安徒生童话-第20章

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　such　a　strangething　were　to　happen；　as　the　appearance　of　a　dead　person　among　us。They　are　better　off　than　we　are；　the　dead　return　no　more。　The　earthhas　been　heaped　on　the　coffin；　and　it　is　earth　only　that　lies　withinit。　The　leaves　of　the　hymn…book　are　dust；　and　the　rose；　with　all　itsrecollections；　has　crumbled　to　dust　also。　But　over　the　grave　freshroses　bloom；　the　nightingale　sings；　and　the　organ　sounds　and　therestill　lives　a　remembrance　of　old　grandmother；　with　the　loving；gentle　eyes　that　always　looked　young。　Eyes　can　never　die。　Ours　willonce　again　behold　dear　grandmother；　young　and　beautiful　as　when；　forthe　first　time；　she　kissed　the　fresh；　red　rose；　that　is　now　dust　inthe　grave。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　HOLGER　DANSKE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　Denmark　there　stands　an　old　castle　named　Kronenburg；　close　bythe　Sound　of　Elsinore；　where　large　ships；　both　English；　Russian；　andPrussian；　pass　by　hundreds　every　day。　And　they　salute　the　old　castlewith　cannons；　〃Boom；　boom；〃　which　is　as　if　they　said；　〃Good…day。〃And　the　cannons　of　the　old　castle　answer　〃Boom；〃　which　means　〃Manythanks。〃　In　winter　no　ships　sail　by；　for　the　whole　Sound　is　coveredwith　ice　as　far　as　the　Swedish　coast；　and　has　quite　the　appearanceof　a　high…road。　The　Danish　and　the　Swedish　flags　wave；　and　Danes　andSwedes　say；　〃Good…day；〃　and　〃Thank　you〃　to　each　other；　not　withcannons；　but　with　a　friendly　shake　of　the　hand；　and　they　exchangewhite　bread　and　biscuits　with　each　other；　because　foreign　articlestaste　the　best。

But　the　most　beautiful　sight　of　all　is　the　old　castle　ofKronenburg；　where　Holger　Danske　sits　in　the　deep；　dark　cellar；　intowhich　no　one　goes。　He　is　clad　in　iron　and　steel；　and　rests　his　head　onhis　strong　arm；　his　long　beard　hangs　down　upon　the　marble　table；into　which　it　has　bee　firmly　rooted；　he　sleeps　and　dreams；　but　inhis　dreams　he　sees　everything　that　happens　in　Denmark。　On　eachChristmas…eve　an　angel　es　to　him　and　tells　him　that　all　he　hasdreamed　is　true；　and　that　he　may　go　to　sleep　again　in　peace；　asDenmark　is　not　yet　in　any　real　danger；　but　should　danger　ever　e；then　Holger　Danske　will　rouse　himself；　and　the　table　will　burstasunder　as　he　draws　out　his　beard。　Then　he　will　e　forth　in　hisstrength；　and　strike　a　blow　that　shall　sound　in　all　the　countries　ofthe　world。

An　old　grandfather　sat　and　told　his　little　grandson　all　this　aboutHolger　Danske；　and　the　boy　knew　that　what　his　grandfather　told　himmust　be　true。　As　the　old　man　related　this　story；　he　was　carving　animage　in　wood　to　represent　Holger　Danske；　to　be　fastened　to　the　prowof　a　ship；　for　the　old　grandfather　was　a　carver　in　wood；　that　is；one　who　carved　figures　for　the　heads　of　ships；　according　to　thenames　given　to　them。　And　now　he　had　carved　Holger　Danske；　who　stoodthere　erect　and　proud；　with　his　long　beard；　holding　in　one　hand　hisbroad　battle…axe；　while　with　the　other　he　leaned　on　the　Danish　arms。The　old　grandfather　told　the　little　boy　a　great　deal　about　Danishmen　and　women　who　had　distinguished　themselves　in　olden　times；　so　thathe　fancied　he　knew　as　much　even　as　Holger　Danske　himself；　who；　afterall；　could　only　dream；　and　when　the　little　fellow　went　to　bed；　hethought　so　much　about　it　that　he　actually　pressed　his　chin　against　thecounterpane；　and　imagined　that　he　had　a　long　beard　which　had　beerooted　to　it。　But　the　old　grandfather　remained　sitting　at　his　work　andcarving　away　at　the　last　part　of　it；　which　was　the　Danish　arms。　Andwhen　he　had　finished　he　looked　at　the　whole　figure；　and　thought　of　allhe　had　heard　and　read；　and　what　he　had　that　evening　related　to　hislittle　grandson。　Then　he　nodded　his　head；　wiped　his　spectacles　and　putthem　on；　and　said；　〃Ah；　yes；　Holger　Danske　will　not　appear　in　mylifetime；　but　the　boy　who　is　in　bed　there　may　very　likely　live　tosee　him　when　the　event　really　es　to　pass。〃　And　the　oldgrandfather　nodded　again；　and　the　more　he　looked　at　Holger　Danske；　themore　satisfied　he　felt　that　he　had　carved　a　good　image　of　him。　Itseemed　to　glow　with　the　color　of　life；　the　armor　glittered　like　ironand　steel。　The　hearts　in　the　Danish　arms　grew　more　and　more　red；　whilethe　lions；　with　gold　crowns　on　their　heads；　were　leaping　up。　〃Thatis　the　most　beautiful　coat　of　arms　in　the　world；〃　said　the　old　man。〃The　lions　represent　strength；　and　the　hearts；　gentleness　and　love。〃And　as　he　gazed　on　the　uppermost　lion；　he　thought　of　King　Canute；who　chained　great　England　to　Denmark's　throne；　and　he　looked　at　thesecond　lion；　and　thought　of　Waldemar；　who　untied　Denmark　and　conqueredthe　Vandals。　The　third　lion　reminded　him　of　Margaret；　who　unitedDenmark；　Sweden；　and　Norway。　But　when　he　gazed　at　the　red　hearts；their　colors　glowed　more　deeply；　even　as　flames；　and　his　memoryfollowed　each　in　turn。　The　first　led　him　to　a　dark；　narrow　prison；in　which　sat　a　prisoner；　a　beautiful　woman；　daughter　of　Christianthe　Fourth；　Eleanor　Ulfeld；　and　the　flame　became　a　rose　on　herbosom；　and　its　blossoms　were　not　more　pure　than　the　heart　of　thisnoblest　and　best　of　all　Danish　women。　〃Ah；　yes；　that　is　indeed　a　nobleheart　in　the　Danish　arms；〃　said　the　grandfather。　and　his　spiritfollowed　the　second　flame；　which　carried　him　out　to　sea；　where　cannonsroared　and　the　ships　lay　shrouded　in　smoke；　and　the　flaming　heartattached　itself　to　the　breast　of　Hvitfeldt　in　the　form　of　the　ribbonof　an　order；　as　he　blew　himself　and　his　ship　into　the　air　in　orderto　save　the　fleet。　And　the　third　flame　led　him　to　Greenland's　wretchedhuts；　where　the　preacher；　Hans　Egede；　ruled　with　love　in　every　wordand　action。　The　flame　was　as　a　star　on　his　breast；　and　added　anotherheart　to　the　Danish　arms。　And　as　the　old　grandfather's　spirit　followedthe　next　hovering　flame；　he　knew　whither　it　would　lead　him。　In　apeasant　woman's　humble　room　stood　Frederick　the　Sixth；　writing　hisname　with　chalk　on　the　beam。　The　flame　trembled　on　his　breast　and　inhis　heart；　and　it　was　in　the　peasant's　room　that　his　heart　becameone　for　the　Danish　arms。　The　old　grandfather　wiped　his　eyes；　for　hehad　known　King　Frederick；　with　his　silvery　locks　and　his　honest　blueeyes；　and　had　lived　for　him；　and　he　folded　his　hands　and　remainedfor　some　time　silent。　Then　his　daughter　came　to　him　and　said　it　wasgetting　late；　that　he　ought　to　rest　for　a　while；　and　that　the　supperwas　on　the　table。

〃What　you　have　been　carving　is　very　beautiful；　grandfather；〃said　she。　〃Holger　Danske　and　the　old　coat　of　arms；　it　seems　to　me　asif　I　have　seen　the　face　somewhere。〃

〃No；　that　is　impossible；〃　replied　the　old　grandfather；　〃but　I　haveseen　it；　and　I　have　tried　to　carve　it　in　wood；　as　I　have　retained　itin　my　memory。　It　was　a　long　time　ago；　while　the　English　fleet　lay　inthe　roads；　on　the　second　of　April；　when　we　showed　that　we　were　true；ancient　Danes。　I　was　on　board　the　Denmark；　in　Steene　Bille's　squadron；I　had　a　man　by　my　side　whom　even　the　cannon　balls　seemed　to　fear。　Hesung　old　songs　in　a　merry　voice；　and　fired　and　fought　as　if　he　weresomething　more　than　a　man。　I　still　remember　his　face；　but　fromwhence　he　came；　or　whither　he　went；　I　know　not；　no　one　knows。　I　haveoften　thought　it　might　have　been　Holger　Danske　himself；　who　had　swamdown　to　us　from　Kronenburg　to　help　us　in　the　hour　of　danger。　Thatwas　my　idea；　and　there　stands　his　likeness。〃

The　wooden　figure　threw　a　gigantic　shadow　on　the　wall；　and　even　onpart　of　the　ceiling；　it　seemed　as　if　the　real　Holger　Danske　stoodbehind　it；　for　the　shadow　moved；　but　this　was　no　doubt　caused　by　theflame　of　the　lamp　not　burning　steadily。　Then　the　daughter…in…lawkissed　the　old　grandfather；　and　led　him　to　a　large　arm…chair　by　thetable；　and　she；　and　her　husband；　who　was　the　son　of　the　old　man　andthe　father　of　the　little　boy　who　lay　in　bed；　sat　down　to　supper　withhim。　And　the　old　grandfather　talked　of　the　Danish　lions　and　the　Danishhearts；　emblems　of　strength　and　gentleness；　and　explained　quiteclearly　that　there　is　another　strength　than　that　which　lies　in　asword；　and　he　pointed　to　a　shelf　where　lay　a　number　of　old　books；and　amongst　them　a　collection　of　Holberg's　plays；　which　are　muchread　and　are　so　clever　and　amusing　that　it　is　easy　to　fancy　we　haveknown　the　people　of　those　days；　who　are　described　in　them。

〃He　knew　how　to　fight　also；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃for　he　lashedthe　follies　and　prejudices　of　people　during　his　whole　life。〃

Then　the　grandfather　nodded　to　a　place　above　the　looking…glass；where　hung　an　almanac；　with　a　representation　of　the　Round　Tower　uponit；　and　said　〃Tycho　Brahe　was　another　of　those　who　used　a　sword；　butnot　one　to　cut　into　the　flesh　and　bone；　but　to　make　the　way　of　thestars　of　heaven　clear；　and　plain　to　be　understood。　And　then　he　whosefather　belonged　to　my　calling；…　yes；　he；　the　son　of　the　oldimage…carver；　he　whom　we　ourselves　have　seen；　with　his　silvery　locksand　his　broad　shoulders；　whose　name　is　known　in　all　lands；…　yes；　hewas　a　sculptor；　while　I　am　only　a　carver。　Holger　Danske　can　appearin　marble；　so　that　people　in　all　countries　of　the　world　may　hear　ofthe　strength　of　Denmark。　Now　let　us　drink　the　health　of　Bertel。〃

But　the　little　boy　in　bed　saw　plainly　the　old　castle　ofKronenburg；　and　the　Sound　of　Elsinore；　and　Holger　Danske；　far　downin　the　cellar；　with　his　beard　rooted　to　the　table；　and　dreaming　ofeverything　that　was　passing　above　him。

And　Holger　Danske　did　dream　of　the　little　humble　room　in　which　theimage…carver　s