安徒生童话-第206章

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er；　mymother　sang　her　song　of　the　stag　who　shed　red　tears。　But　as　yet　Idid　not　understand　that　the　sorrows　of　my　own　countrymen　were　mirroredin　those　tears。

One　day　there　came　to　our　hut　Franks；　men　from　a　far　country；whose　dress　was　different　to　ours。　They　had　tents　and　beds　withthem；　carried　by　horses；　and　they　were　acpanied　by　more　than　twentyTurks；　all　armed　with　swords　and　muskets。　These　Franks　were　friends　ofthe　Pacha；　and　had　letters　from　him；　manding　an　escort　for　them。They　only　came　to　see　our　mountain；　to　ascend　Parnassus　amid　thesnow　and　clouds；　and　to　look　at　the　strange　black　rocks　which　raisedtheir　steep　sides　near　our　hut。　They　could　not　find　room　in　the　hut；nor　endure　the　smoke　that　rolled　along　the　ceiling　till　it　found　itsway　out　at　the　low　door；　so　they　pitched　their　tents　on　a　smallspace　outside　our　dwelling。　Roasted　lambs　and　birds　were　broughtforth；　and　strong；　sweet　wine；　of　which　the　Turks　are　forbidden　topartake。

When　they　departed；　I　acpanied　them　for　some　distance；　carryingmy　little　sister　Anastasia；　wrapped　in　a　goat…skin；　on　my　back。　One　ofthe　Frankish　gentlemen　made　me　stand　in　front　of　a　rock；　and　drew　usboth　as　we　stood　there；　so　that　we　looked　like　one　creature。　I　did　notthink　of　it　then；　but　Anastasia　and　I　were　really　one。　She　wasalways　sitting　on　my　lap；　or　riding　in　the　goat…skin　on　my　back；　andin　my　dreams　she　always　appeared　to　me。

Two　nights　after　this；　other　men；　armed　with　knives　and　muskets；came　into　our　tent。　They　were　Albanians；　brave　men；　my　mother　told　me。They　only　stayed　a　short　time。　My　sister　Anastasia　sat　on　the　kneeof　one　of　them；　and　when　they　were　gone；　she　had　not　three；　but　twosilver　coins　in　her　hair…　one　had　disappeared。　They　wrapped　tobacco　instrips　of　paper；　and　smoked　it；　and　I　remember　they　were　uncertainas　to　the　road　they　ought　to　take。　But　they　were　obliged　to　go　atlast；　and　my　father　went　with　them。　Soon　after；　we　heard　the　soundof　firing。　The　noise　continued；　and　presently　soldiers　rushed　into　ourhut；　and　took　my　mother　and　myself　and　Anastasia　prisoners。　Theydeclared　that　we　had　entertained　robbers；　and　that　my　father　had　actedas　their　guide；　and　therefore　we　must　now　go　with　them。　The　corpses　ofthe　robbers；　and　my　father's　corpse；　were　brought　into　the　hut。　Isaw　my　poor　dead　father；　and　cried　till　I　fell　asleep。　When　I　awoke；　Ifound　myself　in　a　prison；　but　the　room　was　not　worse　than　our　own　inthe　hut。　They　gave　me　onions　and　musty　wine　from　a　tarred　cask；　but　wewere　not　accustomed　to　much　better　fare　at　home。　How　long　we　were　keptin　prison；　I　do　not　know；　but　many　days　and　nights　passed　by。　Wewere　set　free　about　Easter…time。　I　carried　Anastasia　on　my　back；　andwe　walked　very　slowly；　for　my　mother　was　very　weak；　and　it　is　a　longway　to　the　sea；　to　the　Gulf　of　Lepanto。

On　our　arrival；　we　entered　a　church；　in　which　there　were　beautifulpictures　in　golden　frames。　They　were　pictures　of　angels；　fair　andbright；　and　yet　our　little　Anastasia　looked　equally　beautiful；　as　itseemed　to　me。　In　the　centre　of　the　floor　stood　a　coffin　filled　withroses。　My　mother　told　me　it　was　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ　who　wasrepresented　by　these　roses。　Then　the　priest　announced；　〃Christ　isrisen；〃　and　all　the　people　greeted　each　other。　Each　one　carried　aburning　taper　in　his　hand；　and　one　was　given　to　me；　as　well　as　tolittle　Anastasia。　The　music　sounded；　and　the　people　left　the　churchhand…in…hand；　with　joy　and　gladness。　Outside；　the　women　wereroasting　the　paschal　lamb。　We　were　invited　to　partake；　and　as　I　sat　bythe　fire；　a　boy；　older　than　myself；　put　his　arms　round　my　neck；　andkissed　me；　and　said；　〃Christ　is　risen。〃　And　thus　it　was　that　for　thefirst　time　I　met　Aphtanides。

My　mother　could　make　fishermen's　s；　for　which　there　was　a　greatdemand　here　in　the　bay；　and　we　lived　a　long　time　by　the　side　of　thesea；　the　beautiful　sea；　that　had　a　taste　like　tears；　and　in　its　colorsreminded　me　of　the　stag　that　wept　red　tears；　for　sometimes　itswaters　were　red；　and　sometimes　green　or　blue。　Aphtanides　knew　how　tomanage　our　boat；　and　I　often　sat　in　it；　with　my　little　Anastasia；while　it　glided　on　through　the　water；　swift　as　a　bird　flying　throughthe　air。　Then；　when　the　sun　set；　how　beautifully；　deeply　blue；　wouldbe　the　tint　on　the　mountains；　one　rising　above　the　other　in　the　fardistance；　and　the　summit　of　mount　Parnassus　rising　above　them　all　likea　glorious　crown。　Its　top　glittered　in　the　evening　rays　like　moltengold；　and　it　seemed　as　if　the　light　came　from　within　it；　for　longafter　the　sun　had　sunk　beneath　the　horizon；　the　mountain…top　wouldglow　in　the　clear；　blue　sky。　The　white　aquatic　birds　skimmed　thesurface　of　the　water　in　their　flight；　and　all　was　calm　and　still　asamid　the　black　rocks　at　Delphi。　I　lay　on　my　back　in　the　boat；Anastasia　leaned　against　me；　while　the　stars　above　us　glittered　morebrightly　than　the　lamps　in　our　church。　They　were　the　same　stars；　andin　the　same　position　over　me　as　when　I　used　to　sit　in　front　of　our　hutat　Delphi；　and　I　had　almost　begun　to　fancy　I　was　still　there；　whensuddenly　there　was　a　splash　in　the　water…　Anastasia　had　fallen　in；　butin　a　moment　Aphtanides　has　sprung　in　after　her；　and　was　now　holdingher　up　to　me。　We　dried　her　clothes　as　well　as　we　were　able；　andremained　on　the　water　till　they　were　dry；　for　we　did　not　wish　it　to　beknown　what　a　fright　we　had　had；　nor　the　danger　which　our　littleadopted　sister　had　incurred；　in　whose　life　Aphtanides　had　now　a　part。

The　summer　came；　and　the　burning　heat　of　the　sun　tinted　the　leavesof　the　trees　with　lines　of　gold。　I　thought　of　our　coolmountain…home；　and　the　fresh　water　that　flowed　near　it；　my　mother；too；　longed　for　if；　and　one　evening　we　wandered　towards　home。　Howpeaceful　and　silent　it　was　as　we　walked　on　through　the　thick；　wildthyme；　still　fragrant；　though　the　sun　had　scorched　the　leaves。　Not　asingle　herdsman　did　we　meet；　not　a　solitary　hut　did　we　pass；everything　appeared　lonely　and　deserted…　only　a　shooting　star　showedthat　in　the　heavens　there　was　yet　life。　I　know　not　whether　theclear；　blue　atmosphere　gleamed　with　its　own　light；　or　if　theradiance　came　from　the　stars；　but　we　could　distinguish　quite　plainlythe　outline　of　the　mountains。　My　mother　lighted　a　fire；　and　roastedsome　roots　she　had　brought　with　her；　and　I　and　my　little　sisterslept　among　the　bushes；　without　fear　of　the　ugly　smidraki；　fromwhose　throat　issues　fire；　or　of　the　wolf　and　the　jackal；　for　my　mothersat　by　us；　and　I　considered　her　presence　sufficient　protection。

We　reached　our　old　home；　but　the　cottage　was　in　ruins；　and　wehad　to　build　a　new　one。　With　the　aid　of　some　neighbors；　chiefly　women；the　walls　were　in　a　few　days　erected；　and　very　soon　covered　with　aroof　of　olive…branches。　My　mother　obtained　a　living　by　makingbottle…cases　of　bark　and　skins；　and　I　kept　the　sheep　belonging　tothe　priests；　who　were　sometimes　peasants；　while　I　had　for　myplayfellows　Anastasia　and　the　turtles。

Once　our　beloved　Aphtanides　paid　us　a　visit。　He　said　he　had　beenlonging　to　see　us　so　much；　and　he　remained　with　us　two　whole　happydays。　A　month　afterwards　he　came　again　to　wish　us　good…bye；　andbrought　with　him　a　large　fish　for　my　mother。　He　told　us　he　was　goingin　a　ship　to　Corfu　and　Patras；　and　could　relate　a　great　manystories；　not　only　about　the　fishermen　who　lived　near　the　gulf　ofLepanto