安徒生童话-第159章

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HAVE　you　ever　seen　an　old　wooden　cupboard　quite　black　with　age；and　ornamented　with　carved　foliage　and　curious　figures？　Well；　justsuch　a　cupboard　stood　in　a　parlor；　and　had　been　left　to　the　familyas　a　legacy　by　the　great…grandmother。　It　was　covered　from　top　tobottom　with　carved　roses　and　tulips；　the　most　curious　scrolls　weredrawn　upon　it；　and　out　of　them　peeped　little　stags'　heads；　withantlers。　In　the　middle　of　the　cupboard　door　was　the　carved　figure　of　aman　most　ridiculous　to　look　at。　He　grinned　at　you；　for　no　one　couldcall　it　laughing。　He　had　goat's　legs；　little　horns　on　his　head；　anda　long　beard；　the　children　in　the　room　always　called　him；　〃Majorgeneral…field…sergeant…mander　Billy…goat's…legs。〃　It　wascertainly　a　very　difficult　name　to　pronounce；　and　there　are　very　fewwho　ever　receive　such　a　title；　but　then　it　seemed　wonderful　how　hecame　to　be　carved　at　all；　yet　there　he　was；　always　looking　at　thetable　under　the　looking…glass；　where　stood　a　very　pretty　littleshepherdess　made　of　china。　Her　shoes　were　gilt；　and　her　dress　had　ared　rose　or　an　ornament。　She　wore　a　hat；　and　carried　a　crook；　thatwere　both　gilded；　and　looked　very　bright　and　pretty。　Close　by　her　sidestood　a　little　chimney…sweep；　as　black　as　coal；　and　also　made　ofchina。　He　was；　however；　quite　as　clean　and　neat　as　any　other　chinafigure；　he　only　represented　a　black　chimney…sweep；　and　the　chinaworkers　might　just　as　well　have　made　him　a　prince；　had　they　feltinclined　to　do　so。　He　stood　holding　his　ladder　quite　handily；　andhis　face　was　as　fair　and　rosy　as　a　girl's；　indeed；　that　was　rather　amistake；　it　should　have　had　some　black　marks　on　it。　He　and　theshepherdess　had　been　placed　close　together；　side　by　side；　and；　beingso　placed；　they　became　engaged　to　each　other；　for　they　were　verywell　suited；　being　both　made　of　the　same　sort　of　china；　and　beingequally　fragile。　Close　to　them　stood　another　figure；　three　times　aslarge　as　they　were；　and　also　made　of　china。　He　was　an　old　Chinaman；who　could　nod　his　head；　and　used　to　pretend　that　he　was　thegrandfather　of　the　shepherdess；　although　he　could　not　prove　it。　Hehowever　assumed　authority　over　her；　and　therefore　when〃Major…general…field…sergeant…mander　Billy…goat's…legs〃　asked　forthe　little　shepherdess　to　be　his　wife；　he　nodded　his　head　to　show　thathe　consented。　〃You　will　have　a　husband；〃　said　the　old　Chinaman　to　her；〃who　I　really　believe　is　made　of　mahogany。　He　will　make　you　a　ladyof　Major…general…field…sergeant…mander　Billy…goat's…legs。　He　hasthe　whole　cupboard　full　of　silver　plate；　which　he　keeps　locked　up　insecret　drawers。〃

〃I　won't　go　into　the　dark　cupboard；〃　said　the　littleshepherdess。　〃I　have　heard　that　he　has　eleven　china　wives　therealready。〃

〃Then　you　shall　be　the　twelfth；〃　said　the　old　Chinaman。〃To…night　as　soon　as　you　hear　a　rattling　in　the　old　cupboard；　youshall　be　married；　as　true　as　I　am　a　Chinaman；〃　and　then　he　noddedhis　head　and　fell　asleep。

Then　the　little　shepherdess　cried；　and　looked　at　her　sweetheart；the　china　chimney…sweep。　〃I　must　entreat　you；〃　said　she；　〃to　go　outwith　me　into　the　wide　world；　for　we　cannot　stay　here。〃

〃I　will　do　whatever　you　wish；〃　said　the　little　chimney…sweep；　〃letus　go　immediately：　I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　maintain　you　with　myprofession。〃

〃If　we　were　but　safely　down　from　the　table！〃　said　she；　〃I　shallnot　be　happy　till　we　are　really　out　in　the　world。〃

Then　he　forted　her；　and　showed　her　how　to　place　her　little　footon　the　carved　edge　and　gilt…leaf　ornaments　of　the　table。　He　broughthis　little　ladder　to　help　her；　and　so　they　contrived　to　reach　thefloor。　But　when　they　looked　at　the　old　cupboard；　they　saw　it　was　allin　an　uproar。　The　carved　stags　pushed　out　their　heads；　raised　theirantlers；　and　twisted　their　necks。　The　major…general　sprung　up　in　theair；　and　cried　out　to　the　old　Chinaman；　〃They　are　running　away！　theyare　running　away！〃　The　two　were　rather　frightened　at　this；　so　theyjumped　into　the　drawer　of　the　window…seat。　Here　were　three　or　fourpacks　of　cards　not　quite　plete；　and　a　doll's　theatre；　which　hadbeen　built　up　very　neatly。　A　edy　was　being　performed　in　it；　and　allthe　queens　of　diamonds；　clubs；　and　hearts；；　and　spades；　sat　in　thefirst　row　fanning　themselves　with　tulips；　and　behind　them　stood　allthe　knaves；　showing　that　they　had　heads　above　and　below　as　playingcards　generally　have。　The　play　was　about　two　lovers；　who　were　notallowed　to　marry；　and　the　shepherdess　wept　because　it　was　so　likeher　own　story。　〃I　cannot　bear　it；〃　said　she；　〃I　must　get　out　of　thedrawer；〃　but　when　they　reached　the　floor；　and　cast　their　eyes　on　thetable；　there　was　the　old　Chinaman　awake　and　shaking　his　whole　body；till　all　at　once　down　he　came　on　the　floor；　〃plump。〃　〃The　old　Chinamanis　ing；〃　cried　the　little　shepherdess　in　a　fright；　and　down　shefell　on　one　knee。

〃I　have　thought　of　something；〃　said　the　chimney…sweep；　〃let　us　getinto　the　great　pot…pourri　jar　which　stands　in　the　corner；　there　we　canlie　on　rose…leaves　and　lavender；　and　throw　salt　in　his　eyes　if　hees　near　us。〃

〃No；　that　will　never　do；〃　said　she；　〃because　I　know　that　theChinaman　and　the　pot…pourri　jar　were　lovers　once；　and　there　alwaysremains　behind　a　feeling　of　good…will　between　those　who　have　been　sointimate　as　that。　No；　there　is　nothing　left　for　us　but　to　go　outinto　the　wide　world。〃

〃Have　you　really　courage　enough　to　go　out　into　the　wide　world　withme？〃　said　the　chimney…sweep；　〃have　you　thought　how　large　it　is；　andthat　we　can　never　e　back　here　again？〃

〃Yes；　I　have；〃　she　replied。

When　the　chimney…sweep　saw　that　she　was　quite　firm；　he　said；　〃Myway　is　through　the　stove　and　up　the　chimney。　Have　you　courage　to　creepwith　me　through　the　fire…box；　and　the　iron　pipe？　When　we　get　to　thechimney　I　shall　know　how　to　manage　very　well。　We　shall　soon　climbtoo　high　for　any　one　to　reach　us；　and　we　shall　e　through　a　holein　the　top　out　into　the　wide　world。〃　So　he　led　her　to　the　door　ofthe　stove。

〃It　looks　very　dark；〃　said　she；　still　she　went　in　with　him　throughthe　stove　and　through　the　pipe；　where　it　was　as　dark　as　pitch。

〃Now　we　are　in　the　chimney；〃　said　he；　〃and　look；　there　is　abeautiful　star　shining　above　it。〃　It　was　a　real　star　shining　down　uponthem　as　if　it　would　show　them　the　way。　So　they　clambered；　and　crepton；　and　a　frightful　steep　place　it　was；　but　the　chimney…sweep　helpedher　and　supported　her；　till　they　got　higher　and　higher。　He　showedher　the　best　places　on　which　to　set　her　little　china　foot；　so　atlast　they　reached　the　top　of　the　chimney；　and　sat　themselves　down；　forthey　were　very　tired；　as　may　be　supposed。　The　sky；　with　all　its　stars；was　over　their　heads；　and　below　were　the　roofs　of　the　town。　They　couldsee　for　a　very　long　distance　out　into　the　wide　world；　and　the　poorlittle　shepherdess　leaned　her　head　on　her　chimney…sweep's　shoulder；and　wept　till　she　washed　the　gilt　off　her　sash；　the　world　was　sodifferent　to　what　she　expected。　〃This　is　too　much；〃　she　said；　〃Icannot　bear　it；　the　world　is　too　large。　Oh；　I　wish　I　were　safe　back　onthe　table。　again；　under　the　looking　glass；　I　shall　never　be　happy　tillI　am　safe　back　again。　Now　I　have　followed　you　out　into　the　wide　world；you　will　take　me　back；　if　you　love　me。〃

Then　the　chimney…sweep　tried　to　reason　with　her；　and　spoke　ofthe　old　Chinaman；　and　of　the　Major…general…field…sergeant…manderBilly…goat's　legs；　but　she　sobbed　so　bitterly；　and　kissed　her　littlechimney…sweep　till　he　was　obliged　to　do　all　she　asked；　foolish　as　itwas。　And　so；　with　a　great　deal　of　trouble；　they　climbed　down　thechimney；　and　then　crept　through　the　pipe　and　stove；　which　werecertainly　not　very　pleasant　places。　Then　they　stood　in　the　darkfire…box；　and　listened　behind　the　door；　to　hear　what　was　going　on　inthe　room。　As　it　was　all　quiet；　they　peeped　out。　Alas！　there　lay　theold　Chinaman　on　the　floor；　he　had　fallen　down　from　the　table　as　heattempted　to　run　after　them；　and　was　broken　into　three　pieces；　hisback　had　separated　entirely；　and　his　head　had　rolled　into　a　cornerof　the　room。　The　major…general　stood　in　his　old　place；　and　appearedlost　in　thought。

〃This　is　terrible；〃　said　the　little　shepherdess。　〃My　poor　oldgrandfather　is　broken　to　pieces；　and　it　is　our　fault。　I　shall　neverlive　after　this；〃　and　she　wrung　her　little　hands。

〃He　can　be　riveted；〃　said　the　chimney…sweep；　〃he　can　be　riveted。Do　not　be　so　hasty。　If　they　cement　his　back；　and　put　a　good　rivet　init；　he　will　be　as　good　as　new；　and　be　able　to　say　as　many　disagreeablethings　to　us　as　ever。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　she；　and　then　they　climbed　up　to　thetable；　and　stood　in　their　old　places。

〃As　we　have　done　no　good；〃　said　the　chimney…sweep；　〃we　might　aswell　have　remained　here；　instead　of　taking　so　much　trouble。〃

〃I　wish　grandfather　was　riveted；〃　said　the　shepherdess。　〃Will　itcost　much；　I　wonder？〃

And　she　had　her　wish。　The　family　had　the　Chinaman's　back　mended；and　a　strong　rivet　put　through　his　neck；　he　looked　as　good　as　new；　buthe　could　no　longer　nod　his　head。

〃You　have　bee　proud　since　your　fall　broke　you　to　pieces；〃said　Major…general…field…sergeant…mander　Billy…goat's…legs。　〃Youhave　no　reason　to　give　yourself　such　airs。　Am　I　to　have　her　or　not？〃

The　chimney…sweep　and　the　little　shepherdess　looked　piteously　atthe　old　Chinaman；　for　they　were　afraid　he　might　nod；　but　he　was　notable：　besides；　it　was　so　tiresome　to　be　always　telling　strangers　hehad　a　rivet　in　the　back