the　skipper；　whilethe　boy　sat　at　the　helm；　which　he　held　fast　in　his　hard　seamedhands。　He　was　ugly；　and　his　hair　was　matted；　and　he　looked　crippledand　stunted；　they　called　him　the　field…laborer's　boy；　though　in　thechurch　register　he　was　entered　as　Anne　Lisbeth's　son。　The　wind　cutthrough　the　rigging；　and　the　boat　cut　through　the　sea。　The　sails；filled　by　the　wind；　swelled　out　and　carried　them　along　in　wild　career。It　was　wet　and　rough　above　and　below；　and　might　still　be　worse。Hold！　what　is　that？　What　has　struck　the　boat？　Was　it　a　waterspout；or　a　heavy　sea　rolling　suddenly　upon　them？

〃Heaven　help　us！〃　cried　the　boy　at　the　helm；　as　the　boat　heeledover　and　lay　on　its　beam　ends。　It　had　struck　on　a　rock；　which　rosefrom　the　depths　of　the　sea；　and　s