安徒生童话-第145章

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Highnessprisoner；　I　could　never　have　done　it！〃　And　the　Prince　had　replied；〃You　are　inparable。〃　In　a　real　war　the　General　had　never　takenpart。　When　war　came　into　the　country；　he　had　gone　on　a　diplomaticcareer　to　foreign　courts。　He　spoke　the　French　language　so　fluentlythat　he　had　almost　forgotten　his　own；　he　could　dance　well；　he　couldride　well；　and　orders　grew　on　his　coat　in　an　astounding　way。　Thesentries　presented　arms　to　him；　one　of　the　most　beautiful　girlspresented　arms　to　him；　and　became　the　General's　lady；　and　in　time　theyhad　a　pretty；　charming　child；　that　seemed　as　if　it　had　dropped　fromheaven；　it　was　so　pretty；　and　the　porter's　son　danced　before　it　in　thecourtyard；　as　soon　as　it　could　understand　it；　and　gave　her　all　hiscolored　pictures；　and　little　Emily　looked　at　them；　and　was　pleased；and　tore　them　to　pieces。　She　was　pretty　and　delicate　indeed。

〃My　little　Roseleaf！〃　cried　the　General's　lady；　〃thou　art　bornto　wed　a　prince。〃

The　prince　was　already　at　the　door；　but　they　knew　nothing　of　it；people　don't　see　far　beyond　the　threshold。

〃The　day　before　yesterday　our　boy　divided　his　bread　and　butterwith　her！〃　said　the　porter's　wife。　〃There　was　neither　cheese　normeat　upon　it；　but　she　liked　it　as　well　as　if　it　had　been　roast　beef。There　would　have　been　a　fine　noise　if　the　General　and　his　wife　hadseen　the　feast；　but　they　did　not　see　it。

George　had　divided　his　bread　and　butter　with　little　Emily；　andhe　would　have　divided　his　heart　with　her；　if　it　would　have　pleasedher。　He　was　a　good　boy；　brisk　and　clever；　and　he　went　to　the　nightschool　in　the　Academy　now；　to　learn　to　draw　properly。　Little　Emily　wasgetting　on　with　her　education　too；　for　she　spoke　French　with　her〃bonne；〃　and　had　a　dancing　master。

〃George　will　be　confirmed　at　Easter；〃　said　the　porter's　wife；for　George　had　got　so　far　as　this。

〃It　would　be　the　best　thing；　now；　to　make　an　apprentice　of　him；〃said　his　father。　〃It　must　be　to　some　good　calling…　and　then　he　wouldbe　out　of　the　house。〃

〃He　would　have　to　sleep　out　of　the　house；〃　said　George's　mother。〃It　is　not　easy　to　find　a　master　who　has　room　for　him　at　night；　and　weshall　have　to　provide　him　with　clothes　too。　The　little　bit　of　eatingthat　he　wants　can　be　managed　for　him；　for　he's　quite　happy　with　afew　boiled　potatoes；　and　he　gets　taught　for　nothing。　Let　the　boy　gohis　own　way。　You　will　say　that　he　will　be　our　joy　some　day；　and　theProfessor　says　so　too。〃

The　confirmation　suit　was　ready。　The　mother　had　worked　it　herself；but　the　tailor　who　did　repairs　had　cut　them　out；　and　a　capitalcutter…out　he　was。

〃If　he　had　had　a　better　position；　and　been　able　to　keep　a　workshopand　journeymen；〃　the　porter's　wife　said；　〃he　might　have　been　a　courttailor。〃

The　clothes　were　ready；　and　the　candidate　for　confirmation　wasready。　On　his　confirmation　day；　George　received　a　great　pinchbeckwatch　from　his　godfather；　the　old　iron　monger's　shopman；　the　richestof　his　godfathers。　The　watch　was　an　old　and　tried　servant。　It　alwayswent　too　fast；　but　that　is　better　than　to　be　lagging　behind。　Thatwas　a　costly　present。　And　from　the　General's　apartment　there　arrived　ahymn…book　bound　in　morocco；　sent　by　the　little　lady　to　whom　George　hadgiven　pictures。　At　the　beginning　of　the　book　his　name　was　written；　andher　name；　as　〃his　gracious　patroness。〃　These　words　had　been　written　atthe　dictation　of　the　General's　lady；　and　the　General　had　read　theinscription；　and　pronounced　it　〃Charming！〃

〃That　is　really　a　great　attention　from　a　family　of　such　position；〃said　the　porter's　wife；　and　George　was　sent　up　stairs　to　showhimself　in　his　confirmation　clothes；　with　the　hymn…book　in　his　hand。

The　General's　lady　was　sitting　very　much　wrapped　up；　and　had　thebad　headache　she　always　had　when　time　hung　heavy　upon　her　hands。　Shelooked　at　George　very　pleasantly；　and　wished　him　all　prosperity；　andthat　he　might　never　have　her　headache。　The　General　was　walking　aboutin　his　dressing…gown。　He　had　a　cap　with　a　long　tassel　on　his　head；　andRussian　boots　with　red　tops　on　his　feet。　He　walked　three　times　upand　down　the　room；　absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts　and　recollections；　andthen　stopped　and　said：

〃So　little　George　is　a　confirmed　Christian　now。　Be　a　good　man；　andhonor　those　in　authority　over　you。　Some　day；　when　you　are　an　oldman；　you　can　say　that　the　General　gave　you　this　precept。〃

That　was　a　longer　speech　than　the　General　was　accustomed　tomake；　and　then　he　went　back　to　his　ruminations；　and　looked　veryaristocratic。　But　of　all　that　George　heard　and　saw　up　there；　littleMiss　Emily　remained　most　clear　in　his　thoughts。　How　graceful　shewas；　how　gentle；　and　fluttering；　and　pretty　she　looked。　If　she　were　tobe　drawn；　it　ought　to　be　on　a　soap…bubble。　About　her　dress；　abouther　yellow　curled　hair；　there　was　a　fragrance　as　of　a　fresh…blownrose；　and　to　think　that　he　had　once　divided　his　bread　and　butterwith　her；　and　that　she　had　eaten　it　with　enormous　appetite；　and　noddedto　him　at　every　second　mouthful！　Did　she　remember　anything　about　it？Yes；　certainly；　for　she　had　given　him　the　beautiful　hymn…book　inremembrance　of　this；　and　when　the　first　new　moon　in　the　first　new　yearafter　this　event　came　round；　he　took　a　piece　of　bread；　a　penny；　andhis　hymn…book；　and　went　out　into　the　open　air；　and　opened　the　bookto　see　what　psalm　he　should　turn　up。　It　was　a　psalm　of　praise　andthanksgiving。　Then　he　opened　the　book　again　to　see　what　would　turnup　for　little　Emily。　He　took　great　pains　not　to　open　the　book　in　theplace　where　the　funeral　hymns　were；　and　yet　he　got　one　that　referredto　the　grave　and　death。　But　then　he　thought　this　was　not　a　thing　inwhich　one　must　believe；　for　all　that　he　was　startled　when　soonafterwards　the　pretty　little　girl　had　to　lie　in　bed；　and　thedoctor's　carriage　stopped　at　the　gate　every　day。

〃They　will　not　keep　her　with　them；〃　said　the　porter's　wife。　〃Thegood　God　knows　whom　He　will　summon　to　Himself。〃

But　they　kept　her　after　all；　and　George　drew　pictures　and　sentthem　to　her。　He　drew　the　Czar's　palace；　the　old　Kremlin　at　Moscow；just　as　it　stood；　with　towers　and　cupolas；　and　these　cupolas　lookedlike　gigantic　green　and　gold　cucumbers；　at　least　in　George'sdrawing。　Little　Emily　was　highly　pleased；　and　consequently；　when　aweek　had　elapsed；　George　sent　her　a　few　more　pictures；　all　withbuildings　in　them；　for；　you　see；　she　could　imagine　all　sorts　of　thingsinside　the　windows　and　doors。

He　drew　a　Chinese　house；　with　bells　hanging　from　every　one　ofsixteen　stories。　He　drew　two　Grecian　temples　with　slender　marblepillars；　and　with　steps　all　round　them。　He　drew　a　Norwegian　church。　Itwas　easy　to　see　that　this　church　had　been　built　entirely　of　wood；　hewnout　and　wonderfully　put　together；　every　story　looked　as　if　it　hadrockers；　like　a　cradle。　But　the　most　beautiful　of　all　was　thecastle；　drawn　on　one　of　the　leaves；　and　which　he　called　〃Emily'sCastle。〃　This　was　the　kind　of　place　in　which　she　must　live。　That　iswhat　George　had　thought；　and　consequently　he　had　put　into　thisbuilding　whatever　he　thought　most　beautiful　in　all　the　others。　Ithad　carved　wood…work；　like　the　Norwegian　church；　marble　pillars；like　the　Grecian　temple；　bells　in　every　story；　and　was　crowned　withcupolas；　green　and　gilded；　like　those　of　the　Kremlin　of　the　Czar。　Itwas　a　real　child's　castle；　and　under　every　window　was　written　what　thehall　or　the　room　inside　was　intended　to　be；　for　instance：　〃HereEmily　sleeps；〃　〃Here　Emily　dances；〃　〃Here　Emily　plays　at　receivingvisitors。〃　It　was　a　real　pleasure　to　look　at　the　castle；　and　rightwell　was　the　castle　looked　at　accordingly。

〃Charming！〃　said　the　General。

But　the　old　Count…　for　there　was　an　old　Count　there；　who　was　stillgrander　than　the　General；　and　had　a　castle　of　his　own…　said　nothing　atall；　he　heard　that　it　had　been　designed　and　drawn　by　the　porter'slittle　son。　Not　that　he　was　so　very　little；　either；　for　he　had　alreadybeen　confirmed。　The　old　Count　looked　at　the　pictures；　and　had　hisown　thoughts　as　he　did　so。

One　day；　when　it　was　very　gloomy；　gray；　wet　weather；　the　brightestof　days　dawned　for　George；　for　the　Professor　at　the　Academy　called　himinto　his　room。

〃Listen　to　me；　my　friend；〃　said　the　Professor；　〃I　want　to　speak　toyou。　The　Lord　has　been　good　to　you　in　giving　you　abilities；　and　He　hasalso　been　good　in　placing　you　among　kind　people。　The　old　Count　atthe　corner　yonder　has　been　speaking　to　me　about　you。　I　have　alsoseen　your　sketches；　but　we　will　not　say　any　more　about　those；　forthere　is　a　good　deal　to　correct　in　them。　But　from　this　time　forwardyou　may　e　twice　a…week　to　my　drawing…class；　and　then　you　willsoon　learn　how　to　do　them　better。　I　think　there's　more　of　thearchitect　than　of　the　painter　in　you。　You　will　have　time　to　think　thatover；　but　go　across　to　the　old　Count　this　very　day；　and　thank　Godfor　having　sent　you　such　a　friend。〃

It　was　a　great　house…　the　house　of　the　old　Count　at　the　corner。Round　the　windows　elephants　and　dromedaries　were　carved；　all　fromthe　old　times；　but　the　old　Count　loved　the　new　time　best；　and　whatit　brought；　whether　it　came　from　the　first　floor；　or　from　thecellar；　or　from　the　attic。

〃I　think；〃　said；　the　porter's　wife；　〃the　grander　people　are；　thefewer　airs　do　they　give　themselves。　How　kind　and　straightforward　theold　count　is！　and　he　talks　exactly　like　you　and　me。　Now；　the　Generaland　his　lady　can't　do　that。　And　George　was　fairly　wild　with　delightyesterday　a