安徒生童话-第205章

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Winter　came；　the　water　was　frozen；　and　everything　seemed　buried　ina　cold　grave。　But　when　spring　returned；　and　the　first　steamer　preparedto　sail；　Knud　was　seized　with　a　longing　to　wander　forth　into　theworld；　but　not　to　France。　So　he　packed　his　knapsack；　and　travelledthrough　Germany；　going　from　town　to　town；　but　finding　neither　restor　peace。　It　was　not　till　he　arrived　at　the　glorious　old　town　ofNuremberg　that　he　gained　the　mastery　over　himself；　and　rested　hisweary　feet；　and　here　he　remained。

Nuremberg　is　a　wonderful　old　city；　and　looks　as　if　it　had　been　cutout　of　an　old　picture…book。　The　streets　seem　to　have　arrangedthemselves　according　to　their　own　fancy；　and　as　if　the　houses　objectedto　stand　in　rows　or　rank　and　file。　Gables；　with　little　towers；ornamented　columns；　and　statues；　can　be　seen　even　to　the　city　gate；and　from　the　singular…shaped　roofs；　waterspouts；　formed　likedragons；　or　long　lean　dogs；　extend　far　across　to　the　middle　of　thestreet。　Here；　in　the　market…place；　stood　Knud；　with　his　knapsack　onhis　back；　close　to　one　of　the　old　fountains　which　are　so　beautifullyadorned　with　figures；　scriptural　and　historical；　and　which　spring　upbetween　the　sparkling　jets　of　water。　A　pretty　servant…maid　was　justfilling　her　pails；　and　she　gave　Knud　a　refreshing　draught；　she　had　ahandful　of　roses；　and　she　gave　him　one；　which　appeared　to　him　like　agood　omen　for　the　future。　From　a　neighboring　church　came　the　sounds　ofmusic；　and　the　familiar　tones　reminded　him　of　the　organ　at　home　atKjoge；　so　he　passed　into　the　great　cathedral。　The　sunshine　streamedthrough　the　painted　glass　windows；　and　between　two　lofty　slenderpillars。　His　thoughts　became　prayerful；　and　calm　peace　rested　on　hissoul。　He　next　sought　and　found　a　good　master　in　Nuremberg；　with　whomhe　stayed　and　learnt　the　German　language。

The　old　moat　round　the　town　had　been　converted　into　a　number　oflittle　kitchen　gardens；　but　the　high　walls；　with　their　heavy…lookingtowers；　are　still　standing。　Inside　these　walls　the　ropemaker　twistedhis　ropes　along　a　walk　built　like　a　gallery；　and　in　the　cracks　andcrevices　of　the　walls　elderbushes　grow　and　stretch　their　greenboughs　over　the　small　houses　which　stand　below。　In　one　of　these　houseslived　the　master　for　whom　Knud　worked；　and　over　the　little　garretwindow　where　he　sat；　the　elder…tree　waved　its　branches。　Here　hedwelt　through　one　summer　and　winter；　but　when　spring　came　again；　hecould　endure　it　no　longer。　The　elder　was　in　blossom；　and　its　fragrancewas　so　homelike；　that　he　fancied　himself　back　again　in　the　gardensof　Kjoge。　So　Knud　left　his　master；　and　went　to　work　for　another　wholived　farther　in　the　town；　where　no　elder　grew。　His　workshop　was　quiteclose　to　one　of　the　old　stone　bridges；　near　to　a　water…mill；　roundwhich　the　roaring　stream　rushed　and　foamed　always；　yet　restrained　bythe　neighboring　houses；　whose　old；　decayed　balconies　hung　over；　andseemed　ready　to　fall　into　the　water。　Here　grew　no　elder；　here　wasnot　even　a　flower…pot；　with　its　little　green　plant；　but　justopposite　the　workshop　stood　a　great　willow…tree；　which　seemed　tohold　fast　to　the　house　for　fear　of　being　carried　away　by　the　water。　Itstretched　its　branches　over　the　stream　just　as　those　of　thewillow…tree　in　the　garden　at　Kjoge　had　spread　over　the　river。　Yes；he　had　indeed　gone　from　elder…mother　to　willow…father。　There　was　asomething　about　the　tree　here；　especially　in　the　moonlight　nights；that　went　direct　to　his　heart；　yet　it　was　not　in　reality　themoonlight；　but　the　old　tree　itself。　However；　he　could　not　endure　it：and　why？　Ask　the　willow；　ask　the　blossoming　elder！　At　all　events；　hebade　farewell　to　Nuremberg　and　journeyed　onwards。　He　never　spoke　ofJoanna　to　any　one；　his　sorrow　was　hidden　in　his　heart。　The　oldchildish　story　of　the　two　cakes　had　a　deep　meaning　for　him。　Heunderstood　now　why　the　gingerbread　man　had　a　bitter　almond　in　his　leftside；　his　was　the　feeling　of　bitterness；　and　Joanna；　so　mild　andfriendly；　was　represented　by　the　honeycake　maiden。　As　he　thoughtupon　all　this；　the　strap　of　his　knapsack　pressed　across　his　chest　sothat　he　could　hardly　breathe；　he　loosened　it；　but　gained　no　relief。　Hesaw　but　half　the　world　around　him；　the　other　half　he　carried　withhim　in　his　inward　thoughts；　and　this　is　the　condition　in　which　he　leftNuremberg。　Not　till　he　caught　sight　of　the　lofty　mountains　did　theworld　appear　more　free　to　him；　his　thoughts　were　attracted　to　outerobjects；　and　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　The　Alps　appeared　to　him　likethe　wings　of　earth　folded　together；　unfolded；　they　would　display　thevariegated　pictures　of　dark　woods；　foaming　waters；　spreading　clouds；and　masses　of　snow。　〃At　the　last　day；〃　thought　he；　〃the　earth　willunfold　its　great　wings；　and　soar　upwards　to　the　skies；　there　toburst　like　a　soap…bubble　in　the　radiant　glance　of　the　Deity。　Oh；〃sighed　he；　〃that　the　last　day　were　e！〃

Silently　he　wandered　on　through　the　country　of　the　Alps；　whichseemed　to　him　like　a　fruit　garden；　covered　with　soft　turf。　From　thewooden　balconies　of　the　houses　the　young　lacemakers　nodded　as　hepassed。　The　summits　of　the　mountains　glowed　in　the　red　evening　sunset；and　the　green　lakes　beneath　the　dark　trees　reflected　the　glow。　Then　hethought　of　the　sea　coast　by　the　bay　Kjoge；　with　a　longing　in　his　heartthat　was；　however；　without　pain。　There；　where　the　Rhine　rolls　onwardlike　a　great　billow；　and　dissolves　itself　into　snowflakes；　whereglistening　clouds　are　ever　changing　as　if　here　was　the　place　oftheir　creation；　while　the　rainbow　flutters　about　them　like　amany…colored　ribbon；　there　did　Knud　think　of　the　water…mill　atKjoge；　with　its　rushing；　foaming　waters。　Gladly　would　he　have　remainedin　the　quiet　Rhenish　town；　but　there　were　too　many　elders　andwillow…trees。

So　he　travelled　onwards；　over　a　grand；　lofty　chain　of　mountains；over　rugged；…　rocky　precipices；　and　along　roads　that　hung　on　themountain's　side　like　a　swallow's　nest。　The　waters　foamed　in　the　depthsbelow　him。　The　clouds　lay　beneath　him。　He　wandered　on；　treading　uponAlpine　roses；　thistles；　and　snow；　with　the　summer　sun　shining　uponhim；　till　at　length　he　bid　farewell　to　the　lands　of　the　north。　Then　hepassed　on　under　the　shade　of　blooming　chestnut…trees；　throughvineyards；　and　fields　of　Indian　corn；　till　conscious　that　themountains　were　as　a　wall　between　him　and　his　early　recollections；and　he　wished　it　to　be　so。

Before　him　lay　a　large　and　splendid　city；　called　Milan；　and　herehe　found　a　German　master　who　engaged　him　as　a　workman。　The　masterand　his　wife；　in　whose　workshop　he　was　employed；　were　an　old；　piouscouple；　and　the　two　old　people　became　quite　fond　of　the　quietjourneyman；　who　spoke　but　little；　but　worked　more；　and　led　a　pious；Christian　life；　and　even　to　himself　it　seemed　as　if　God　had　removedthe　heavy　burden　from　his　heart。　His　greatest　pleasure　was　to　climb；now　and　then；　to　the　roof　of　the　noble　church；　which　was　built　ofwhite　marble。　The　pointed　towers；　the　decorated　and　open　cloisters；the　stately　columns；　the　white　statues　which　smiled　upon　him　fromevery　corner　and　porch　and　arch；…　all；　even　the　church　itself；seemed　to　him　to　have　been　formed　from　the　snow　of　his　native　land。Above　him　was　the　blue　sky；　below　him；　the　city　and　the　wide…spreadingplains　of　Lombardy；　and　towards　the　north；　the　lofty　mountains；covered　with　perpetual　snow。　And　then　he　thought　of　the　church　ofKjoge；　with　its　red；　ivy…clad　walls；　but　he　had　no　longing　to　gothere；　here；　beyond　the　mountains；　he　would　die　and　be　buried。

Three　years　had　passed　away　since　he　left　his　home；　one　year　ofthat　time　he　had　dwelt　at　Milan。

One　day　his　master　took　him　into　the　town；　not　to　the　circus　inwhich　riders　performed；　but　to　the　opera；　a　large　building；　itself　asight　well　worth　seeing。　The　seven　tiers　of　boxes；　which　reachedfrom　the　ground　to　a　dizzy　height；　near　the　ceiling；　were　hung　withrich；　silken　curtains；　and　in　them　were　seated　elegantly…dressedladies；　with　bouquets　of　flowers　in　their　hands。　The　gentlemen　werealso　in　full　dress；　and　many　of　them　wore　decorations　of　gold　andsilver。　The　place　was　so　brilliantly　lighted　that　it　seemed　likesunshine；　and　glorious　music　rolled　through　the　building。　Everythinglooked　more　beautiful　than　in　the　theatre　at　Copenhagen；　but　thenJoanna　had　been　there；　and…　could　it　be？　Yes…　it　was　like　magic；…she　was　here　also：　for；　when　the　curtain　rose；　there　stood　Joanna；dressed　in　silk　and　gold；　and　with　a　golden　crown　upon　her　head。　Shesang；　he　thought；　as　only　an　angel　could　sing；　and　then　she　steppedforward　to　the　front　and　smiled；　as　only　Joanna　could　smile；　andlooked　directly　at　Knud。　Poor　Knud！　he　seized　his　master's　hand；　andcried　out　loud；　〃Joanna；〃　but　no　one　heard　him；　excepting　hismaster；　for　the　music　sounded　above　everything。

〃Yes；　yes；　it　is　Joanna；〃　said　his　master；　and　he　drew　forth　aprinted　bill；　and　pointed　to　her　name；　which　was　there　in　full。　Thenit　was　not　a　dream。　All　the　audience　applauded　her；　and　threwwreaths　of　flowers　at　her；　and　every　time　she　went　away　they　calledfor　her　again；　so　that　she　was　always　ing　and　going。　In　thestreet　the　people　crowded　round　her　carriage；　and　drew　it　awaythemselves　without　the　horses。　Knud　was　in　the　foremost　row；　andshouted　as　joyously　as　the　rest；　and　when　the　carriage　stoppedbefore　a　brilliantly　lighted　house；　Knud　placed　himself　close　to　thedoor　of　her　carriage。　It　flew　open；　and　she　stepped　out；　the