安徒生童话-第126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！


estioned　him；　and；in　broken　sentences；　he　soon　heard　the　whole　story；　and　also　about　theMetal　Pig；　and　the　wonderful　ride　to　the　picture…gallery；　which　wascertainly　rather　inprehensible。　The　painter；　however；　consoledthe　little　fellow；　and　tried　to　soften　the　lady's　anger；　but　she　wouldnot　be　pacified　till　her　husband　returned　with　Bellissima；　who　hadbeen　with　the　police。　Then　there　was　great　rejoicing；　and　thepainter　caressed　the　boy；　and　gave　him　a　number　of　pictures。　Oh；what　beautiful　pictures　these　were！…　figures　with　funny　heads；　and；above　all；　the　Metal　Pig　was　there　too。　Oh；　nothing　could　be　moredelightful。　By　means　of　a　few　strokes；　it　was　made　to　appear　on　thepaper；　and　even　the　house　that　stood　behind　it　had　been　sketched　in。Oh；　if　he　could　only　draw　and　paint！　He　who　could　do　this　couldconjure　all　the　world　before　him。　The　first　leisure　moment　duringthe　next　day；　the　boy　got　a　pencil；　and　on　the　back　of　one　of　theother　drawings　he　attempted　to　copy　the　drawing　of　the　Metal　Pig；and　he　succeeded。　Certainly　it　was　rather　crooked；　rather　up　and　down；one　leg　thick；　and　another　thin；　still　it　was　like　the　copy；　and　hewas　overjoyed　at　what　he　had　done。　The　pencil　would　not　go　quite　as　itought；…　he　had　found　that　out；　but　the　next　day　he　tried　again。　Asecond　pig　was　drawn　by　the　side　of　the　first；　and　this　looked　ahundred　times　better；　and　the　third　attempt　was　so　good；　thateverybody　might　know　what　it　was　meant　to　represent。

And　now　the　glovemaking　went　on　but　slowly。　The　orders　given　bythe　shops　in　the　town　were　not　finished　quickly；　for　the　Metal　Pig　hadtaught　the　boy　that　all　objects　may　be　drawn　upon　paper；　andFlorence　is　a　picture…book　in　itself　for　any　one　who　chooses　to　turnover　its　pages。　On　the　Piazza　dell　Trinita　stands　a　slender　pillar；and　upon　it　is　the　goddess　of　Justice；　blindfolded；　with　her　scales　inher　hand。　She　was　soon　represented　on　paper；　and　it　was　theglovemaker's　boy　who　placed　her　there。　His　collection　of　picturesincreased；　but　as　yet　they　were　only　copies　of　lifeless　objects；when　one　day　Bellissima　came　gambolling　before　him：　〃Stand　still；〃cried　he；　〃and　I　will　draw　you　beautifully；　to　put　amongst　mycollection。〃

But　Bellissima　would　not　stand　still；　so　she　must　be　bound　fast　inone　position。　He　tied　her　head　and　tail；　but　she　barked　and　jumped；and　so　pulled　and　tightened　the　string；　that　she　was　nearly　strangled；and　just　then　her　mistress　walked　in。

〃You　wicked　boy！　the　poor　little　creature！〃　was　all　she　couldutter。

She　pushed　the　boy　from　her；　thrust　him　away　with　her　foot；　calledhim　a　most　ungrateful；　good…for…nothing；　wicked　boy；　and　forbade　himto　enter　the　house　again。　Then　she　wept；　and　kissed　her　littlehalf…strangled　Bellissima。　At　this　moment　the　painter　entered　theroom。

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

In　the　year　1834　there　was　an　exhibition　in　the　Academy　of　Arts　atFlorence。　Two　pictures；　placed　side　by　side；　attracted　a　largenumber　of　spectators。　The　smaller　of　the　two　represented　a　littleboy　sitting　at　a　table；　drawing；　before　him　was　a　little　white　poodle；curiously　shaven；　but　as　the　animal　would　not　stand　still；　it　had　beenfastened　with　a　string　to　its　head　and　tail；　to　keep　it　in　oneposition。　The　truthfulness　and　life　in　this　picture　interested　everyone。　The　painter　was　said　to　be　a　young　Florentine；　who　had　been　foundin　the　streets；　when　a　child；　by　an　old　glovemaker；　who　had　broughthim　up。　The　boy　had　taught　himself　to　draw：　it　was　also　said　that　ayoung　artist；　now　famous；　had　discovered　talent　in　the　child　just　ashe　was　about　to　be　sent　away　for　having　tied　up　madame's　favoritelittle　dog；　and　using　it　as　a　model。　The　glovemaker's　boy　had　alsobee　a　great　painter；　as　the　picture　proved；　but　the　largerpicture　by　its　side　was　a　still　greater　proof　of　his　talent。　Itrepresented　a　handsome　boy；　clothed　in　rags；　lying　asleep；　and　leaningagainst　the　Metal　Pig　in　the　street　of　the　Porta　Rosa。　All　thespectators　knew　the　spot　well。　The　child's　arms　were　round　the　neck　ofthe　Pig；　and　he　was　in　a　deep　sleep。　The　lamp　before　the　picture　ofthe　Madonna　threw　a　strong；　effective　light　on　the　pale；　delicate　faceof　the　child。　It　was　a　beautiful　picture。　A　large　gilt　framesurrounded　it；　and　on　one　corner　of　the　frame　a　laurel　wreath　had　beenhung；　but　a　black　band；　twined　unseen　among　the　green　leaves；　and　astreamer　of　crape；　hung　down　from　it；　for　within　the　last　few　days　theyoung　artist　had…　died。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　MONEY…BOX

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　a　nursery　where　a　number　of　toys　lay　scattered　about；　amoney…box　stood　on　the　top　of　a　very　high　wardrobe。　It　was　made　ofclay　in　the　shape　of　a　pig；　and　had　been　bought　of　the　potter。　Inthe　back　of　the　pig　was　a　slit；　and　this　slit　had　been　enlarged　with　aknife；　so　that　dollars；　or　crown　pieces；　might　slip　through；　and；indeed　there　were　two　in　the　box；　besides　a　number　of　pence。　Themoney…pig　was　stuffed　so　full　that　it　could　no　longer　rattle；　which　isthe　highest　state　of　perfection　to　which　a　money…pig　can　attain。　Therehe　stood　upon　the　cupboard；　high　and　lofty；　looking　down　uponeverything　else　in　the　room。　He　knew　very　well　that　he　had　enoughinside　him　to　buy　up　all　the　other　toys；　and　this　gave　him　a　very　goodopinion　of　his　own　value。　The　rest　thought　of　this　fact　also；　althoughthey　did　not　express　it；　for　there　were　so　many　other　things　to　talkabout。　A　large　doll；　still　handsome；　though　rather　old；　for　her　neckhad　been　mended；　lay　inside　one　of　the　drawers　which　was　partlyopen。　She　called　out　to　the　others；　〃Let　us　have　a　game　at　being　menand　women；　that　is　something　worth　playing　at。〃

Upon　this　there　was　a　great　uproar；　even　the　engravings；　whichhung　in　frames　on　the　wall；　turned　round　in　their　excitement；　andshowed　that　they　had　a　wrong　side　to　them；　although　they　had　not　theleast　intention　to　expose　themselves　in　this　way；　or　to　object　tothe　game。　It　was　late　at　night；　but　as　the　moon　shone　through　thewindows；　they　had　light　at　a　cheap　rate。　And　as　the　game　was　now　tobegin；　all　were　invited　to　take　part　in　it；　even　the　children's　wagon；which　certainly　belonged　to　the　coarser　playthings。　〃Each　has　itsown　value；〃　said　the　wagon；　〃we　cannot　all　be　noblemen；　there　mustbe　some　to　do　the　work。〃

The　money…pig　was　the　only　one　who　received　a　writteninvitation。　He　stood　so　high　that　they　were　afraid　he　would　not　accepta　verbal　message。　But　in　his　reply；　he　said；　if　he　had　to　take　a　part；he　must　enjoy　the　sport　from　his　own　home；　they　were　to　arrange　forhim　to　do　so；　and　so　they　did。　The　little　toy　theatre　was　thereforeput　up　in　such　a　way　that　the　money…pig　could　look　directly　into　it。Some　wanted　to　begin　with　a　edy；　and　afterwards　to　have　a　tea　partyand　a　discussion　for　mental　improvement；　but　they　menced　with　thelatter　first。　The　rocking…horse　spoke　of　training　and　races；　the　wagonof　railways　and　steam　power；　for　these　subjects　belonged　to　each　oftheir　professions；　and　it　was　right　they　should　talk　of　them。　Theclock　talked　politics…　〃tick；　tick；〃　he　professed　to　know　what　was　thetime　of　day；　but　there　was　a　whisper　that　he　did　not　go　correctly。　Thebamboo　cane　stood　by；　looking　stiff　and　proud：　he　was　vain　of　hisbrass　ferrule　and　silver　top；　and　on　the　sofa　lay　two　worked　cushions；pretty　but　stupid。　When　the　play　at　the　little　theatre　began；　the　restsat　and　looked　on；　they　were　requested　to　applaud　and　stamp；　or　crack；when　they　felt　gratified　with　what　they　saw。　But　the　riding…whipsaid　he　never　cracked　for　old　people；　only　for　the　young　who　werenot　yet　married。　〃I　crack　for　everybody；〃　said　the　cracker。

〃Yes；　and　a　fine　noise　you　make；〃　thought　the　audience；　as　theplay　went　on。

It　was　not　worth　much；　but　it　was　very　well　played；　and　all　thecharacters　turned　their　painted　sides　to　the　audience；　for　they　weremade　only　to　be　seen　on　one　side。　The　acting　was　wonderful；excepting　that　sometimes　they　came　out　beyond　the　lamps；　because　thewires　were　a　little　too　long。　The　doll；　whose　neck　had　been　darned；was　so　excited　that　the　place　in　her　neck　burst；　and　the　money…pigdeclared　he　must　do　something　for　one　of　the　players；　as　they　hadall　pleased　him　so　much。　So　he　made　up　his　mind　to　remember　one　ofthem　in　his　will；　as　the　one　to　be　buried　with　him　in　the　familyvault；　whenever　that　event　should　happen。　They　all　enjoyed　theedy　so　much；　that　they　gave　up　all　thoughts　of　the　tea　party；　andonly　carried　out　their　idea　of　intellectual　amusement；　which　theycalled　playing　at　men　and　women；　and　there　was　nothing　wrong　about　it；for　it　was　only　play。　All　the　while；　each　one　thought　most　of　himself；or　of　what　the　money…pig　could　be　thinking。　His　thoughts　were　on；　ashe　supposed；　a　very　distant　time…　of　making　his　will；　and　of　hisburial；　and　of　when　it　might　all　e　to　pass。　Certainly　sooner　thanhe　expected…　for　all　at　once　down　he　came　from　the　top　of　the　press；fell　on　the　ground；　and　was　broken　to　pieces。　Then　the　pennieshopped　and　danced　about　in　the　most　amusing　manner。　The　little　onestwirled　round　like　tops；　and　the　large　ones　rolled　away　as　far　as　theycould；　especially　the　one　great　silver　crown　piece　who　had　often　to　goout　into　the　world；　and　now　he　had　his　wish　as　well　as　all　the　rest　ofthe　money。　The　pieces　of　the　money…pig　were　thrown　into　thedust…bin；　and　the　next　day　there　stood　a　new　m