安徒生童话-第132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！


ten　there　would　arise　in　his　mind　a　doubt　as　to　whetherevery　coal　had　been　quite　put　out　in　the　little　fire…pan　in　the　shopbelow。　If　even　a　tiny　spark　had　remained　it　might　set　fire　tosomething；　and　cause　great　damage。　Then　he　would　rise　from　his　bed；creep　down　the　ladder…　for　it　could　scarcely　be　called　a　flight　ofstairs…　and　when　he　reached　the　fire…pan　not　a　spark　could　be　seen；　sohe　had　just　to　go　back　again　to　bed。　But　often；　when　he　had　got　halfway　back；　he　would　fancy　the　iron　shutters　of　the　door　were　notproperly　fastened；　and　his　thin　legs　would　carry　him　down　again。　Andwhen　at　last　he　crept　into　bed；　he　would　be　so　cold　that　his　teethchattered　in　his　head。　He　would　draw　the　coverlet　closer　round　him；pull　his　nightcap　over　his　eyes；　and　try　to　turn　his　thoughts　fromtrade；　and　from　the　labors　of　the　day；　to　olden　times。　But　this　wasscarcely　an　agreeable　entertainment；　for　thoughts　of　olden　memoriesraise　the　curtains　from　the　past；　and　sometimes　pierce　the　heartwith　painful　recollections　till　the　agony　brings　tears　to　the　wakingeyes。　And　so　it　was　with　Anthony；　often　the　scalding　tears；　likepearly　drops；　would　fall　from　his　eyes　to　the　coverlet　and　roll　on　thefloor　with　a　sound　as　if　one　of　his　heartstrings　had　broken。Sometimes；　with　a　lurid　flame；　memory　would　light　up　a　picture　of　lifewhich　had　never　faded　from　his　heart。　If　he　dried　his　eyes　with　hisnightcap；　then　the　tear　and　the　picture　would　be　crushed；　but　thesource　of　the　tears　remained　and　welled　up　again　in　his　heart。　Thepictures　did　not　follow　one　another　in　order；　as　the　circumstancesthey　represented　had　occurred；　very　often　the　most　painful　woulde　together；　and　when　those　came　which　were　most　full　of　joy；　theyhad　always　the　deepest　shadow　thrown　upon　them。

The　beech　woods　of　Denmark　are　acknowledged　by　every　one　to　bevery　beautiful；　but　more　beautiful　still　in　the　eyes　of　old　Anthonywere　the　beech　woods　in　the　neighborhood　of　Wartburg。　More　grand　andvenerable　to　him　seemed　the　old　oaks　around　the　proud　baronial　castle；where　the　creeping　plants　hung　over　the　stony　summits　of　the　rocks；sweeter　was　the　perfume　there　of　the　apple…blossom　than　in　all　theland　of　Denmark。　How　vividly　were　represented　to　him；　in　aglittering　tear　that　rolled　down　his　cheek；　two　children　at　play…　aboy　and　a　girl。　The　boy　had　rosy　cheeks；　golden　ringlets；　and　clear；blue　eyes；　he　was　the　son　of　Anthony；　a　rich　merchant；　it　was　himself。The　little　girl　had　brown　eyes　and　black　hair；　and　was　clever　andcourageous；　she　was　the　mayor's　daughter；　Molly。　The　children　wereplaying　with　an　apple；　they　shook　the　apple；　and　heard　the　pipsrattling　in　it。　Then　they　cut　it　in　two；　and　each　of　them　took　half。They　also　divided　the　pips　and　ate　all　but　one；　which　the　littlegirl　proposed　should　be　placed　in　the　ground。

〃You　will　see　what　will　e　out；〃　she　said；　〃something　youdon't　expect。　A　whole　apple…tree　will　e　out；　but　not　directly。〃Then　they　got　a　flower…pot；　filled　it　with　earth；　and　were　soon　bothvery　busy　and　eager　about　it。　The　boy　made　a　hole　in　the　earth　withhis　finger；　and　the　little　girl　placed　the　pip　in　the　hole；　and　thenthey　both　covered　it　over　with　earth。

〃Now　you　must　not　take　it　out　to…morrow　to　see　if　it　has　takenroot；〃　said　Molly；　〃no　one　ever　should　do　that。　I　did　so　with　myflowers；　but　only　twice；　I　wanted　to　see　if　they　were　growing。　Ididn't　know　any　better　then；　and　the　flowers　all　died。〃

Little　Anthony　kept　the　flower…pot；　and　every　morning　during　thewhole　winter　he　looked　at　it；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　butblack　earth。　At　last；　however；　the　spring　came；　and　the　sun　shone　warmagain；　and　then　two　little　green　leaves　sprouted　forth　in　the　pot。

〃They　are　Molly　and　me；〃　said　the　boy。　〃How　wonderful　they　are；and　so　beautiful！〃

Very　soon　a　third　leaf　made　its　appearance。

〃Who　does　that　stand　for？〃　thought　he；　and　then　came　another　andanother。　Day　after　day；　and　week　after　week；　till　the　plant　becamequite　a　tree。　And　all　this　about　the　two　children　was　mirrored　toold　Anthony　in　a　single　tear；　which　could　soon　be　wiped　away　anddisappear；　but　might　e　again　from　its　source　in　the　heart　of　theold　man。

In　the　neighborhood　of　Eisenach　stretches　a　ridge　of　stonymountains；　one　of　which　has　a　rounded　outline；　and　shows　itselfabove　the　rest　without　tree；　bush；　or　grass　on　its　barren　summits。It　is　called　the　〃Venus　Mountain；〃　and　the　story　goes　that　the　〃LadyVenus；〃　one　of　the　heathen　goddesses；　keeps　house　there。　She　is　alsocalled　〃Lady　Halle；〃　as　every　child　round　Eisenach　well　knows。　Sheit　was　who　enticed　the　noble　knight；　Tannhauser；　the　minstrel；　fromthe　circle　of　singers　at　Wartburg　into　her　mountain。

Little　Molly　and　Anthony　often　stood　by　this　mountain；　and　one　dayMolly　said；　〃Do　you　dare　to　knock　and　say；　'Lady　Halle；　Lady　Halle；open　the　door：　Tannhauser　is　here！'〃　But　Anthony　did　not　dare。Molly；　however；　did；　though　she　only　said　the　words；　〃Lady　Halle；　LadyHalle；〃　loudly　and　distinctly；　the　rest　she　muttered　so　much　under　herbreath　that　Anthony　felt　certain　she　had　really　said　nothing；　andyet　she　looked　quite　bold　and　saucy；　just　as　she　did　sometimes　whenshe　was　in　the　garden　with　a　number　of　other　little　girls；　theywould　all　stand　round　him　together；　and　want　to　kiss　him；　because　hedid　not　like　to　be　kissed；　and　pushed　them　away。　Then　Molly　was　theonly　one　who　dared　to　resist　him。　〃I　may　kiss　him；〃　she　would　sayproudly；　as　she　threw　her　arms　round　his　neck；　she　was　vain　of　herpower　over　Anthony；　for　he　would　submit　quietly　and　think　nothing　ofit。　Molly　was　very　charming；　but　rather　bold；　and　how　she　did　tease！

They　said　Lady　Halle　was　beautiful；　but　her　beauty　was　that　of　atempting　fiend。　Saint　Elizabeth；　the　tutelar　saint　of　the　land；　thepious　princess　of　Thuringia；　whose　good　deeds　have　been　immortalizedin　so　many　places　through　stories　and　legends；　had　greater　beautyand　more　real　grace。　Her　picture　hung　in　the　chapel；　surrounded　bysilver　lamps；　but　it　did　not　in　the　least　resemble　Molly。

The　apple…tree；　which　the　two　children　had　planted；　grew　yearafter　year；　till　it　became　so　large　that　it　had　to　be　transplantedinto　the　garden；　where　the　dew　fell　and　the　sun　shone　warmly。　Andthere　it　increased　in　strength　so　much　as　to　be　able　to　withstandthe　cold　of　winter；　and　after　passing　through　the　severe　weather；　itseemed　to　put　forth　its　blossoms　in　spring　for　very　joy　that　thecold　season　had　gone。　In　autumn　it　produced　two　apples；　one　forMolly　and　one　for　Anthony；　it　could　not　well　do　less。　The　tree　afterthis　grew　very　rapidly；　and　Molly　grew　with　the　tree。　She　was　as　freshas　an　apple…blossom；　but　Anthony　was　not　to　behold　this　flower　forlong。　All　things　change；　Molly's　father　left　his　old　home；　and　Mollywent　with　him　far　away。　In　our　time；　it　would　be　only　a　journey　of　afew　hours；　but　then　it　took　more　than　a　day　and　a　night　to　travel　sofar　eastward　from　Eisenbach　to　a　town　still　called　Weimar；　on　theborders　of　Thuringia。　And　Molly　and　Anthony　both　wept；　but　these　tearsall　flowed　together　into　one　tear　which　had　the　rosy　shimmer　of　joy。Molly　had　told　him　that　she　loved　him…　loved　him　more　than　all　thesplendors　of　Weimar。

One；　two；　three　years　went　by；　and　during　the　whole　time　hereceived　only　two　letters。　One　came　by　the　carrier；　and　the　other　atraveller　brought。　The　way　was　very　long　and　difficult；　with　manyturnings　and　windings　through　towns　and　villages。　How　often　hadAnthony　and　Molly　heard　the　story　of　Tristan　and　Isolda；　and　Anthonyhad　thought　the　story　applied　to　him；　although　Tristan　means　born　insorrow；　which　Anthony　certainly　was　not；　nor　was　it　likely　he　wouldever　say　of　Molly　as　Tristan　said　of　Isolda；　〃She　has　forgotten　me。〃But　in　truth；　Isolda　had　not　forgotten　him；　her　faithful　friend；　andwhen　both　were　laid　in　their　graves；　one；　on　each　side　of　thechurch；　the　linden…trees　that　grew　by　each　grave　spread　over　the　roof；and；　bending　towards　each　other；　mingled　their　blossoms　together。Anthony　thought　it　a　very　beautiful　but　mournful　story；　yet　he　neverfeared　anything　so　sad　would　happen　to　him　and　Molly；　as　he　passed　thespot；　whistling　the　air　of　a　song；　posed　by　the　minstrel　Walter；called　the　〃Willow　bird；〃　beginning…

〃Under　the　linden…trees；

　　　Out　on　the　heath。〃

One　stanza　pleased　him　exceedingly…

〃Through　the　forest；　and　in　the　vale；

　Sweetly　warbles　the　nightingale。

This　song　was　often　in　his　mouth；　and　he　sung　or　whistled　it　ona　moonlight　night；　when　he　rode　on　horseback　along　the　deep；　hollowway；　on　his　road　to　Weimar；　to　visit　Molly。　He　wished　to　arriveunexpectedly；　and　so　indeed　he　did。　He　was　received　with　a　heartywele；　and　introduced　to　plenty　of　grand　and　pleasant　pany；　whereoverflowing　winecups　were　passed　about。　A　pretty　room　and　a　good　bedwere　provided　for　him；　and　yet　his　reception　was　not　what　he　hadexpected　and　dreamed　it　would　be。　He　could　not　prehend　his　ownfeelings　nor　the　feelings　of　others；　but　it　is　easily　understood　how　aperson　can　be　admitted　into　a　house　or　a　family　without　being　oneof　them。　We　converse　in　pany　with　those　we　meet；　as　we　conversewith　our　fellow…travellers　in　a　stage…coach；　on　a　journey；　we　knownothing　of　them；　and　perhaps　all　the　while　we　are　inmoding　oneanother；　and　each　is　wishing　himself　or　his　neighbor　away。　Somethingof　this　kind　Anthony　felt　when　Molly　talked　to　him　of　old　times。