安徒生童话-第148章

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inthe　possession　of　the　General；　in　which　the　hands　were　especiallyadmired。　They　were　just　like　the　hands　of　the　General's　lady。

Emily　was　Psyche。　In　white　crape　and　lace　she　was　like　afloating　swan。　She　did　not　want　wings　at　all。　She　only　wore　them　asemblematic　of　Psyche。

Brightness；　splendor；　light　and　flowers；　wealth　and　taste　appearedat　the　ball；　there　was　so　much　to　see；　that　the　beautiful　hands　ofMadame　Rubens　made　no　sensation　at　all。

A　black　domino；　with　an　acacia　blossom　in　his　cap；　danced　withPsyche。

〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　the　General's　lady。

〃His　Royal　Highness；〃　replied　the　General。　〃I　am　quite　sure　of　it。I　knew　him　directly　by　the　pressure　of　his　hand。〃

The　General's　lady　doubted　it。

General　Rubens　had　no　doubts　about　it。　He　went　up　to　the　blackdomino　and　wrote　the　royal　letters　in　the　mask's　hand。　These　weredenied；　but　the　mask　gave　him　a　hint。

The　words　that　came　with　the　saddle：　〃One　whom　you　do　not　know；General。〃

〃But　I　do　know　you；〃　said　the　General。　〃It　was　you　who　sent　me　thesaddle。〃

The　domino　raised　his　hand；　and　disappeared　among　the　otherguests。

〃Who　is　that　black　domino　with　whom　you　were　dancing；　Emily？〃asked　the　General's　lady。

〃I　did　not　ask　his　name；〃　she　replied；　〃because　you　knew　it。　It　isthe　Professor。　Your　protege　is　here；　Count！〃　she　continued；　turning　tothat　nobleman；　who　stood　close　by。　〃A　black　domino　with　acaciablossoms　in　his　cap。〃

〃Very　likely；　my　dear　lady；〃　replied　the　Count。　〃But　one　of　thePrinces　wears　just　the　same　costume。〃

〃I　knew　the　pressure　of　the　hand；〃　said　the　General。　〃The　saddlecame　from　the　Prince。　I　am　so　certain　of　it　that　I　could　invite　thatdomino　to　dinner。〃

〃Do　so。　If　it　be　the　Prince　he　will　certainly　e；〃　replied　theCount。

〃And　if　it　is　the　other　he　will　not　e；〃　said　the　General；　andapproached　the　black　domino；　who　was　just　speaking　with　the　King。The　General　gave　a　very　respectful　invitation　〃that　they　might　makeeach　other's　acquaintance；〃　and　he　smiled　in　his　certaintyconcerning　the　person　he　was　inviting。　He　spoke　loud　and　distinctly。

The　domino　raised　his　mask；　and　it　was　George。　〃Do　you　repeat　yourinvitation；　General？〃　he　asked。

The　General　certainly　seemed　to　grow　an　inch　taller；　assumed　amore　stately　demeanor；　and　took　two　steps　backward　and　one　stepforward；　as　if　he　were　dancing　a　minuet；　and　then　came　as　much　gravityand　expression　into　the　face　of　the　General　as　the　General　couldcontrive　to　infuse　into　it；　but　he　replied；

〃I　never　retract　my　words！　You　are　invited；　Professor！〃　and　hebowed　with　a　glance　at　the　King；　who　must　have　heard　the　wholedialogue。

Now；　there　was　a　pany　to　dinner　at　the　General's；　but　onlythe　old　Count　and　his　protege　were　invited。

〃I　have　my　foot　under　his　table；〃　thought　George。　〃That's　layingthe　foundation　stone。〃

And　the　foundation　stone　was　really　laid；　with　great　ceremony；at　the　house　of　the　General　and　of　the　General's　lady。

The　man　had　e；　and　had　spoken　quite　like　a　person　in　goodsociety；　and　had　made　himself　very　agreeable；　so　that　the　Generalhad　often　to　repeat　his　〃Charming！〃　The　General　talked　of　this　dinner；talked　of　it　even　to　a　court　lady；　and　this　lady；　one　of　the　mostintellectual　persons　about　the　court；　asked　to　be　invited　to　meetthe　Professor　the　next　time　he　should　e。　So　he　had　to　be　invitedagain；　and　he　was　invited；　and　came；　and　was　charming　again；　hecould　even　play　chess。

〃He's　not　out　of　the　cellar；〃　said　the　General；　〃he's　quite　adistinguished　person。　There　are　many　distinguished　persons　of　thatkind；　and　it's　no　fault　of　his。〃

The　Professor；　who　was　received　in　the　King's　palace；　might　verywell　be　received　by　the　General；　but　that　he　could　ever　belong　tothe　house　was　out　of　the　question；　only　the　whole　town　was　talkingof　it。

He　grew　and　grew。　The　dew　of　favor　fell　from　above；　so　no　onewas　surprised　after　all　that　he　should　bee　a　Privy　Councillor；and　Emily　a　Privy　Councillor's　lady。

〃Life　is　either　a　tragedy　or　a　edy；〃　said　the　General。　〃Intragedies　they　die；　in　edies　they　marry　one　another。〃

In　this　case　they　married。　And　they　had　three　clever　boys…　but　notall　at　once。

The　sweet　children　rode　on　their　hobby…horses　through　all　therooms　when　they　came　to　see　the　grandparents。　And　the　General　alsorode　on　his　stick；　he　rode　behind　them　in　the　character　of　groom　tothe　little　Privy　Councillors。

And　the　General's　lady　sat　on　her　sofa　and　smiled　at　them；　evenwhen　she　had　her　severest　headache。

So　far　did　George　get；　and　much　further；　else　it　had　not　beenworth　while　to　tell　the　story　of　THE　PORTER'S　SON。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　PORTUGUESE　DUCK

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

A　DUCK　once　arrived　from　Portugal；　but　there　were　some　who　saidshe　came　from　Spain；　which　is　almost　the　same　thing。　At　all　events；she　was　called　the　〃Portuguese；〃　and　she　laid　eggs；　was　killed；　andcooked；　and　there　was　an　end　of　her。　But　the　ducklings　which　creptforth　from　the　eggs　were　also　called　〃Portuguese；〃　and　about　thatthere　may　be　some　question。　But　of　all　the　family　one　only　remained　inthe　duckyard；　which　may　be　called　a　farmyard；　as　the　chickens　wereadmitted；　and　the　cock　strutted　about　in　a　very　hostile　manner。　〃Heannoys　me　with　his　loud　crowing；〃　said　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃but；still；　he's　a　handsome　bird；　there's　no　denying　that；　although　he'snot　a　drake。　He　ought　to　moderate　his　voice；　like　those　little　birdswho　are　singing　in　the　lime…trees　over　there　in　our　neighbor's　garden；but　that　is　an　art　only　acquired　in　polite　society。　How　sweetly　theysing　there；　it　is　quite　a　pleasure　to　listen　to　them！　I　call　itPortuguese　singing。　If　I　had　only　such　a　little　singing…bird；　I'd　bekind　and　good　as　a　mother　to　him；　for　it's　in　my　nature；　in　myPortuguese　blood。〃

While　she　was　speaking；　one　of　the　little　singing…birds　cametumbling　head　over　heels　from　the　roof　into　the　yard。　The　cat　wasafter　him；　but　he　had　escaped　from　her　with　a　broken　wing；　and　so　cametumbling　into　the　yard。　〃That's　just　like　the　cat；　she's　a　villain；〃said　the　Portuguese　duck。　〃I　remember　her　ways　when　I　had　childrenof　my　own。　How　can　such　a　creature　be　allowed　to　live；　and　wanderabout　upon　the　roofs。　I　don't　think　they　allow　such　things　inPortugal。〃　She　pitied　the　little　singing…bird；　and　so　did　all　theother　ducks　who　were　not　Portuguese。

〃Poor　little　creature！〃　they　said；　one　after　another；　as　they　cameup。　〃We　can't　sing；　certainly；　but　we　have　a　sounding…board；　orsomething　of　the　kind；　within　us；　we　can　feel　that；　though　we　don'ttalk　about　it。〃

〃But　I　can　talk；〃　said　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃and　I'll　do　somethingfor　the　little　fellow；　it's　my　duty；〃　and　she　stepped　into　thewater…trough；　and　beat　her　wings　upon　the　water　so　strongly　that　thebird　was　nearly　drowned　by　a　shower…bath；　but　the　duck　meant　itkindly。　〃That　is　a　good　deed；〃　she　said；　〃I　hope　the　others　willtake　example　by　it。〃

〃Tweet；　tweet！〃　said　the　little　bird；　for　one　of　his　wings　beingbroken；　he　found　it　difficult　to　shake　himself；　but　he　quiteunderstood　that　the　bath　was　meant　kindly；　and　he　said；　〃You　arevery　kind…hearted；　madam；〃　but　he　did　not　wish　for　a　second　bath。

〃I　have　never　thought　about　my　heart；〃　replied　the　Portugueseduck；　〃but　I　know　that　I　love　all　my　fellow…creatures；　except　the　cat；and　nobody　can　expect　me　to　love　her；　for　she　ate　up　two　of　myducklings。　But　pray　make　yourself　at　home；　it　is　easy　to　make　one'sself　fortable。　I　am　myself　from　a　foreign　country；　as　you　may　seeby　my　feathery　dress。　My　drake　is　a　native　of　these　parts；　he's　not　ofmy　race；　but　I　am　not　proud　on　that　account。　If　any　one　here　canunderstand　you；　I　may　say　positively　I　am　that　person。〃

〃She's　quite　full　of　'Portulak；'〃　said　a　little　mon　duck；　whowas　witty。　All　the　mon　ducks　considered　the　word　〃Portulak〃　agood　joke；　for　it　sounded　like　Portugal。　They　nudged　each　other；　andsaid；　〃Quack！　that　was　witty！〃

Then　the　other　ducks　began　to　notice　the　little　bird。　〃ThePortuguese　had　certainly　a　great　flow　of　language；〃　they　said　to　thelittle　bird。　〃For　our　part　we　don't　care　to　fill　our　beaks　with　suchlong　words；　but　we　sympathize　with　you　quite　as　much。　If　we　don't　doanything　else；　we　can　walk　about　with　you　everywhere；　and　we　thinkthat　is　the　best　thing　we　can　do。〃

〃You　have　a　lovely　voice；〃　said　one　of　the　eldest　ducks；　〃itmust　be　great　satisfaction　to　you　to　be　able　to　give　so　muchpleasure　as　you　do。　I　am　certainly　no　judge　of　your　singing　so　Ikeep　my　beak　shut；　which　is　better　than　talking　nonsense；　as　othersdo。〃

〃Don't　plague　him　so；　interposed　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃he　requiresrest　and　nursing。　My　little　singing…bird　do　you　wish　me　to　prepareanother　bath　for　you？〃

〃Oh；　no！　no！　pray　let　me　dry；〃　implored　the　little　bird。

〃The　water…cure　is　the　only　remedy　for　me；　when　I　am　not　well；〃said　the　Portuguese。　〃Amusement；　too；　is　very　beneficial。　The　fowlsfrom　the　neighborhood　will　soon　be　here　to　pay　you　a　visit。　Thereare　two　Cochin　Chinese　amongst　them；　they　wear　feathers　on　their　legs；and　are　well　educated。　They　have　been　brought　from　a　great　distance；and　consequently　I　treat　them　with　greater　respect　than　I　do　theothers。〃

Then　the　fowls　arrived；　and　the　cock　was　polite　enough　to…day　tokeep　from　being　rude。　〃You　are　a　real　songster；〃　he　said；　〃you　do　asmuch　with　your　l