安徒生童话-第211章

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f　life；　like　trees　insummer；　and　its　appearance　was　wondrously　beautiful。　And　where　the　sunshone；　how　everything　glittered　and　sparkled；　as　if　diamond　dust　hadbeen　strewn　about；　while　the　snowy　carpet　of　the　earth　appeared　asif　covered　with　diamonds；　from　which　countless　lights　gleamed；whiter　than　even　the　snow　itself。

〃This　is　really　beautiful；〃　said　a　young　girl；　who　had　e　intothe　garden　with　a　young　man；　and　they　both　stood　still　near　the　SnowMan；　and　contemplated　the　glittering　scene。　〃Summer　cannot　show　a　morebeautiful　sight；〃　she　exclaimed；　while　her　eyes　sparkled。

〃And　we　can't　have　such　a　fellow　as　this　in　the　summer　time；〃replied　the　young　man；　pointing　to　the　Snow　Man；　〃he　is　capital。〃

The　girl　laughed；　and　nodded　at　the　Snow　Man；　and　then　trippedaway　over　the　snow　with　her　friend。　The　snow　creaked　and　crackledbeneath　her　feet；　as　if　she　had　been　treading　on　starch。

〃Who　are　these　two？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man　of　the　yard…dog。　〃You　havebeen　here　longer　than　I　have；　do　you　know　them？〃

〃Of　course　I　know　them；〃　replied　the　yard…dog；　〃she　has　stroked　myback　many　times；　and　he　has　given　me　a　bone　of　meat。　I　never　bitethose　two。〃

〃But　what　are　they？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man。

〃They　are　lovers；〃　he　replied；　〃they　will　go　and　live　in　thesame　kennel　by…and…by；　and　gnaw　at　the　same　bone。　Away；　away！〃

〃Are　they　the　same　kind　of　beings　as　you　and　I？〃　asked　the　SnowMan。

〃Well；　they　belong　to　the　same　master；〃　retorted　the　yard…dog。〃Certainly　people　who　were　only　born　yesterday　know　very　little。　I　cansee　that　in　you。　I　have　age　and　experience。　I　know　every　one　here　inthe　house；　and　I　know　there　was　once　a　time　when　I　did　not　lie　outhere　in　the　cold；　fastened　to　a　chain。　Away；　away！〃

〃The　cold　is　delightful；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；　〃but　do　tell　metell　me；　only　you　must　not　clank　your　chain　so；　for　it　jars　allthrough　me　when　you　do　that。〃

〃Away；　away！〃　barked　the　yard…dog；　〃I'll　tell　you；　they　said　I　wasa　pretty　little　fellow　once；　then　I　used　to　lie　in　a　velvet…coveredchair；　up　at　the　master's　house；　and　sit　in　the　mistress's　lap。　Theyused　to　kiss　my　nose；　and　wipe　my　paws　with　an　embroideredhandkerchief；　and　I　was　called　'Ami；　dear　Ami；　sweet　Ami。'　But　after　awhile　I　grew　too　big　for　them；　and　they　sent　me　away　to　thehousekeeper's　room；　so　I　came　to　live　on　the　lower　story。　You　can　lookinto　the　room　from　where　you　stand；　and　see　where　I　was　master　once；for　I　was　indeed　master　to　the　housekeeper。　It　was　certainly　a　smallerroom　than　those　up　stairs；　but　I　was　more　fortable；　for　I　was　notbeing　continually　taken　hold　of　and　pulled　about　by　the　children　asI　had　been。　I　received　quite　as　good　food；　or　even　better。　I　had　myown　cushion；　and　there　was　a　stove…　it　is　the　finest　thing　in　theworld　at　this　season　of　the　year。　I　used　to　go　under　the　stove；　andlie　down　quite　beneath　it。　Ah；　I　still　dream　of　that　stove。　Away；away！〃

〃Does　a　stove　look　beautiful？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man；　〃is　it　at　alllike　me？〃

〃It　is　just　the　reverse　of　you；'　said　the　dog；　〃it's　as　black　as　acrow；　and　has　a　long　neck　and　a　brass　knob；　it　eats　firewood；　sothat　fire　spurts　out　of　its　mouth。　We　should　keep　on　one　side；　orunder　it；　to　be　fortable。　You　can　see　it　through　the　window；　fromwhere　you　stand。〃

Then　the　Snow　Man　looked；　and　saw　a　bright　polished　thing　with　abrazen　knob；　and　fire　gleaming　from　the　lower　part　of　it。　The　Snow　Manfelt　quite　a　strange　sensation　e　over　him；　it　was　very　odd；　he　knewnot　what　it　meant；　and　he　could　not　account　for　it。　But　there　arepeople　who　are　not　men　of　snow；　who　understand　what　it　is。　〃'And　whydid　you　leave　her？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man；　for　it　seemed　to　him　thatthe　stove　must　be　of　the　female　sex。　〃How　could　you　give　up　such　afortable　place？〃

〃I　was　obliged；〃　replied　the　yard…dog。　〃They　turned　me　out　ofdoors；　and　chained　me　up　here。　I　had　bitten　the　youngest　of　mymaster's　sons　in　the　leg；　because　he　kicked　away　the　bone　I　wasgnawing。　'Bone　for　bone；'　I　thought；　but　they　were　so　angry；　andfrom　that　time　I　have　been　fastened　with　a　chain；　and　lost　my　bone。Don't　you　hear　how　hoarse　I　am。　Away；　away！　I　can't　talk　any　more　likeother　dogs。　Away；　away；　that　is　the　end　of　it　all。〃

But　the　Snow　Man　was　no　longer　listening。　He　was　looking　intothe　housekeeper's　room　on　the　lower　storey；　where　the　stove　stood　onits　four　iron　legs；　looking　about　the　same　size　as　the　Snow　Manhimself。　〃What　a　strange　crackling　I　feel　within　me；〃　he　said。〃Shall　I　ever　get　in　there？　It　is　an　innocent　wish；　and　innocentwishes　are　sure　to　be　fulfilled。　I　must　go　in　there　and　lean　againsther；　even　if　I　have　to　break　the　window。〃

〃You　must　never　go　in　there；〃　said　the　yard…dog；　〃for　if　youapproach　the　stove；　you'll　melt　away；　away。〃

〃I　might　as　well　go；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；　〃for　I　think　I　ambreaking　up　as　it　is。〃

During　the　whole　day　the　Snow　Man　stood　looking　in　through　thewindow；　and　in　the　twilight　hour　the　room　became　still　moreinviting；　for　from　the　stove　came　a　gentle　glow；　not　like　the　sun　orthe　moon；　no；　only　the　bright　light　which　gleams　from　a　stove　whenit　has　been　well　fed。　When　the　door　of　the　stove　was　opened；　theflames　darted　out　of　its　mouth；　this　is　customary　with　all　stoves。　Thelight　of　the　flames　fell　directly　on　the　face　and　breast　of　the　SnowMan　with　a　ruddy　gleam。　〃I　can　endure　it　no　longer；〃　said　he；　〃howbeautiful　it　looks　when　it　stretches　out　its　tongue？〃

The　night　was　long；　but　did　not　appear　so　to　the　Snow　Man；　whostood　there　enjoying　his　own　reflections；　and　crackling　with　the　cold。In　the　morning；　the　window…panes　of　the　housekeeper's　room　werecovered　with　ice。　They　were　the　most　beautiful　ice…flowers　any　SnowMan　could　desire；　but　they　concealed　the　stove。　These　window…paneswould　not　thaw；　and　he　could　see　nothing　of　the　stove；　which　hepictured　to　himself；　as　if　it　had　been　a　lovely　human　being。　Thesnow　crackled　and　the　wind　whistled　around　him；　it　was　just　the　kindof　frosty　weather　a　Snow　Man　might　thoroughly　enjoy。　But　he　did　notenjoy　it；　how；　indeed；　could　he　enjoy　anything　when　he　was　〃stovesick？〃

〃That　is　terrible　disease　for　a　Snow　Man；〃　said　the　yard…dog；　〃Ihave　suffered　from　it　myself；　but　I　got　over　it。　Away；　away；〃　hebarked　and　then　he　added；　〃the　weather　is　going　to　change。〃　And　theweather　did　change；　it　began　to　thaw。　As　the　warmth　increased；　theSnow　Man　decreased。　He　said　nothing　and　made　no　plaint；　which　isa　sure　sign。　One　morning　he　broke；　and　sunk　down　altogether；　and；behold；　where　he　had　stood；　something　like　a　broomstick　remainedsticking　up　in　the　ground。　It　was　the　pole　round　which　the　boys　hadbuilt　him　up。　〃Ah；　now　I　understand　why　he　had　such　a　great　longingfor　the　stove；〃　said　the　yard…dog。　〃Why；　there's　the　shovel　that　isused　for　cleaning　out　the　stove；　fastened　to　the　pole。〃　The　Snow　Manhad　a　stove　scraper　in　his　body；　that　was　what　moved　him　so。　〃But　it'sall　over　now。　Away；　away。〃　And　soon　the　winter　passed。　〃Away；　away；〃barked　the　hoarse　yard…dog。　But　the　girls　in　the　house　sang；

〃e　from　your　fragrant　home；　green　thyme；

　　Stretch　your　soft　branches；　willow…tree；

The　months　are　bringing　the　sweet　spring…time；

　　When　the　lark　in　the　sky　sings　joyfully。

e　gentle　sun；　while　the　cuckoo　sings；

And　I'll　mock　his　note　in　my　wanderings。〃

And　nobody　thought　any　more　of　th