安徒生童话-第4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！



THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

A　STORY

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　the　garden　all　the　apple…trees　were　in　blossom。　They　hadhastened　to　bring　forth　flowers　before　they　got　green　leaves；　and　inthe　yard　all　the　ducklings　walked　up　and　down；　and　the　cat　too：　itbasked　in　the　sun　and　licked　the　sunshine　from　its　own　paws。　Andwhen　one　looked　at　the　fields；　how　beautifully　the　corn　stood　andhow　green　it　shone；　without　parison！　and　there　was　a　twittering　anda　fluttering　of　all　the　little　birds；　as　if　the　day　were　a　greatfestival；　and　so　it　was；　for　it　was　Sunday。　All　the　bells　wereringing；　and　all　the　people　went　to　church；　looking　cheerful；　anddressed　in　their　best　clothes。　There　was　a　look　of　cheerfulness　oneverything。　The　day　was　so　warm　and　beautiful　that　one　might　well　havesaid：　〃God's　kindness　to　us　men　is　beyond　all　limits。〃　But　insidethe　church　the　pastor　stood　in　the　pulpit；　and　spoke　very　loudly　andangrily。　He　said　that　all　men　were　wicked；　and　God　would　punish　themfor　their　sins；　and　that　the　wicked；　when　they　died；　would　be　castinto　hell；　to　burn　for　ever　and　ever。　He　spoke　very　excitedly；saying　that　their　evil　propensities　would　not　be　destroyed；　norwould　the　fire　be　extinguished；　and　they　should　never　find　rest。That　was　terrible　to　hear；　and　he　said　it　in　such　a　tone　ofconviction；　he　described　hell　to　them　as　a　miserable　hole　where　allthe　refuse　of　the　world　gathers。　There　was　no　air　beside　the　hotburning　sulphur　flame；　and　there　was　no　ground　under　their　feet；　they；the　wicked　ones；　sank　deeper　and　deeper；　while　eternal　silencesurrounded　them！　It　was　dreadful　to　hear　all　that；　for　the　preacherspoke　from　his　heart；　and　all　the　people　in　the　church　were　terrified。Meanwhile；　the　birds　sang　merrily　outside；　and　the　sun　was　shiningso　beautifully　warm；　it　seemed　as　though　every　little　flower　said：〃God；　Thy　kindness　towards　us　all　is　without　limits。〃　Indeed；outside　it　was　not　at　all　like　the　pastor's　sermon。

The　same　evening；　upon　going　to　bed；　the　pastor　noticed　his　wifesitting　there　quiet　and　pensive。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　he　asked　her。

〃Well；　the　matter　with　me　is；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　cannot　collect　mythoughts；　and　am　unable　to　grasp　the　meaning　of　what　you　said　to…dayin　church…　that　there　are　so　many　wicked　people；　and　that　theyshould　burn　eternally。　Alas！　eternally…　how　long！　I　am　only　a　womanand　a　sinner　before　God；　but　I　should　not　have　the　heart　to　let　eventhe　worst　sinner　burn　for　ever；　and　how　could　our　Lord　to　do　so；　whois　so　infinitely　good；　and　who　knows　how　the　wickedness　es　fromwithout　and　within？　No；　I　am　unable　to　imagine　that；　although　yousay　so。〃

It　was　autumn；　the　trees　dropped　their　leaves；　the　earnest　andsevere　pastor　sat　at　the　bedside　of　a　dying　person。　A　pious；faithful　soul　closed　her　eyes　for　ever；　she　was　the　pastor's　wife。

。。。〃If　any　one　shall　find　rest　in　the　grave　and　mercy　before　ourLord　you　shall　certainly　do　so；〃　said　the　pastor。　He　folded　herhands　and　read　a　psalm　over　the　dead　woman。

She　was　buried；　two　large　tears　rolled　over　the　cheeks　of　theearnest　man；　and　in　the　parsonage　it　was　empty　and　still；　for　itssun　had　set　for　ever。　She　had　gone　home。

It　was　night。　A　cold　wind　swept　over　the　pastor's　head；　heopened　his　eyes；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　moon　was　shininginto　his　room。　It　was　not　so；　however；　there　was　a　being　standingbefore　his　bed；　and　looking　like　the　ghost　of　his　deceased　wife。　Shefixed　her　eyes　upon　him　with　such　a　kind　and　sad　expression；　just　asif　she　wished　to　say　something　to　him。　The　pastor　raised　himself　inbed　and　stretched　his　arms　towards　her；　saying；　〃Not　even　you　can　findeternal　rest！　You　suffer；　you　best　and　most　pious　woman？〃

The　dead　woman　nodded　her　head　as　if　to　say　〃Yes；〃　and　put　herhand　on　her　breast。

〃And　can　I　not　obtain　rest　in　the　grave　for　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer。

〃And　how？〃

〃Give　me　one　hair…　only　one　single　hair…　from　the　head　of　thesinner　for　whom　the　fire　shall　never　be　extinguished；　of　the　sinnerwhom　God　will　condemn　to　eternal　punishment　in　hell。〃

〃Yes；　one　ought　to　be　able　to　redeem　you　so　easily；　you　pure；pious　woman；〃　he　said。

〃Follow　me；〃　said　the　dead　woman。　〃It　is　thus　granted　to　us。　By　myside　you　will　be　able　to　fly　wherever　your　thoughts　wish　to　go。Invisible　to　men；　we　shall　perate　into　their　most　secretchambers；　but　with　sure　hand　you　must　find　out　him　who　is　destinedto　eternal　torture；　and　before　the　cock　crows　he　must　be　found！〃　Asquickly　as　if　carried　by　the　winged　thoughts　they　were　in　the　greatcity；　and　from　the　walls　the　names　of　the　deadly　sins　shone　in　flamingletters：　pride；　avarice；　drunkenness；　wantonness…　in　short；　thewhole　seven…coloured　bow　of　sin。

〃Yes；　therein；　as　I　believed；　as　I　knew　it；〃　said　the　pastor；　〃areliving　those　who　are　abandoned　to　the　eternal　fire。〃　And　they　werestanding　before　the　magnificently　illuminated　gate；　the　broad　stepswere　adorned　with　carpets　and　flowers；　and　dance　music　was　soundingthrough　the　festive　halls。　A　footman　dressed　in　silk　and　velvetstood　with　a　large　silver…mounted　rod　near　the　entrance。

〃Our　ball　can　pare　favourably　with　the　king's；〃　he　said；　andturned　with　contempt　towards　the　gazing　crowd　in　the　street。　What　hethought　was　sufficiently　expressed　in　his　features　and　movements：〃Miserable　beggars；　who　are　looking　in；　you　are　nothing　inparison　to　me。〃

〃Pride；〃　said　the　dead　woman；　〃do　you　see　him？〃

〃The　footman？〃　asked　the　pastor。　〃He　is　but　a　poor　fool；　and　notdoomed　to　be　tortured　eternally　by　fire！〃

〃Only　a　fool！〃　It　sounded　through　the　whole　house　of　pride：　theywere　all　fools　there。

Then　they　flew　within　the　four　naked　walls　of　the　miser。　Lean　as　askeleton；　trembling　with　cold；　and　hunger；　the　old　man　was　clingingwith　all　his　thoughts　to　his　money。　They　saw　him　jump　up　feverishlyfrom　his　miserable　couch　and　take　a　loose　stone　out　of　the　wall；　therelay　gold　coins　in　an　old　stocking。　They　saw　him　anxiously　feeling　overan　old　ragged　coat　in　which　pieces　of　gold　were　sewn；　and　his　clammyfingers　trembled。

〃He　is　ill！　That　is　madness…　a　joyless　madness…　besieged　by　fearand　dreadful　dreams！〃

They　quickly　went　away　and　came　before　the　beds　of　thecriminals；　these　unfortunate　people　slept　side　by　side；　in　longrows。　Like　a　ferocious　animal；　one　of　them　rose　out　of　his　sleep　anduttered　a　horrible　cry；　and　gave　his　rade　a　violent　dig　in　the　ribswith　his　pointed　elbow；　and　this　one　turned　round　in　his　sleep：

〃Be　quiet；　monster…　sleep！　This　happens　every　night！〃

〃Every　night！〃　repeated　the　other。　〃Yes；　every　night　he　esand　tortures　me！　In　my　violence　I　have　done　this　and　that。　I　wasborn　with　an　evil　mind；　which　has　brought　me　hither　for　the　secondtime；　but　if　I　have　done　wrong　I　suffer　punishment　for　it。　Ohing；　however；　I　have　not　yet　confessed。　When　I　came　out　a　littlewhile　ago；　and　passed　by　the　yard　of　my　former　master；　evil　thoughtsrose　within　me　when　I　remembered　this　and　that。　I　struck　a　match　alittle　bit　on　the　wall；　probably　it　came　a　little　too　close　to　thethatched　roof。　All　burnt　down…　a　great　heat　rose；　such　as　sometimesoveres　me。　I　myself　helped　to　rescue　cattle　and　things；　nothingalive　burnt；　except　a　flight　of　pigeons；　which　flew　into　the　fire；　andthe　yard　dog；　o