安徒生童话-第162章

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〃You　must　not　speak　to　me；〃　said　the　garter；　〃I　do　not　think　Ihave　given　you　any　encouragement　to　do　so。〃

〃Oh；　when　any　one　is　as　beautiful　as　you　are；〃　said　theshirt…collar；　〃is　not　that　encouragement　enough？〃

〃Get　away；　don't　e　so　near　me；〃　said　the　garter；　〃you　appear　tome　quite　like　a　man。〃

〃I　am　a　fine　gentleman　certainly；〃　said　the　shirt…collar；　〃Ipossess　a　boot…jack　and　a　hair…brush。〃　This　was　not　true；　for　thesethings　belonged　to　his　master；　but　he　was　a　boaster。

〃Don't　e　so　near　me；〃　said　the　garter；　〃I　am　not　accustomedto　it。〃

〃Affectation！〃　said　the　shirt…collar。

Then　they　were　taken　out　of　the　wash…tub；　starched；　and　hungover　a　chair　in　the　sunshine；　and　then　laid　on　the　ironing…board。And　now　came　the　glowing　iron。　〃Mistress　widow；〃　said　theshirt…collar；　〃little　mistress　widow；　I　feel　quite　warm。　I　amchanging；　I　am　losing　all　my　creases。　You　are　burning　a　hole　in　me。Ugh！　I　propose　to　you。〃

〃You　old　rag；〃　said　the　flat…iron；　driving　proudly　over　thecollar；　for　she　fancied　herself　a　steam…engine；　which　rolls　over　therailway　and　draws　carriages。　〃You　old　rag！〃　said　she。

The　edges　of　the　shirt…collar　were　a　little　frayed；　so　thescissors　were　brought　to　cut　them　smooth。　〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　theshirt…collar；　〃what　a　first…rate　dancer　you　would　make；　you　canstretch　out　your　leg　so　well。　I　never　saw　anything　so　charming；　I　amsure　no　human　being　could　do　the　same。〃

〃I　should　think　not；〃　replied　the　scissors。

〃You　ought　to　be　a　countess；〃　said　the　shirt　collar；　〃but　all　Ipossess　consists　of　a　fine　gentleman；　a　boot…jack；　and　a　b。　Iwish　I　had　an　estate　for　your　sake。〃

〃What！　is　he　going　to　propose　to　me？〃　said　the　scissors；　and　shebecame　so　angry　that　she　cut　too　sharply　into　the　shirt　collar；　and　itwas　obliged　to　be　thrown　by　as　useless。

〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　propose　to　the　hair…brush；〃　thought　theshirt　collar；　so　he　remarked　one　day；　〃It　is　wonderful　whatbeautiful　hair　you　have；　my　little　lady。　Have　you　never　thought　ofbeing　engaged？〃

〃You　might　know　I　should　think　of　it；〃　answered　the　hair　brush；　〃Iam　engaged　to　the　boot…jack。〃

〃Engaged！〃　cried　the　shirt　collar；　〃now　there　is　no　one　left　topropose　to；〃　and　then　he　pretended　to　despise　all　love…making。

A　long　time　passed；　and　the　shirt　collar　was　taken　in　a　bag　to　thepaper…mill。　Here　was　a　large　pany　of　rags；　the　fine　ones　lying　bythemselves；　separated　from　the　coarser；　as　it　ought　to　be。　They　hadall　many　things　to　relate；　especially　the　shirt　collar；　who　was　aterrible　boaster。　〃I　have　had　an　immense　number　of　love　affairs；〃　saidthe　shirt　collar；　〃no　one　left　me　any　peace。　It　is　true　I　was　a　veryfine　gentleman；　quite　stuck　up。　I　had　a　boot…jack　and　a　brush　that　Inever　used。　You　should　have　seen　me　then；　when　I　was　turned　down。　Ishall　never　forget　my　first　love；　she　was　a　girdle；　so　charming；　andfine；　and　soft；　and　she　threw　herself　into　a　washing　tub　for　mysake。　There　was　a　widow　too；　who　was　warmly　in　love　with　me；　but　Ileft　her　alone；　and　she　became　quite　black。　The　next　was　afirst…rate　dancer；　she　gave　me　the　wound　from　which　I　still　suffer；she　was　so　passionate。　Even　my　own　hair…brush　was　in　love　with　me；　andlost　all　her　hair　through　neglected　love。　Yes；　I　have　had　greatexperience　of　this　kind；　but　my　greatest　grief　was　for　the　garter…　thegirdle　I　meant　to　say…　that　jumped　into　the　wash…tub。　I　have　a　greatdeal　on　my　conscience；　and　it　is　really　time　I　should　be　turned　intowhite　paper。〃

And　the　shirt　collar　came　to　this　at　last。　All　the　rags　weremade　into　white　paper；　and　the　shirt　collar　became　the　veryidentical　piece　of　paper　which　we　now　see；　and　on　which　this　storyis　printed。　It　happened　as　a　punishment　to　him；　for　having　boastedso　shockingly　of　things　which　were　not　true。　And　this　is　a　warningto　us；　to　be　careful　how　we　act；　for　we　may　some　day　find　ourselves　inthe　rag…bag；　to　be　turned　into　white　paper；　on　which　our　whole　historymay　be　written；　even　its　most　secret　actions。　And　it　would　not　bepleasant　to　have　to　run　about　the　world　in　the　form　of　a　piece　ofpaper；　telling　everything　we　have　done；　like　the　boasting　shirtcollar。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　SILVER　SHILLING

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　once　a　shilling；　which　came　forth　from　the　mintspringing　and　shouting；　〃Hurrah！　now　I　am　going　out　into　the　wideworld。〃　And　truly　it　did　go　out　into　the　wide　world。　The　children　heldit　with　warm　hands；　the　miser　with　a　cold　and　convulsive　grasp；　andthe　old　people　turned　it　about；　goodness　knows　how　many　times；　whilethe　young　people　soon　allowed　it　to　roll　away　from　them。　Theshilling　was　made　of　silver；　it　contained　very　little　copper；　andconsidered　itself　quite　out　in　the　world　when　it　had　been　circulatedfor　a　year　in　the　country　in　which　it　had　been　coined。　One　day；　itreally　did　go　out　into　the　world；　for　it　belonged　to　a　gentleman　whowas　about　to　travel　in　foreign　lands。　This　gentleman　was　not　awarethat　the　shilling　lay　at　the　bottom　of　his　purse　when　he　started；　tillhe　one　day　found　it　between　his　fingers。　〃Why；〃　cried　he；　〃here　is　ashilling　from　home；　well；　it　must　go　on　its　travels　with　me　now！〃and　the　shilling　jumped　and　rattled　for　joy；　when　it　was　put　backagain　into　the　purse。

Here　it　lay　among　a　number　of　foreign　panions；　who　werealways　ing　and　going；　one　taking　the　place　of　another；　but　theshilling　from　home　was　always　put　back；　and　had　to　remain　in　thepurse；　which　was　certainly　a　mark　of　distinction。　Many　weeks　passed；during　which　the　shilling　had　travelled　a　long　distance　in　thepurse；　without　in　the　least　knowing　where　he　was。　He　had　found　outthat　the　other　coins　were　French　and　Italian；　and　one　coin　said　theywere　in　this　town；　and　another　said　they　were　in　that；　but　theshilling　was　unable　to　make　out　or　imagine　what　they　meant。　A　mancertainly　cannot　see　much　of　the　world　if　he　is　tied　up　in　a　bag；and　this　was　really　the　shilling's　fate。　But　one　day；　as　he　waslying　in　the　purse；　he　noticed　that　it　was　not　quite　closed；　and　so　heslipped　near　to　the　opening　to　have　a　little　peep　into　society。　Hecertainly　had　not　the　least　idea　of　what　would　follow；　but　he　wascurious；　and　curiosity　often　brings　its　own　punishment。　In　hiseagerness；　he　came　so　near　the　edge　of　the　purse　that　he　slipped　outinto　the　pocket　of　the　trousers；　and　when；　in　the　evening；　the　pursewas　taken　out；　the　shilling　was　left　behind　in　the　corner　to　whichit　had　fallen。　As　the　clothes　were　being　carried　into　the　hall；　theshilling　fell　out　on　the　floor；　unheard　and　unnoticed　by　any　one。The　next　morning　the　clothes　were　taken　back　to　the　room；　thegentleman　put　them　on；　and　started　on　his　journey　again；　but　theshilling　remained　behind　on　the　floor。　After　a　time　it　was　found；and　being　considered　a　good　coin；　was　placed　with　three　other　coins。〃Ah；〃　thought　the　shilling；　〃this　is　pleasant；　I　shall　now　see　theworld；　bee　acquainted　with　other　people；　and　learn　other　customs。〃

〃Do　you　call　that　a　shilling？〃　said　some　one　the　next　moment。〃That　is　not　a　genuine　coin　of　the　country；…　it　is　false；　it　is　goodfor　nothing。〃

Now　begins　the　story　as　it　was　afterwards　related　by　theshilling　himself。

〃'False！　good　for　nothing！'　said　he。　That　remark　went　throughand　through　me　like　a　dagger。　I　knew　that　I　had　a　true　ring；　andthat　mine　was　a　genuine　stamp。　These　people　must　at　all　events　bewrong；　or　they　could　not　mean　me。　But　yes；　I　was　the　one　they　called'false；　and　good　for　nothing。'

〃'Then　I　must　pay　it　away　in　the　dark；'　said　the　man　who　hadreceived　me。　So　I　was　to　be　got　rid　of　in　the　darkness；　and　be　againinsulted　in　broad　daylight。

〃'False！　good　for　nothing！'　Oh；　I　must　contrive　to　get　lost；thought　I。　And　I　trembled　between　the　fingers　of　the　people　every　timethey　tried　to　pass　me　off　slyly　as　a　coin　of　the　country。　Ah！unhappy　shilling　that　I　was！　Of　what　use　were　my　silver；　my　stamp；　andmy　real　value　here；　where　all　these　qualities　were　worthless。　In　theeyes　of　the　world；　a　man　is　valued　just　according　to　the　opinionformed　of　him。　It　must　be　a　shocking　thing　to　have　a　guiltyconscience；　and　to　be　sneaking　about　on　account　of　wicked　deeds。　Asfor　me；　innocent　as　I　was；　I　could　not　help　shuddering　before　theireyes　whenever　they　brought　me　out；　for　I　knew　I　should　be　thrownback　again　up　the　table　as　a　false　pretender。　At　length　I　was　paidaway　to　a　poor　old　woman；　who　received　me　as　wages　for　a　hard　day'swork。　But　she　could　not　again　get　rid　of　me；　no　one　would　take　me。　Iwas　to　the　woman　a　most　unlucky　shilling。　'I　am　positively　obligedto　pass　this　shilling　to　somebody；'　said　she；　'I　cannot；　with　the　bestintentions；　lay　by　a　bad　shilling。　The　rich　baker　shall　have　it；…　hecan　bear　the　loss　better　than　I　can。　But；　after　all；　it　is　not　a　rightthing　to　do。'

〃'Ah！'　sighed　I　to　myself；　'am　I　also　to　be　a　burden　on　theconscience　of　this　poor　woman？　Am　I　then　in　my　old　days　sopletely　changed？'　The　woman　offered　me　to　the　rich　baker；　but　heknew　the　current　money　too　well；　and　as　soon　as　he　received　me　hethrew　me　almost　in　the　woman's　face。　She　could　get　no　bread　for　me；and　I　felt　quite　grieved　to　the　heart　that　I　should　be　cause　of　somuch　trouble　to　another；　and　be　treated　as　a　cast…off　coin。　I　who；in　my　young　days；　felt　so　joyful　in　the　certainty　of　my　own　value；　andknew　so　well　that　I　bore　a　genuine　stamp。　I　wa