安徒生童话-第197章

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ll　bee　flax；　from　which　you　mustspin　and　weave　eleven　coats　with　long　sleeves；　if　these　are　thenthrown　over　the　eleven　swans；　the　spell　will　be　broken。　Butremember；　that　from　the　moment　you　mence　your　task　until　it　isfinished；　even　should　it　occupy　years　of　your　life；　you　must　notspeak。　The　first　word　you　utter　will　pierce　through　the　hearts　of　yourbrothers　like　a　deadly　dagger。　Their　lives　hang　upon　your　tongue。Remember　all　I　have　told　you。〃　And　as　she　finished　speaking；　shetouched　her　hand　lightly　with　the　tle；　and　a　pain；　as　of　burningfire；　awoke　Eliza。

It　was　broad　daylight；　and　close　by　where　she　had　been　sleepinglay　a　tle　like　the　one　she　had　seen　in　her　dream。　She　fell　on　herknees　and　offered　her　thanks　to　God。　Then　she　went　forth　from　the　caveto　begin　her　work　with　her　delicate　hands。　She　groped　in　amongst　theugly　tles；　which　burnt　great　blisters　on　her　hands　and　arms；　butshe　determined　to　bear　it　gladly　if　she　could　only　release　her　dearbrothers。　So　she　bruised　the　tles　with　her　bare　feet　and　spun　theflax。　At　sunset　her　brothers　returned　and　were　very　much　frightenedwhen　they　found　her　dumb。　They　believed　it　to　be　some　new　sorcery　oftheir　wicked　step…mother。　But　when　they　saw　her　hands　theyunderstood　what　she　was　doing　on　their　behalf；　and　the　youngestbrother　wept；　and　where　his　tears　fell　the　pain　ceased；　and　theburning　blisters　vanished。　She　kept　to　her　work　all　night；　for　shecould　not　rest　till　she　had　released　her　dear　brothers。　During　thewhole　of　the　following　day；　while　her　brothers　were　absent；　she　sat　insolitude；　but　never　before　had　the　time　flown　so　quickly。　One　coat　wasalready　finished　and　she　had　begun　the　second；　when　she　heard　thehuntsman's　horn；　and　was　struck　with　fear。　The　sound　came　nearer　andnearer；　she　heard　the　dogs　barking；　and　fled　with　terror　into　thecave。　She　hastily　bound　together　the　tles　she　had　gathered　into　abundle　and　sat　upon　them。　Immediately　a　great　dog　came　boundingtowards　her　out　of　the　ravine；　and　then　another　and　another；　theybarked　loudly；　ran　back；　and　then　came　again。　In　a　very　few　minutesall　the　huntsmen　stood　before　the　cave；　and　the　handsomest　of　them　wasthe　king　of　the　country。　He　advanced　towards　her；　for　he　had　neverseen　a　more　beautiful　maiden。

〃How　did　you　e　here；　my　sweet　child？〃　he　asked。　But　Eliza　shookher　head。　She　dared　not　speak；　at　the　cost　of　her　brothers'　lives。　Andshe　hid　her　hands　under　her　apron；　so　that　the　king　might　not　seehow　she　must　be　suffering。

〃e　with　me；〃　he　said；　〃here　you　cannot　remain。　If　you　are　asgood　as　you　are　beautiful；　I　will　dress　you　in　silk　and　velvet；　I　willplace　a　golden　crown　upon　your　head；　and　you　shall　dwell；　and　rule；and　make　your　home　in　my　richest　castle。〃　And　then　he　lifted　her　onhis　horse。　She　wept　and　wrung　her　hands；　but　the　king　said；　〃I　wishonly　for　your　happiness。　A　time　will　e　when　you　will　thank　me　forthis。〃　And　then　he　galloped　away　over　the　mountains；　holding　herbefore　him　on　this　horse；　and　the　hunters　followed　behind　them。　As　thesun　went　down；　they　approached　a　fair　royal　city；　with　churches；　andcupolas。　On　arriving　at　the　castle　the　king　led　her　into　marble　halls；where　large　fountains　played；　and　where　the　walls　and　the　ceilingswere　covered　with　rich　paintings。　But　she　had　no　eyes　for　all　theseglorious　sights；　she　could　only　mourn　and　weep。　Patiently　sheallowed　the　women　to　array　her　in　royal　robes；　to　weave　pearls　inher　hair；　and　draw　soft　gloves　over　her　blistered　fingers。　As　shestood　before　them　in　all　her　rich　dress；　she　looked　so　dazzinglybeautiful　that　the　court　bowed　low　in　her　presence。　Then　the　kingdeclared　his　intention　of　making　her　his　bride；　but　the　archbishopshook　his　head；　and　whispered　that　the　fair　young　maiden　was　only　awitch　who　had　blinded　the　king's　eyes　and　bewitched　his　heart。　But　theking　would　not　listen　to　this；　he　ordered　the　music　to　sound；　thedaintiest　dishes　to　be　served；　and　the　loveliest　maidens　to　dance。After…wards　he　led　her　through　fragrant　gardens　and　lofty　halls；　butnot　a　smile　appeared　on　her　lips　or　sparkled　in　her　eyes。　She　lookedthe　very　picture　of　grief。　Then　the　king　opened　the　door　of　a　littlechamber　in　which　she。　was　to　sleep；　it　was　adorned　with　rich　greentapestry；　and　resembled　the　cave　in　which　he　had　found　her。　On　thefloor　lay　the　bundle　of　flax　which　she　had　spun　from　the　tles；and　under　the　ceiling　hung　the　coat　she　had　made。　These　things　hadbeen　brought　away　from　the　cave　as　curiosities　by　one　of　the　huntsmen。

〃Here　you　can　dream　yourself　back　again　in　the　old　home　in　thecave；〃　said　the　king；　〃here　is　the　work　with　which　you　employedyourself。　It　will　amuse　you　now　in　the　midst　of　all　this　splendor　tothink　of　that　time。〃

When　Eliza　saw　all　these　things　which　lay　so　near　her　heart；　asmile　played　around　her　mouth；　and　the　crimson　blood　rushed　to　hercheeks。　She　thought　of　her　brothers；　and　their　release　made　her　sojoyful　that　she　kissed　the　king's　hand。　Then　he　pressed　her　to　hisheart。　Very　soon　the　joyous　church　bells　announced　the　marriage　feast；and　that　the　beautiful　dumb　girl　out　of　the　wood　was　to　be　made　thequeen　of　the　country。　Then　the　archbishop　whispered　wicked　words　inthe　king's　ear；　but　they　did　not　sink　into　his　heart。　The　marriage　wasstill　to　take　place；　and　the　archbishop　himself　had　to　place　the　crownon　the　bride's　head；　in　his　wicked　spite；　he　pressed　the　narrowcirclet　so　tightly　on　her　forehead　that　it　caused　her　pain。　But　aheavier　weight　encircled　her　heart…　sorrow　for　her　brothers。　Shefelt　not　bodily　pain。　Her　mouth　was　closed；　a　single　word　would　costthe　lives　of　her　brothers。　But　she　loved　the　kind；　handsome　king；who　did　everything　to　make　her　happy　more　and　more　each　day；　she　lovedhim　with　all　her　heart；　and　her　eyes　beamed　with　the　love　she　darednot　speak。　Oh！　if　she　had　only　been　able　to　confide　in　him　and　tellhim　of　her　grief。　But　dumb　she　must　remain　till　her　task　was　finished。Therefore　at　night　she　crept　away　into　her　little　chamber；　which　hadbeen　decked　out　to　look　like　the　cave；　and　quickly　wove　one　coat　afteranother。　But　when　she　began　the　seventh　she　found　she　had　no　moreflax。　She　knew　that　the　tles　she　wanted　to　use　grew　in　thechurchyard；　and　that　she　must　pluck　them　herself。　How　should　she　getout　there？　〃Oh；　what　is　the　pain　in　my　fingers　to　the　torment　which　myheart　endures？〃　said　she。　〃I　must　venture；　I　shall　not　be　deniedhelp　from　heaven。〃　Then　with　a　trembling　heart；　as　if　she　were　aboutto　perform　a　wicked　deed；　she　crept　into　the　garden　in　the　broadmoonlight；　and　passed　through　the　narrow　walks　and　the　desertedstreets；　till　she　reached　the　churchyard。　Then　she　saw　on　one　of　thebroad　tombstones　a　group　of　ghouls。　These　hideous　creatures　took　offtheir　rags；　as　if　they　intended　to　bathe；　and　then　clawing　open　thefresh　graves　with　their　long；　skinny　fingers；　pulled　out　the　deadbodies　and　ate　the　flesh！　Eliza　had　to　pass　close　by　them；　and　theyfixed　their　wicked　glances　upon　her；　but　she　prayed　silently；　gatheredthe　burning　tles；　and　carried　them　home　with　her　to　the　castle。　Oneperson　only　had　seen　her；　and　that　was　the　archbishop…　he　was　awakewhile　everybody　was　asleep。　Now　he　thought　his　opinion　was　evidentlycorrect。　All　was　not　right　with　the　queen。　She　was　a　witch；　and　hadbewitched　the　king　and　all　the　people。　Secretly　he　told　the　kingwhat　he　had　seen　and　what　he　feared；　and　as　the　hard　words　came　fromhis　tongue；　the　carved　images　of　the　saints　shook　their　heads　as　ifthey　would　say。　〃It　is　not　so。　Eliza　is　innocent。〃

But　the　archbishop　interpreted　it　in　another　way；　he　believed　thatthey　witnessed　against　her；　and　were　shaking　their　heads　at　herwickedness。　Two　large　tears　rolled　down　the　king's　cheeks；　and　he　wenthome　with　doubt　in　his　heart；　and　at　night　he　pretended　to　sleep；but　there　came　no　real　sleep　to　his　eyes；　for　he　saw　Eliza　get　upevery　night　and　disappear　in　her　own　chamber。　From　day　to　day　his　browbecame　darker；　and　Eliza　saw　it　and　did　not　understand　the　reason；　butit　alarmed　her　and　made　her　heart　tremble　for　her　brothers。　Her　hottears　glittered　like　pearls　on　the　regal　velvet　and　diamonds；　whileall　who　saw　her　were　wishing　they　could　be　queens。　In　the　mean　timeshe　had　almost　finished　her　task；　only　one　coat　of　mail　was　wanting；but　she　had　no　flax　left；　and　not　a　single　tle。　Once　more　only；　andfor　the　last　time；　must　she　venture　to　the　churchyard　and　pluck　afew　handfuls。　She　thought　with　terror　of　the　solitary　walk；　and　of　thehorrible　ghouls；　but　her　will　was　firm；　as　well　as　her　trust　inProvidence。　Eliza　went；　and　the　king　and　the　archbishop　followedher。　They　saw　her　vanish　through　the　wicket　gate　into　thechurchyard；　and　when　they　came　nearer　they　saw　the　ghouls　sitting　onthe　tombstone；　as　Eliza　had　seen　them；　and　the　king　turned　away　hishead；　for　he　thought　she　was　with　them…　she　whose　head　had　rested　onhis　breast　that　very　evening。　〃The　people　must　condemn　her；〃　saidhe；　and　she　was　very　quickly　condemned　by　every　one　to　suffer　death　byfire。　Away　from　the　gorgeous　regal　halls　was　she　led　to　a　dark；　drearycell；　where　the　wind　whistled　through　the　iron　bars。　Instead　of　thevelvet　and　silk　dresses；　they　gave　her　the　coats　of　mail　which　she　hadwoven　to　cover　her；　and　the　bundle　of　tles　for　a　pillow；　butnothing　they　could　give　her　would　have　pleased　her　more。　She　continuedher　task　with　joy；　and　prayed　for　help；　while