安徒生童话-第169章

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〃Oh；　yes；　but　I　shall　gain　permission　easily；〃　said　Gerda；　〃forwhen　Kay　hears　that　I　am　here；　he　will　e　out　and　fetch　me　inimmediately。〃

〃Wait　for　me　here　by　the　palings；〃　said　the　crow；　wagging　his　headas　he　flew　away。

It　was　late　in　the　evening　before　the　crow　returned。　〃Caw；　caw；〃he　said；　she　sends　you　greeting；　and　here　is　a　little　roll　which　shetook　from　the　kitchen　for　you；　there　is　plenty　of　bread　there；　and　shethinks　you　must　be　hungry。　It　is　not　possible　for　you　to　enter　thepalace　by　the　front　entrance。　The　guards　in　silver　uniform　and　theservants　in　gold　livery　would　not　allow　it。　But　do　not　cry；　we　willmanage　to　get　you　in；　my　sweetheart　knows　a　little　back…staircase　thatleads　to　the　sleeping　apartments；　and　she　knows　where　to　find　thekey。〃

Then　they　went　into　the　garden　through　the　great　avenue；　where　theleaves　were　falling　one　after　another；　and　they　could　see　the　light　inthe　palace　being　put　out　in　the　same　manner。　And　the　crow　led　littleGerda　to　the　back　door；　which　stood　ajar。　Oh！　how　little　Gerda's　heartbeat　with　anxiety　and　longing；　it　was　just　as　if　she　were　going　todo　something　wrong；　and　yet　she　only　wanted　to　know　where　little　Kaywas。　〃It　must　be　he；〃　she　thought；　〃with　those　clear　eyes；　and　thatlong　hair。〃　She　could　fancy　she　saw　him　smiling　at　her；　as　he　usedto　at　home；　when　they　sat　among　the　roses。　He　would　certainly　beglad　to　see　her；　and　to　hear　what　a　long　distance　she　had　e　for　hissake；　and　to　know　how　sorry　they　had　been　at　home　because　he　did　note　back。　Oh　what　joy　and　yet　fear　she　felt！　They　were　now　on　thestairs；　and　in　a　small　closet　at　the　top　a　lamp　was　burning。　In　themiddle　of　the　floor　stood　the　tame　crow；　turning　her　head　from　side　toside；　and　gazing　at　Gerda；　who　curtseyed　as　her　grandmother　had　taughther　to　do。

〃My　betrothed　has　spoken　so　very　highly　of　you；　my　little　lady；〃said　the　tame　crow；　〃your　life…history；　Vita；　as　it　may　be　called；is　very　touching。　If　you　will　take　the　lamp　I　will　walk　before　you。　Wewill　go　straight　along　this　way；　then　we　shall　meet　no　one。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　as　if　somebody　were　behind　us；〃　said　Gerda；　assomething　rushed　by　her　like　a　shadow　on　the　wall；　and　then　horseswith　flying　manes　and　thin　legs；　hunters；　ladies　and　gentlemen　onhorseback；　glided　by　her；　like　shadows　on　the　wall。

〃They　are　only　dreams；〃　said　the　crow；　〃they　are　ing　to　fetchthe　thoughts　of　the　great　people　out　hunting。〃

〃All　the　better；　for　we　shall　be　able　to　look　at　them　in　theirbeds　more　safely。　I　hope　that　when　you　rise　to　honor　and　favor；　youwill　show　a　grateful　heart。〃

〃You　may　be　quite　sure　of　that；〃　said　the　crow　from　the　forest。

They　now　came　into　the　first　hall；　the　walls　of　which　were　hungwith　rose…colored　satin；　embroidered　with　artificial　flowers。　Here　thedreams　again　flitted　by　them　but　so　quickly　that　Gerda　could　notdistinguish　the　royal　persons。　Each　hall　appeared　more　splendid　thanthe　last；　it　was　enought　to　bewilder　any　one。　At　length　they　reached　abedroom。　The　ceiling　was　like　a　great　palm…tree；　with　glass　leavesof　the　most　costly　crystal；　and　over　the　centre　of　the　floor　two　beds；each　resembling　a　lily；　hung　from　a　stem　of　gold。　One；　in　which　theprincess　lay；　was　white；　the　other　was　red；　and　in　this　Gerda　had　toseek　for　little　Kay。　She　pushed　one　of　the　red　leaves　aside；　and　saw　alittle　brown　neck。　Oh；　that　must　be　Kay！　She　called　his　name　out　quiteloud；　and　held　the　lamp　over　him。　The　dreams　rushed　back　into　the　roomon　horseback。　He　woke；　and　turned　his　head　round；　it　was　not　littleKay！　The　prince　was　only　like　him　in　the　neck；　still　he　was　youngand　pretty。　Then　the　princess　peeped　out　of　her　white…lily　bed；　andasked　what　was　the　matter。　Then　little　Gerda　wept　and　told　herstory；　and　all　that　the　crows　had　done　to　help　her。

〃You　poor　child；〃　said　the　prince　and　princess；　then　theypraised　the　crows；　and　said　they　were　not　angry　for　what　they　haddone；　but　that　it　must　not　happen　again；　and　this　time　they　shouldbe　rewarded。

〃Would　you　like　to　have　your　freedom？〃　asked　the　princess；　〃orwould　you　prefer　to　be　raised　to　the　position　of　court　crows；　with　allthat　is　left　in　the　kitchen　for　yourselves？〃

Then　both　the　crows　bowed；　and　begged　to　have　a　fixed　appointment；for　they　thought　of　their　old　age；　and　said　it　would　be　so　fortableto　feel　that　they　had　provision　for　their　old　days；　as　they　called　it。And　then　the　prince　got　out　of　his　bed；　and　gave　it　up　to　Gerda；…　hecould　do　no　more；　and　she　lay　down。　She　folded　her　little　hands；　andthought；　〃How　good　everyone　is　to　me；　men　and　animals　too；〃　then　sheclosed　her　eyes　and　fell　into　a　sweet　sleep。　All　the　dreams　cameflying　back　again　to　her；　and　they　looked　like　angels；　and　one　of　themdrew　a　little　sledge；　on　which　sat　Kay；　and　nodded　to　her。　But　allthis　was　only　a　dream；　and　vanished　as　soon　as　she　awoke。

The　following　day　she　was　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　silk　andvelvet；　and　they　invited　her　to　stay　at　the　palace　for　a　few　days；　andenjoy　herself；　but　she　only　begged　for　a　pair　of　boots；　and　a　littlecarriage；　and　a　horse　to　draw　it；　so　that　she　might　go　into　the　wideworld　to　seek　for　Kay。　And　she　obtained；　not　only　boots；　but　also　amuff；　and　she　was　neatly　dressed；　and　when　she　was　ready　to　go；　there；at　the　door；　she　found　a　coach　made　of　pure　gold；　with　thecoat…of…arms　of　the　prince　and　princess　shining　upon　it　like　a　star；and　the　coachman；　footman；　and　outriders　all　wearing　golden　crownson　their　heads。　The　prince　and　princess　themselves　helped　her　into　thecoach；　and　wished　her　success。　The　forest　crow；　who　was　now　married；acpanied　her　for　the　first　three　miles；　he　sat　by　Gerda's　side；as　he　could　not　bear　riding　backwards。　The　tame　crow　stood　in　thedoor…way　flapping　her　wings。　She　could　not　go　with　them；　because　shehad　been　suffering　from　headache　ever　since　the　new　appointment；　nodoubt　from　eating　too　much。　The　coach　was　well　stored　with　sweetcakes；　and　under　the　seat　were　fruit　and　gingerbread　nuts。〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　cried　the　prince　and　princess；　and　littleGerda　wept；　and　the　crow　wept；　and　then；　after　a　few　miles；　the　crowalso　said　〃Farewell；〃　and　this　was　the　saddest　parting。　However；　heflew　to　a　tree；　and　stood　flapping　his　black　wings　as　long　as　he　couldsee　the　coach；　which　glittered　in　the　bright　sunshine。

　FIFTH　STORY

　LITTLE　ROBBER…GIRL

The　coach　drove　on　through　a　thick　forest；　where　it　lighted　up　theway　like　a　torch；　and　dazzled　the　eyes　of　some　robbers；　who　couldnot　bear　to　let　it　pass　them　unmolested。

〃It　is　gold！　it　is　gold！〃　cried　they；　rushing　forward；　and　seizingthe　horses。　Then　they　struck　the　little　jockeys；　the　coachman；　and　thefootman　dead；　and　pulled　little　Gerda　out　of　the　carriage。

〃She　is　fat　and　pretty；　and　she　has　been　fed　with　the　kernels　ofnuts；〃　said　the　old　robber…woman；　who　had　a　long　beard　and　eyebrowsthat　hung　over　her　eyes。　〃She　is　as　good　as　a　little　lamb；　how　niceshe　will　taste！〃　and　as　she　said　this；　she　drew　forth　a　shining　knife；that　glittered　horribly。　〃Oh！〃　screamed　the　old　woman　the　same　moment；for　her　own　daughter；　who　held　her　back；　had　bitten　her　in　the　ear。She　was　a　wild　and　naughty　girl；　and　the　mother　called　her　an　uglything；　and　had　not　time　to　kill　Gerda。

〃She　shall　play　with　me；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；　〃sheshall　give　me　her　muff　and　her　pretty　dress；　and　sleep　with　me　in　mybed。〃　And　then　she　bit　her　mother　again；　and　made　her　spring　in　theair；　and　jump　about；　and　all　the　robbers　laughed；　and　said；　〃See　howshe　is　dancing　with　her　young　cub。〃

〃I　will　have　a　ride　in　the　coach；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；and　she　would　have　her　own　way；　for　she　was　so　self…willed　andobstinate。

She　and　Gerda　seated　themselves　in　the　coach；　and　drove　away；　overstumps　and　stones；　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　The　littlerobber…girl　was　about　the　same　size　as　Gerda；　but　stronger；　she　hadbroader　shoulders　and　a　darker　skin；　her　eyes　were　quite　black；　andshe　had　a　mournful　look。　She　clasped　little　Gerda　round　the　waist；　andsaid；…

〃They　shall　not　kill　you　as　long　as　you　don't　make　us　vexed　withyou。　I　suppose　you　are　a　princess。〃

〃No；〃　said　Gerda；　and　then　she　told　her　all　her　history；　and　howfond　she　was　of　little　Kay。

The　robber…girl　looked　earnestly　at　her；　nodded　her　head　slightly；and　said；　〃They　sha'nt　kill　you；　even　if　I　do　get　angry　with　you；for　I　will　do　it　myself。〃　And　then　she　wiped　Gerda's　eyes；　and　stuckher　own　hands　in　the　beautiful　muff　which　was　so　soft　and　warm。

The　coach　stopped　in　the　courtyard　of　a　robber's　castle；　the　wallsof　which　were　cracked　from　top　to　bottom。　Ravens　and　crows　flew　in　andout　of　the　holes　and　crevices；　while　great　bulldogs；　either　of　whichlooked　as　if　it　could　swallow　a　man；　were　jumping　about；　but　they　werenot　allowed　to　bark。　In　the　large　and　smoky　hall　a　bright　fire　wasburning　on　the　stone　floor。　There　was　no　chimney；　so　the　smoke　went　upto　the　ceiling；　and　found　a　way　out　for　itself。　Soup　was　boiling　ina　large　cauldron；　and　hares　and　rabbits　were　roasting　on　the　spit。

〃You　shall　sleep　with　me　and　all　my　little　animals　to…night；〃　saidthe　robber…girl；　after　they　had　had　something　to　eat　and　drink。　So　shetook　Gerda　to　a　corner　of　the　hall；　where　some　straw　and　carpetswere　laid　down。　Above　them；　on　laths　and　perches；　were　more　than　ahundred　pigeons；　who　all　seemed　to　be　asleep；　although