安徒生童话-第135章

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oods　of　a　neighboring　country；　he　had　sunkdown　exhausted　with　fatigue；　with　no　other　worldly　possessions　thanhope　for　the　future；　and　a　written　leaf　from　〃Fiesco。〃　The　windcould　have　told　that　his　only　protector　was　an　artist；　who；　by　readingeach　leaf　to　him；　made　it　plain；　and　that　they　amused　themselves　byplaying　at　nine…pins　together。　The　wind　could　also　describe　the　palefugitive；　who；　for　weeks　and　months；　lay　in　a　wretched　littleroad…side　inn；　where　the　landlord　got　drunk　and　raved；　and　where　themerry…makers　had　it　all　their　own　way。　And　he；　the　pale　fugitive；　sangof　the　ideal。

For　many　heavy　days　and　dark　nights　the　heart　must　suffer　toenable　it　to　endure　trial　and　temptation；　yet；　amidst　it　all；　wouldthe　minstrel　sing。　Dark　days　and　cold　nights　also　passed　over　theold　bell；　and　it　noticed　them　not；　but　the　bell　in　the　man's　heartfelt　it　to　be　a　gloomy　time。　What　would　bee　of　this　young　man；and　what　would　bee　of　the　old　bell？

The　old　bell　was；　after　a　time；　carried　away　to　a　greater　distancethan　any　one；　even　the　warder　in　the　bell　tower；　ever　imagined；　andthe　bell　in　the　breast　of　the　young　man　was　heard　in　countries　wherehis　feet　had　never　wandered。　The　tones　went　forth　over　the　wideocean　to　every　part　of　the　round　world。

We　will　now　follow　the　career　of　the　old　bell。　It　was；　as　wehave　said；　carried　far　away　from　Marbach　and　sold　as　old　copper；then　sent　to　Bavaria　to　be　melted　down　in　a　furnace。　And　then　whathappened？

In　the　royal　city　of　Bavaria；　many　years　after　the　bell　had　beenremoved　from　the　tower　and　melted　down；　some　metal　was　required　fora　monument　in　honor　of　one　of　the　most　celebrated　characters　which　aGerman　people　or　a　German　land　could　produce。　And　now　we　see　howwonderfully　things　are　ordered。　Strange　things　sometimes　happen　inthis　world。

In　Denmark；　in　one　of　those　green　islands　where　the　foliage　of　thebeech…woods　rustles　in　the　wind；　and　where　many　Huns'　graves　may　beseen；　was　another　poor　boy　born。　He　wore　wooden　shoes；　and　when　hisfather　worked　in　a　ship…yard；　the　boy；　wrapped　up　in　an　old　worn…outshawl；　carried　his　dinner　to　him　every　day。　This　poor　child　was　nowthe　pride　of　his　country；　for　the　sculptured　marble；　the　work　of　hishands；　had　astonished　the　world。*　To　him　was　offered　the　honor　offorming　from　the　clay；　a　model　of　the　figure　of　him　whose　name；〃John　Christopher　Frederick；〃　had　been　written　by　his　father　in　theBible。　The　bust　was　cast　in　bronze；　and　part　of　the　metal　used　forthis　purpose　was　the　old　church　bell；　whose　tones　had　died　away　fromthe　memory　of　those　at　home　and　elsewhere。　The　metal；　glowing　withheat；　flowed　into　the　mould；　and　formed　the　head　and　bust　of　thestatue　which　was　unveiled　in　the　square　in　front　of　the　old　castle。The　statue　represented　in　living；　breathing　reality；　the　form　of　himwho　was　born　in　poverty；　the　boy　from　Marbach；　the　pupil　of　themilitary　school；　the　fugitive　who　struggled　against　poverty　andoppression；　from　the　outer　world；　Germany's　great　and　immortal　poet；who　sung　of　Switzerland's　deliverer；　William　Tell；　and　of　theheaven…inspired　Maid　of　Orleans。

*　The　Danish　sculptor　Thorwaldsen。

It　was　a　beautiful　sunny　day；　flags　were　waving　from　tower　androof　in　royal　Stuttgart；　and　the　church　bells　were　ringing　a　joyouspeal。　One　bell　was　silent；　but　it　was　illuminated　by　the　brightsunshine　which　streamed　from　the　head　and　bust　of　the　renowned　figure；of　which　it　formed　a　part。　On　this　day；　just　one　hundred　years　hadpassed　since　the　day　on　which　the　chiming　of　the　old　church　bell　atMarbach　had　filled　the　mother's　heart　with　trust　and　joy…　the　day　onwhich　her　child　was　born　in　poverty；　and　in　a　humble　home；　the　samewho；　in　after…years；　became　rich；　became　the　noble　woman…hearted　poet；a　blessing　to　the　world…　the　glorious；　the　sublime；　the　immortal　bard；John　Christoper　Frederick　Schiller！

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　OLD　GRAVE…STONE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　a　house；　with　a　large　courtyard；　in　a　provincial　town；　atthat　time　of　the　year　in　which　people　say　the　evenings　are　growinglonger；　a　family　circle　were　gathered　together　at　their　old　home。　Alamp　burned　on　the　table；　although　the　weather　was　mild　and　warm；and　the　long　curtains　hung　down　before　the　open　windows；　and　withoutthe　moon　shone　brightly　in　the　dark…blue　sky。

But　they　were　not　talking　of　the　moon；　but　of　a　large；　old　stohat　lay　below　in　the　courtyard　not　very　far　from　the　kitchen　door。The　maids　often　laid　the　clean　copper　saucepans　and　kitchen　vessels　onthis　stone；　that　they　might　dry　in　the　sun；　and　the　children　were　fondof　playing　on　it。　It　was；　in　fact；　an　old　grave…stone。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　of　the　house；　〃I　believe　the　stone　camefrom　the　graveyard　of　the　old　church　of　the　convent　which　was　pulleddown；　and　the　pulpit；　the　monuments；　and　the　grave…stones　sold。　Myfather　bought　the　latter；　most　of　them　were　cut　in　two　and　used　forpaving…stones；　but　that　one　stone　was　preserved　whole；　and　laid　in　thecourtyard。〃

〃Any　one　can　see　that　it　is　a　grave…stone；〃　said　the　eldest　of　thechildren；　〃the　representation　of　an　hour…glass　and　part　of　thefigure　of　an　angel　can　still　be　traced；　but　the　inscription　beneath　isquite　worn　out；　excepting　the　name　'Preben；'　and　a　large　'S'　closeby　it；　and　a　little　farther　down　the　name　of　'Martha'　can　be　easilyread。　But　nothing　more；　and　even　that　cannot　be　seen　unless　it　hasbeen　raining；　or　when　we　have　washed　the　stone。〃

〃Dear　me！　how　singular。　Why　that　must　be　the　grave…stone　of　PrebenSchwane　and　his　wife。〃

The　old　man　who　said　this　looked　old　enough　to　be　thegrandfather　of　all　present　in　the　room。

〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　〃these　people　were　among　the　last　who　wereburied　in　the　churchyard　of　the　old　convent。　They　were　a　very　worthyold　couple；　I　can　remember　them　well　in　the　days　of　my　boyhood。Every　one　knew　them；　and　they　were　esteemed　by　all。　They　were　theoldest　residents　in　the　town；　and　people　said　they　possessed　a　tonof　gold；　yet　they　were　always　very　plainly　dressed；　in　the　coarseststuff；　but　with　linen　of　the　purest　whiteness。　Preben　and　Marthawere　a　fine　old　couple；　and　when　they　both　sat　on　the　bench；　at　thetop　of　the　steep　stone　steps；　in　front　of　their　house；　with　thebranches　of　the　linden…tree　waving　above　them；　and　nodded　in　a　gentle；friendly　way　to　passers　by；　it　really　made　one　feel　quite　happy。They　were　very　good　to　the　poor；　they　fed　them　and　clothed　them；　andin　their　benevolence　there　was　judgment　as　well　as　trueChristianity。　The　old　woman　died　first；　that　day　is　still　quitevividly　before　my　eyes。　I　was　a　little　boy；　and　had　acpanied　myfather　to　the　old　man's　house。　Martha　had　fallen　into　the　sleep　ofdeath　just　as　we　arrived　there。　The　corpse　lay　in　a　bedroom；　near　tothe　one　in　which　we　sat；　and　the　old　man　was　in　great　distress　andweeping　like　a　child。　He　spoke　to　my　father；　and　to　a　few　neighborswho　were　there；　of　how　lonely　he　should　feel　now　she　was　gone；　and　howgood　and　true　she；　his　dead　wife；　had　been　during　the　number　ofyears　that　they　had　passed　through　life　together；　and　how　they　hadbee　acquainted；　and　learnt　to　love　each　other。　I　was；　as　I　havesaid；　a　boy；　and　only　stood　by　and　listened　to　what　the　others　said；but　it　filled　me　with　a　strange　emotion　to　listen　to　the　old　man；and　to　watch　how　the　color　rose　in　his　cheeks　as　he　spoke　of　thedays　of　their　courtship；　of　how　beautiful　she　was；　and　how　many　littletricks　he　had　been　guilty　of；　that　he　might　meet　her。　And　then　hetalked　of　his　wedding…day；　and　his　eyes　brightened；　and　he　seemed　tobe　carried　back；　by　his　words；　to　that　joyful　time。　And　yet　thereshe　was；　lying　in　the　next　room；　dead…　an　old　woman；　and　he　was　an　oldman；　speaking　of　the　days　of　hope；　long　passed　away。　Ah；　well；　so　itis；　then　I　was　but　a　child；　and　now　I　am　old；　as　old　as　Preben　Schwahen　was。　Time　passes　away；　and　all　things　changed。　I　can　rememberquite　well　the　day　on　which　she　was　buried；　and　how　Old　Prebenwalked　close　behind　the　coffin。

〃A　few　years　before　this　time　the　old　couple　had　had　theirgrave…stone　prepared；　with　an　inscription　and　their　names；　but　not　thedate。　In　the　evening　the　stone　was　taken　to　the　churchyard；　and　laidon　the　grave。　A　year　later　it　was　taken　up；　that　Old　Preben　might　belaid　by　the　side　of　his　wife。　They　did　not　leave　behind　them　wealth；they　left　behind　them　far　less　than　people　had　believed　theypossessed；　what　there　was　went　to　families　distantly　related　tothem；　of　whom；　till　then；　no　one　had　ever　heard。　The　old　house；　withits　balcony　of　wickerwork；　and　the　bench　at　the　top　of　the　high　steps；under　the　lime…tree；　was　considered；　by　the　road…inspectors；　too　oldand　rotten　to　be　left　standing。　Afterwards；　when　the　same　fatebefell　the　convent　church；　and　the　graveyard　was　destroyed；　thegrave…stone　of　Preben　and　Martha；　like　everything　else；　was　sold　towhoever　would　buy　it。　And　so　it　happened　that　this　stone　was　not　cutin　two　as　many　others　had　been；　but　now　lies　in　the　courtyard　below；　ascouring　block　for　the　maids；　and　a　playground　for　the　children。　Thepaved　street　now　passes　over　the　resting　place　of　Old　Preben　and　hiswife；　no　one　thinks　of　them　any　more　now。〃

And　the　old　man　who　had　spoken　of　all　this　shook　his　headmournfully；　and　said；　〃Forgotten！　Ah；　yes；　everything　will　beforgotten！〃　And　then　the　conversation　turned