安徒生童话-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　You　arethinking　of　your　dress；　and　of　the　Giver　of　all　good…　so　glorious　isit　to　wander　on　the　green　rampart！

〃And　the　years　roll　by；　they　have　no　lack　of　dark　days；　but　youhave　your　cheerful　young　spirit；　and　you　have　gained　a　friend…　youknow　not　how。　You　met；　oh；　how　often！　You　walk　together　on　the　rampartin　the　fresh　spring；　on　the　high　days　and　holidays；　when　all　the　worlde　out　to　walk　upon　the　ramparts；　and　all　the　bells　of　the　churchsteeples　seem　to　be　singing　a　song　of　praise　for　the　ing　spring。

〃Scarcely　have　the　violets　e　forth；　but　there　on　the　rampart；just　opposite　the　beautiful　Castle　of　Rosenberg；　there　is　a　treebright　with　the　first　green　buds。　Every　year　this　tree　sends　forthfresh　green　shoots。　Alas！　It　is　not　so　with　the　human　heart！　Darkmists；　more　in　number　than　those　that　cover　the　northern　skies；cloud　the　human　heart。　Poor　child！　thy　friend's　bridal　chamber　is　ablack　coffin；　and　thou　beest　an　old　maid。　From　the　almshousewindow；　behind　the　balsams；　thou　shalt　look　on　the　merry　children　atplay；　and　shalt　see　thine　own　history　renewed。〃

And　that　is　the　life　drama　that　passes　before　the　old　maid　whileshe　looks　out　upon　the　rampart；　the　green；　sunny　rampart；　where　thechildren；　with　their　red　cheeks　and　bare　shoeless　feet；　arerejoicing　merrily；　like　the　other　free　little　birds。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　CHILDREN'S　PRATTLE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

AT　a　rich　merchant's　house　there　was　a　children's　party；　and　thechildren　of　rich　and　great　people　were　there。　The　merchant　was　alearned　man；　for　his　father　had　sent　him　to　college；　and　he　had　passedhis　examination。　His　father　had　been　at　first　only　a　cattle　dealer；but　always　honest　and　industrious；　so　that　he　had　made　money；　andhis　son；　the　merchant；　had　managed　to　increase　his　store。　Clever　as　hewas；　he　had　also　a　heart；　but　there　was　less　said　of　his　heart　than　ofhis　money。　All　descriptions　of　people　visited　at　the　merchant's　house；well　born；　as　well　as　intellectual；　and　some　who　possessed　neitherof　these　remendations。

Now　it　was　a　children's　party；　and　there　was　children's　prattle；which　always　is　spoken　freely　from　the　heart。　Among　them　was　abeautiful　little　girl；　who　was　terribly　proud；　but　this　had　beentaught　her　by　the　servants；　and　not　by　her　parents；　who　were　far　toosensible　people。

Her　father　was　groom　of　the　Chambers；　which　is　a　high　office　atcourt；　and　she　knew　it。　〃I　am　a　child　of　the　court；〃　she　said；　now　shemight　just　as　well　have　been　a　child　of　the　cellar；　for　no　one　canhelp　his　birth；　and　then　she　told　the　other　children　that　she　waswell…born；　and　said　that　no　one　who　was　not　well…born　could　rise　inthe　world。　It　was　no　use　to　read　and　be　industrious；　for　if　a　personwas　not　well…born；　he　could　never　achieve　anything。　〃And　those　whosenames　end　with　'sen；'〃　said　she；　〃can　never　be　anything　at　all。　Wemust　put　our　arms　akimbo；　and　make　the　elbow　quite　pointed；　so　as　tokeep　these　'sen'　people　at　a　great　distance。〃　And　then　she　stuck　outher　pretty　little　arms；　and　made　the　elbows　quite　pointed；　to　show　howit　was　to　be　done；　and　her　little　arms　were　very　pretty；　for　she　was　asweet…looking　child。

But　the　little　daughter　of　the　merchant　became　very　angry　atthis　speech；　for　her　father's　name　was　Petersen；　and　she　knew　that　thename　ended　in　〃sen；〃　and　therefore　she　said　as　proudly　as　she　could；〃But　my　papa　can　buy　a　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　bonbons；　and　givethem　away　to　children。　Can　your　papa　do　that？〃

〃Yes；　and　my　papa；〃　said　the　little　daughter　of　the　editor　of　apaper；　〃my　papa　can　put　your　papa　and　everybody's　papa　into　thenewspaper。　All　sorts　of　people　are　afraid　of　him；　my　mamma　says；　forhe　can　do　as　he　likes　with　the　paper。〃　And　the　little　maiden　lookedexceedingly　proud；　as　if　she　had　been　a　real　princess；　who　may　beexpected　to　look　proud。

But　outside　the　door；　which　stood　ajar；　was　a　poor　boy；　peepingthrough　the　crack　of　the　door。　He　was　of　such　a　lowly　station　thathe　had　not　been　allowed　even　to　enter　the　room。　He　had　been　turningthe　spit　for　the　cook；　and　she　had　given　him　permission　to　standbehind　the　door　and　peep　in　at　the　well…dressed　children；　who　werehaving　such　a　merry　time　within；　and　for　him　that　was　a　great　deal。〃Oh；　if　I　could　be　one　of　them；〃　thought　he；　and　then　he　heard　whatwas　said　about　names；　which　was　quite　enough　to　make　him　more　unhappy。His　parents　at　home　had　not　even　a　penny　to　spare　to　buy　anewspaper；　much　less　could　they　write　in　one；　and　worse　than　all；his　father's　name；　and　of　course　his　own；　ended　in　〃sen；〃　andtherefore　he　could　never　turn　out　well；　which　was　a　very　sadthought。　But　after　all；　he　had　been　born　into　the　world；　and　thestation　of　life　had　been　chosen　for　him；　therefore　he　must　be　content。

And　this　is　what　happened　on　that　evening。

Many　years　passed；　and　most　of　the　children　became　grown…uppersons。

There　stood　a　splendid　house　in　the　town；　filled　with　all　kinds　ofbeautiful　and　valuable　objects。　Everybody　wished　to　see　it；　and　peopleeven　came　in　from　the　country　round　to　be　permitted　to　view　thetreasures　it　contained。

Which　of　the　children　whose　prattle　we　have　described；　couldcall　this　house　his　own？　One　would　suppose　it　very　easy　to　guess。No；　no；　it　is　not　so　very　easy。　The　house　belonged　to　the　poorlittle　boy　who　had　stood　on　that　night　behind　the　door。　He　hadreally　bee　something　great；　although　his　name　ended　in　〃sen；〃…for　it　was　Thorwaldsen。

And　the　three　other　children…　the　children　of　good　birth；　ofmoney；　and　of　intellectual　pride；…　well；　they　were　respected　andhonored　in　the　world；　for　they　had　been　well　provided　for　by　birth　andposition；　and　they　had　no　cause　to　reproach　themselves　with　whatthey　had　thought　and　spoken　on　that　evening　long　ago；　for；　afterall；　it　was　mere　〃children's　prattle。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　DELAYING　IS　NOT　FORGETTING

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　an　old　mansion　surrounded　by　a　marshy　ditch　with　adrawbridge　which　was　but　seldom　let　down：…　not　all　guests　are　goodpeople。　Under　the　roof　were　loopholes　to　shoot　through；　and　to　pourdown　boiling　water　or　even　molten　lead　on　the　enemy；　should　heapproach。　Inside　the　house　the　rooms　were　very　high　and　had　ceilingsof　beams；　and　that　was　very　useful　considering　the　great　deal　of　smokewhich　rose　up　from　the　chimney　fire　where　the　large；　damp　logs　of　woodsmouldered。　On　the　walls　hung　pictures　of　knights　in　armour　andproud　ladies　in　gorgeous　dresses；　the　most　stately　of　all　walked　aboutalive。　She　was　called　Meta　Mogen；　she　was　the　mistress　of　the　house；to　her　belonged　the　castle。

Towards　the　evening　robbers　came；　they　killed　three　of　herpeople　and　also　the　yard…dog；　and　attached　Mrs。　Meta　to　the　kennelby　the　chain；　while　they　themselves　made　good　cheer　in　the　hall　anddrank　the　wine　and　the　good　ale　out　of　her　cellar。　Mrs。　Meta　was　nowon　the　chain；　she　could　not　even　bark。

But　lo！　the　servant　of　one　of　the　robbers　secretly　approached　her；they　must　not　see　it；　otherwise　they　would　have　killed　him。

〃Mrs。　Meta　Mogen；〃　said　the　fellow；　〃do　you　still　remember　howmy　father；　when　your　husband　was　still　alive；　had　to　ride　on　thewooden　horse？　You　prayed　for　him；　but　it　was　no　good；　he　was　to　rideun