安徒生童话-第155章

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frog。　They　showed　the　existence　of　deepfeeling　and　a　human　heart；　and　the　beauteous　eyes　overflowed　withtears；　weeping　precious　drops　that　lightened　the　heart。

On　the　raised　mound　which　she　had　made　as　a　grave　for　the　deadpriest；　she　found　the　cross　made　of　the　branches　of　a　tree；　the　lastwork　of　him　who　now　lay　dead　and　cold　beneath　it。　A　sudden　thoughtcame　to　Helga；　and　she　lifted　up　the　cross　and　planted　it　upon　thegrave；　between　the　stones　that　covered　him　and　the　dead　horse。　The　sadrecollection　brought　the　tears　to　her　eyes；　and　in　this　gentlespirit　she　traced　the　same　sign　in　the　sand　round　the　grave；　and　asshe　formed；　with　both　her　hands；　the　sign　of　the　cross；　the　web　skinfell　from　them　like　a　torn　glove。　She　washed　her　hands　in　the　water　ofthe　spring；　and　gazed　with　astonishment　at　their　delicate　whiteness。Again　she　made　the　holy　sign　in　the　air；　between　herself　and　thedead　man；　her　lips　trembled；　her　tongue　moved；　and　the　name　whichshe　in　her　ride　through　the　forest　had　so　often　heard　spoken；　roseto　her　lips；　and　she　uttered　the　words；　〃Jesus　Christ。〃　Then　thefrog　skin　fell　from　her；　she　was　once　more　a　lovely　maiden。　Her　headbent　wearily；　her　tired　limbs　required　rest；　and　then　she　slept。

Her　sleep；　however；　was　short。　Towards　midnight；　she　awoke；　beforeher　stood　the　dead　horse；　prancing　and　full　of　life；　which　shone　forthfrom　his　eyes　and　from　his　wounded　neck。　Close　by　his　side　appearedthe　murdered　Christian　priest；　more　beautiful　than　Baldur；　as　theViking's　wife　had　said；　but　now　he　came　as　if　in　a　flame　of　fire。　Suchgravity；　such　stern　justice；　such　a　piercing　glance　shone　from　hislarge；　gentle　eyes；　that　it　seemed　to　perate　into　every　corner　ofher　heart。　Beautiful　Helga　trembled　at　the　look；　and　her　memoryreturned　with　a　power　as　if　it　had　been　the　day　of　judgment。　Everygood　deed　that　had　been　done　for　her；　every　loving　word　that　hadbeen　said；　were　vividly　before　her　mind。　She　understood　now　thatlove　had　kept　her　here　during　the　day　of　her　trial；　while　the　creatureformed　of　dust　and　clay；　soul　and　spirit；　had　wrestled　and　struggledwith　evil。　She　acknowledged　that　she　had　only　followed　the　impulses　ofan　evil　disposition；　that　she　had　done　nothing　to　cure　herself；everything　had　been　given　her；　and　all　had　happened　as　it　were　bythe　ordination　of　Providence。　She　bowed　herself　humbly；　confessedher　great　imperfections　in　the　sight　of　Him　who　can　read　every　faultof　the　heart；　and　then　the　priest　spoke。　〃Daughter　of　the　moorland；thou　hast　e　from　the　swamp　and　the　marshy　earth；　but　from　this　thoushalt　arise。　The　sunlight　shining　into　thy　inmost　soul　proves　theorigin　from　which　thou　hast　really　sprung；　and　has　restored　the　bodyto　its　natural　form。　I　am　e　to　thee　from　the　land　of　the　dead；and　thou　also　must　pass　through　the　valley　to　reach　the　holy　mountainswhere　mercy　and　perfection　dwell。　I　cannot　lead　thee　to　Hedeby　thatthou　mayst　receive　Christian　baptism；　for　first　thou　must　remove　thethick　veil　with　which　the　waters　of　the　moorland　are　shrouded；　andbring　forth　from　its　depths　the　living　author　of　thy　being　and　thylife。　Till　this　is　done；　thou　canst　not　receive　consecration。〃

Then　he　lifted　her　on　the　horse　and　gave　her　a　golden　censer；similar　to　those　she　had　already　seen　at　the　Viking's　house。　A　sweetperfume　arose　from　it；　while　the　open　wound　in　the　forehead　of　theslain　priest；　shone　with　the　rays　of　a　diamond。　He　took　the　cross　fromthe　grave；　and　held　it　aloft；　and　now　they　rode　through　the　air　overthe　rustling　trees；　over　the　hills　where　warriors　lay　buried　each　byhis　dead　war…horse；　and　the　brazen　monumental　figures　rose　up　andgalloped　forth；　and　stationed　themselves　on　the　summits　of　thehills。　The　golden　crescent　on　their　foreheads；　fastened　with　goldenknots；　glittered　in　the　moonlight；　and　their　mantles　floated　in　thewind。　The　dragon；　that　guards　buried　treasure；　lifted　his　head　andgazed　after　them。　The　goblins　and　the　satyrs　peeped　out　from　beneaththe　hills；　and　flitted　to　and　fro　in　the　fields；　waving　blue；　red；　andgreen　torches；　like　the　glowing　sparks　in　burning　paper。　Over　woodlandand　heath；　flood　and　fen；　they　flew　on；　till　they　reached　the　wildmoor；　over　which　they　hovered　in　broad　circles。　The　Christian　priestheld　the　cross　aloft；　and　it　glittered　like　gold；　while　from　hislips　sounded　pious　prayers。　Beautiful　Helga's　voice　joined　with　his　inthe　hymns　he　sung；　as　a　child　joins　in　her　mother's　song。　She　swungthe　censer；　and　a　wonderful　fragrance　of　incense　arose　from　it；　sopowerful；　that　the　reeds　and　rushes　of　the　moor　burst　forth　intoblossom。　Each　germ　came　forth　from　the　deep　ground：　all　that　hadlife　raised　itself。　Blooming　water…lilies　spread　themselves　forth　likea　carpet　of　wrought　flowers；　and　upon　them　lay　a　slumbering　woman；young　and　beautiful。　Helga　fancied　that　it　was　her　own　image　she　sawreflected　in　the　still　water。　But　it　was　her　mother　she　beheld；　thewife　of　the　Marsh　King；　the　princess　from　the　land　of　the　Nile。

The　dead　Christian　priest　desired　that　the　sleeping　woman　shouldbe　lifted　on　the　horse；　but　the　horse　sank　beneath　the　load；　as　ifhe　had　been　a　funeral　pall　fluttering　in　the　wind。　But　the　sign　of　thecross　made　the　airy　phantom　strong；　and　then　the　three　rode　awayfrom　the　marsh　to　firm　ground。

At　the　same　moment　the　cock　crew　in　the　Viking's　castle；　and　thedream　figures　dissolved　and　floated　away　in　the　air；　but　mother　anddaughter　stood　opposite　to　each　other。

〃Am　I　looking　at　my　own　image　in　the　deep　water？〃　said　the　mother。

〃Is　it　myself　that　I　see　represented　on　a　white　shield？〃　cried　thedaughter。

Then　they　came　nearer　to　each　other　in　a　fond　embrace。　Themother's　heart　beat　quickly；　and　she　understood　the　quickenedpulses。　〃My　child！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃the　flower　of　my　heart…　my　lotusflower　of　the　deep　water！〃　and　she　embraced　her　child　again　andwept；　and　the　tears　were　as　a　baptism　of　new　life　and　love　forHelga。　〃In　swan's　plumage　I　came　here；〃　said　the　mother；　〃and　here　Ithrew　off　my　feather　dress。　Then　I　sank　down　through　the　waveringground；　deep　into　the　marsh　beneath；　which　closed　like　a　wall　aroundme；　I　found　myself　after　a　while　in　fresher　water；　still　a　powerdrew　me　down　deeper　and　deeper。　I　felt　the　weight　of　sleep　upon　myeyelids。　Then　I　slept；　and　dreams　hovered　round　me。　It　seemed　to　me　asif　I　were　again　in　the　pyramids　of　Egypt；　and　yet　the　waving　eldertrunk　that　had　frightened　me　on　the　moor　stood　ever　before　me。　Iobserved　the　clefts　and　wrinkles　in　the　stem；　they　shone　forth　instrange　colors；　and　took　the　form　of　hieroglyphics。　It　was　the　mummycase　on　which　I　gazed。　At　last　it　burst；　and　forth　stepped　thethousand　years'　old　king；　the　mummy　form；　black　as　pitch；　black　as　theshining　wood…snail；　or　the　slimy　mud　of　the　swamp。　Whether　it　wasreally　the　mummy　or　the　Marsh　King　I　know　not。　He　seized　me　in　hisarms；　and　I　felt　as　if　I　must　die。　When　I　recovered　myself；　I　found　inmy　bosom　a　little　bird；　flapping　its　wings；　twittering　and　fluttering。The　bird　flew　away　from　my　bosom；　upwards　towards　the　dark；　heavycanopy　above　me；　but　a　long；　green　band　kept　it　fastened　to　me。　Iheard　and　understood　the　tenor　of　its　longings。　Freedom！　sunlight！to　my　father！　Then　I　thought　of　my　father；　and　the　sunny　land　of　mybirth；　my　life；　and　my　love。　Then　I　loosened　the　ba