安徒生童话-第176章

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There　rushed　through　the　hothouse　a　chill　of　icy　coldness；　and　theblind　mother　felt　that　Death　had　arrived。

〃How　did　you　find　your　way　hither？〃　asked　he；　〃how　could　youe　here　faster　than　I　have？〃

〃I　am　a　mother；〃　she　answered。

And　Death　stretched　out　his　hand　towards　the　delicate　littleflower；　but　she　held　her　hands　tightly　round　it；　and　held　it　fast　atsame　time；　with　the　most　anxious　care；　lest　she　should　touch　one　ofthe　leaves。　Then　Death　breathed　upon　her　hands；　and　she　felt　hisbreath　colder　than　the　icy　wind；　and　her　hands　sank　down　powerless。

〃You　cannot　prevail　against　me；〃　said　Death。

〃But　a　God　of　mercy　can；〃　said　she。

〃I　only　do　His　will；〃　replied　Death。　〃I　am　his　gardener。　I　takeall　His　flowers　and　trees；　and　transplant　them　into　the　gardens　ofParadise　in　an　unknown　land。　How　they　flourish　there；　and　what　thatgarden　resembles；　I　may　not　tell　you。〃

〃Give　me　back　my　child；〃　said　the　mother；　weeping　and　imploring；and　she　seized　two　beautiful　flowers　in　her　hands；　and　cried　to　Death；〃I　will　tear　up　all　your　flowers；　for　I　am　in　despair。〃

〃Do　not　touch　them；〃　said　Death。　〃You　say　you　are　unhappy；　andwould　you　make　another　mother　as　unhappy　as　yourself？〃

〃Another　mother！〃　cried　the　poor　woman；　setting　the　flowers　freefrom　her　hands。

〃There　are　your　eyes；〃　said　Death。　〃I　fished　them　up　out　of　thelake　for　you。　They　were　shining　brightly；　but　I　knew　not　they　wereyours。　Take　them　back…　they　are　clearer　now　than　before…　and　then　lookinto　the　deep　well　which　is　close　by　here。　I　will　tell　you　the　namesof　the　two　flowers　which　you　wished　to　pull　up；　and　you　will　see　thewhole　future　of　the　human　beings　they　represent；　and　what　you　wereabout　to　frustrate　and　destroy。〃

Then　she　looked　into　the　well；　and　it　was　a　glorious　sight　tobehold　how　one　of　them　became　a　blessing　to　the　world；　and　how　muchhappiness　and　joy　it　spread　around。　But　she　saw　that　the　life　of　theother　was　full　of　care　and　poverty；　misery　and　woe。

〃Both　are　the　will　of　God；〃　said　Death。

〃Which　is　the　unhappy　flower；　and　which　is　the　blessed　one？〃　shesaid。

〃That　I　may　not　tell　you；〃　said　Death；　〃but　thus　far　you　maylearn；　that　one　of　the　two　flowers　represents　your　own　child。　It　wasthe　fate　of　your　child　that　you　saw；…　the　future　of　your　own　child。〃

Then　the　mother　screamed　aloud　with　terror；　〃Which　of　them　belongsto　my　child？　Tell　me　that。　Deliver　the　unhappy　child。　Release　itfrom　so　much　misery。　Rather　take　it　away。　Take　it　to　the　kingdom　ofGod。　Forget　my　tears　and　my　entreaties；　forget　all　that　I　have　said　ordone。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　said　Death。　〃Will　you　have　your　childback？　or　shall　I　carry　him　away　to　a　place　that　you　do　not　know？〃

Then　the　mother　wrung　her　hands；　fell　on　her　knees；　and　prayedto　God；　〃Grant　not　my　prayers；　when　they　are　contrary　to　Thy　will；which　at　all　times　must　be　the　best。　Oh；　hear　them　not；〃　and　herhead　sank　on　her　bosom。

Then　Death　carried　away　her　child　to　the　unknown　land。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　STORY　OF　THE　WIND

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

〃NEAR　the　shores　of　the　great　Belt；　which　is　one　of　the　straitsthat　connect　the　Cattegat　with　the　Baltic；　stands　an　old　mansionwith　thick　red　walls。　I　know　every　stone　of　it；〃　says　the　Wind。　〃I　sawit　when　it　was　part　of　the　castle　of　Marck　Stig　on　the　promontory。　Butthe　castle　was　obliged　to　be　pulled　down；　and　the　stone　was　used　againfor　the　walls　of　a　new　mansion　on　another　spot…　the　baronial　residenceof　Borreby；　which　still　stands　near　the　coast。　I　knew　them　well；　thosenoble　lords　and　ladies；　the　successive　generations　that　dwelt　there；and　now　I'm　going　to　tell　you　of　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　daughters。　Howproud　was　his　bearing；　for　he　was　of　royal　blood；　and　could　boast　ofmore　noble　deeds　than　merely　hunting　the　stag　and　emptying　thewine…cup。　His　rule　was　despotic：　'It　shall　be；'　he　was　accustomed　tosay。　His　wife；　in　garments　embroidered　with　gold；　stepped　proudly　overthe　polished　marble　floors。　The　tapestries　were　gorgeous；　and　thefurniture　of　costly　and　artistic　taste。　She　had　brought　gold　and　platewith　her　into　the　house。　The　cellars　were　full　of　wine。　Black；　fieryhorses；　neighed　in　the　stables。　There　was　a　look　of　wealth　about　thehouse　of　Borreby　at　that　time。　They　had　three　children；　daughters；fair　and　delicate　maidens…　Ida；　Joanna；　and　Anna　Dorothea；　I　havenever　forgotten　their　names。　They　were　a　rich；　noble　family；　born　inaffluence　and　nurtured　in　luxury。

〃Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r！〃　roared　the　Wind；　and　went　on；　〃I　did　not　seein　this　house；　as　in　other　great　houses；　the　high…born　lady　sittingamong　her　women；　turning　the　spinning…wheel。　She　could　sweep　thesounding　chords　of　the　guitar；　and　sing　to　the　music；　not　alwaysDanish　melodies；　but　the　songs　of　a　strange　land。　It　was　'Live　and　letlive；'　here。　Stranger　guests　came　from　far　and　near；　music　sounded；goblets　clashed；　and　I；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃was　not　able　to　drown　thenoise。　Ostentation；　pride；　splendor；　and　display　ruled；　but　not　thefear　of　the　Lord。

〃It　was　on　the　evening　of　the　first　day　of　May；〃　the　Windcontinued；　〃I　came　from　the　west；　and　had　seen　the　ships　overpoweredwith　the　waves；　when　all　on　board　persisted　or　were　cast　shipwreckedon　the　coast　of　Jutland。　I　had　hurried　across　the　heath　and　overJutland's　wood…girt　eastern　coast；　and　over　the　island　of　Funen；　andthen　I　drove　across　the　great　belt；　sighing　and　moaning。　At　length　Ilay　down　to　rest　on　the　shores　of　Zeeland；　near　to　the　great　houseof　Borreby；　where　the　splendid　forest　of　oaks　still　flourished。　Theyoung　men　of　the　neighborhood　were　collecting　branches　and　brushwoodunder　the　oak…trees。　The　largest　and　dryest　they　could　find　theycarried　into　the　village；　and　piled　them　up　in　a　heap　and　set　themon　fire。　Then　the　men　and　maidens　danced；　and　sung　in　a　circle　roundthe　blazing　pile。　I　lay　quite　quiet；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃but　I　silentlytouched　a　branch　which　had　been　brought　by　one　of　the　handsomest　ofthe　young　men；　and　the　wood　blazed　up　brightly；　blazed　brighter　thanall　the　rest。　Then　he　was　chosen　as　the　chief；　and　received　the　nameof　the　Shepherd；　and　might　choose　his　lamb　from　among　the　maidens。There　was　greater　mirth　and　rejoicing　than　I　had　ever　heard　in　thehalls　of　the　rich　baronial　house。　Then　the　noble　lady　drove　by　towardsthe　baron's　mansion　with　her　three　daughters；　in　a　gilded　carriagedrawn　by　six　horses。　The　daughters　were　young　and　beautiful…　threecharming　blossoms…　a　rose；　a　lily；　and　a　white　hyacinth。　The　motherwas　a　proud　tulip；　and　never　acknowledged　the　salutations　of　any　ofthe　men　or　maidens　who　paused　in　their　sport　to　do　her　honor。　Thegracious　lady　seemed　like　a　flower　that　was　rather　stiff　in　the　stalk。Rose；　lily；　and　hyacinth…　yes；　I　saw　them　all　three。　Whose　littlelambs　will　they　one　day　bee？　thought　I；　their　shepherd　will　be　agallant　knight；　perhaps　a　prince。　The　carriage　rolled　on；　and　thepeasants　resumed　their　dancing。　They　drove　about　the　summer　throughall　the　villages　near。　But　one　night；　when　I　rose　again；　the　high…bornlady　lay　down　to　rise　again　no　more；　that　thing　came　to　her　whiches　to　us　all；　in　which　there　is　nothing　new。　Waldemar　Daaremained　for　a　time　silent　and　thoughtful。　'The　loftiest　tree　may　bebowed　without　being　broken；'　said　a　voice　within　him。　His　daughterswept；　all　the　people　in　the　mansion　wiped　their　eyes；　but　Lady　Daa　haddriven　away；　and　I　drove　away　too；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃Whir…r…r；whir…r…r…！

〃I　returned　again；　I　often　returned　and　passed　over　the　islandof　Funen　and　the　shores　of　the　Belt。　Then　I　rested　by　Borreby；　nearthe　glorious　wood；　where　the　heron　made　his　nest；　the　haunt　of　thewood…pigeons；　the　blue…birds；　and　the　black　stork。　It　was　yetspring；　some　were　sitting　on　their　eggs；　others　had　already　hatchedtheir　young　broods；　but　how　they　fluttered　about　and　cried　out　whenthe　axe　sounded　through　the　forest；　blow　upon　blow！　The　trees　of　theforest　were　doomed。　Waldemar　Daa　wanted　to　build　a　noble　ship；　aman…of…war；　a　three…decker；　which　the　king　would　be　sure　to　buy；　andthese；　the　trees　of　the　wood；　the　landmark　of　the　seamen；　the　refugeof　the　birds；　must　be　felled。　The　hawk　started　up　and　flew　away；　forits　nest　was　destroyed；　the　heron　and　all　the　birds　of　the　forestbecame　homeless；　and　flew　about　in　fear　and　anger。　I　could　wellunderstand　how　they　felt。　Crows　and　ravens　croaked；　as　if　in　scorn；while　the　trees　were　cracking　and　falling　around　them。　Far　in　theinterior　of　the　wood；　where　a　noisy　swarm　of　laborers　were　working；stood　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　three　daughters；　and　all　were　laughing　atthe　wild　cries　of　the　birds；　excepting　one；　the　youngest；　AnnaDorothea；　who　felt　grieved　to　the　heart；　and　when　they　madepreparations　to　fell　a　tree　that　was　almost　dead；　and　on　whose　nakedbranches　the　black　stork　had　built　her　nest；　she　saw　the　poor　littlethings　stretching　out　their　necks；　and　she　begged　for　mercy　forthem；　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　So　the　tree　with　the　black　stork'snest　was　left　standing；　the　tree　itself；　however；　was　not　worth　muchto　speak　of。　Then　there　was　a　great　deal　of　hewing　and　sawing；　andat　last　the　three…decker　was　built。　The　builder　was　a　man　of　loworigin；　but　possessing　great　pride；　his　eyes　and　forehead　spoke　oflarge　intellect；　and　Waldemar　Daa　was　fond　of　listening　to　him；　and　sowas　Waldemar's　daughter　Ida；　t