安徒生童话-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃What　will　the　play　be　to…morrow？〃

At　her　death　she　left　about　five　hundred　dollars。　We　presumethis　from　the　interest；　which　came　to　twenty　dollars。　This　our　aunthad　destined　as　a　legacy　for　a　worthy　old　spinster　who　had　no　friends；it　was　to　be　devoted　to　a　yearly　subscription　for　a　place　in　thesecond　tier；　on　the　left　side；　for　the　Saturday　evening；　〃for　onthat　evening　two　pieces　were　always　given；〃　it　said　in　the　will；　andthe　only　condition　laid　upon　the　person　who　enjoyed　the　legacy　was；that　she　should　think；　every　Saturday　evening；　of　our　aunt；　who　waslying　in　her　grave。

This　was　our　aunt's　religion。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　POULTRY　MEG'S　FAMILY

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

POULTRY　MEG　was　the　only　person　who　lived　in　the　new　statelydwelling　that　had　been　built　for　the　fowls　and　ducks　belonging　tothe　manor　house。　It　stood　there　where　once　the　old　knightly　buildinghad　stood　with　its　tower；　its　pointed　gables；　its　moat；　and　itsdrawbridge。　Close　by　it　was　a　wilderness　of　trees　and　thicket；　herethe　garden　had　been；　and　had　stretched　out　to　a　great　lake；　whichwas　now　moorland。　Crows　and　choughs　flew　screaming　over　the　old　trees；and　there　were　crowds　of　birds；　they　did　not　seem　to　get　fewer　whenany　one　shot　among　them；　but　seemed　rather　to　increase。　One　heardthe　screaming　into　the　poultry…house；　where　Poultry　Meg　sat　with　theducklings　running　to　and　fro　over　her　wooden　shoes。　She　knew　everyfowl　and　every　duck　from　the　moment　it　crept　out　of　the　shell；　and　shewas　fond　of　her　fowls　and　her　ducks；　and　proud　of　the　stately　housethat　had　been　built　for　them。　Her　own　little　room　in　the　house　wasclean　and　neat；　for　that　was　the　wish　of　the　gracious　lady　to　whom　thehouse　belonged。　She　often　came　in　the　pany　of　grand　noble　guests；to　whom　she　showed　〃the　hens'　and　ducks'　barracks；〃　as　she　calledthe　little　house。

Here　were　a　clothes　cupboard；　and　an；　arm…chair；　and　even　achest　of　drawers；　and　on　these　drawers　a　polished　metal　plate　had　beenplaced；　whereon　was　engraved　the　word　〃Grubbe；〃　and　this　was　thename　of　the　noble　family　that　had　lived　in　the　house　of　old。　The　brassplate　had　been　found　when　they　were　digging　the　foundation；　and　theclerk　has　said　it　had　no　value　except　in　being　an　old　relic。　The　clerkknew　all　about　the　place；　and　about　the　old　times；　for　he　had　hisknowledge　from　books；　and　many　a　memorandum　had　been　written　and　putin　his　table…drawer。　But　the　oldest　of　the　crows　perhaps　knew　morethan　he；　and　screamed　it　out　in　her　own　language；　but　that　was　thecrow's　language；　and　the　clerk　did　not　understand　that；　clever　as　hewas。

After　the　hot　summer　days　the　mist　sometimes　hung　over　themoorland　as　if　a　whole　lake　were　behind　the　old　trees；　among　which　thecrows　and　the　daws　were　fluttering；　and　thus　it　had　looked　when　thegood　Knight　Grubbe　had　lived　here…　when　the　old　manor　house　stood　withits　thick　red　walls。　The　dog…chain　used　to　reach　in　those　days　quiteover　the　gateway；　through　the　tower　one　went　into　a　paved　passagewhich　led　to　the　rooms；　the　windows　were　narrow；　and　the　panes　weresmall；　even　in　the　great　hall　where　the　dancing　used　to　be；　but　in　thetime　of　the　last　Grubbe；　there　had　been　no　dancing　in　the　hallwithin　the　memory　of　man；　although　an　old　drum　still　lay　there　thathad　served　as　part　of　the　music。　Here　stood　a　quaintly　carvedcupboard；　in　which　rare　flower…roots　were　kept；　for　my　Lady　Grubbe　wasfond　of　plants　and　cultivated　trees　and　shrubs。　Her　husbandpreferred　riding　out　to　shoot　wolves　and　boars；　and　his　littledaughter　Marie　always　went　with　him　part　of　the　way。　When　she　was　onlyfive　years　old；　she　would　sit　proudly　on　her　horse；　and　look　saucilyround　with　her　great　black　eyes。　It　was　a　great　amusement　to　her　tohit　out　among　the　hunting…dogs　with　her　whip；　but　her　father　wouldrather　have　seen　her　hit　among　the　peasant　boys；　who　came　running　upto　stare　at　their　lord。

The　peasant　in　the　clay　hut　close　by　the　knightly　house　had　ason　named　Soren；　of　the　same　age　as　the　gracious　little　lady。　Theboy　could　climb　well；　and　had　always　to　bring　her　down　the　bird'snests。　The　birds　screamed　as　loud　as　they　could；　and　one　of　thegreatest　of　them　hacked　him　with　its　beak　over　the　eye　so　that　theblood　ran　down；　and　it　was　at　first　thought　the　eye　had　beendestroyed；　but　it　had　not　been　injured　after　all。　Marie　Grubbe　used　tocall　him　her　Soren；　and　that　was　a　great　favor；　and　was　an　advantageto　Soren's　father…　poor　Jon；　who　had　one　day　mitted　a　fault；　andwas　to　be　punished　by　riding　on　the　wooden　horse。　This　same　horsestood　in　the　courtyard；　and　had　four　poles　for　legs；　and　a　singlenarrow　plant　for　a　back；　on　this　Jon　had　to　ride　astride；　and　someheavy　bricks　were　fastened　to　his　feet　into　the　bargain；　that　he　mightnot　sit　too　fortably。　He　made　horrible　grimaces；　and　Soren　wept　andimplored　little　Marie　to　interfere。　She　immediately　ordered　thatSoren's　father　should　be　taken　down；　and　when　they　did　not　obey　her；she　stamped　on　the　floor；　and　pulled　at　her　father's　sleeve　till　itwas　torn　to　pieces。　She　would　have　her　way；　and　she　got　her　way；　andSoren's　father　was　taken　down。

Lady　Grubbe；　who　now　came　up；　parted　her　little　daughter's　hairfrom　the　child's　brow；　and　looked　at　her　affectionately；　but　Marie　didnot　understand　why。

She　wanted　to　go　to　the　hounds；　and　not　to　her　mother；　who　wentdown　into　the　garden；　to　the　lake　where　the　water…lily　bloomed；　andthe　heads　of　bulrushes　nodded　amid　the　reeds；　and　she　looked　at　allthis　beauty　and　freshness。　〃How　pleasant！〃　she　said。　In　the　gardenstood　at　that　time　a　rare　tree；　which　she　herself　had　planted。　Itwas　called　the　blood…beech…　a　kind　of　negro　growing　among　the　othertrees；　so　dark　brown　were　the　leaves。　This　tree　required　muchsunshine；　for　in　continual　shade　it　would　bee　bright　green　like　theother　trees；　and　thus　lose　its　distinctive　character。　In　the　loftychestnut　trees　were　many　birds'　nests；　and　also　in　the　thickets　and　inthe　grassy　meadows。　It　seemed　as　though　the　birds　knew　that　theywere　protected　here；　and　that　no　one　must　fire　a　gun　at　them。

Little　Marie　came　here　with　Soren。　He　knew　how　to　climb；　as　wehave　already　said；　and　eggs　and　fluffy…feathered　young　birds　werebrought　down。　The　birds；　great　and　small；　flew　about　in　terror　andtribulation；　the　peewit　from　the　fields；　and　the　crows　and　daws　fromthe　high　trees；　screamed　and　screamed；　it　was　just　such　din　as　thefamily　will　raise　to　the　present　day。

〃What　are　you　doing；　you　children？〃　cried　the　gentle　lady；　〃thatis　sinful！〃

Soren　stood　abashed；　and　even　the　little　gracious　lady　looked　downa　little；　but　then　he　said；　quite　short　and　pretty；

〃My　father　lets　me　do　it！〃

〃Craw…craw！　away…away　from　here！〃　cried　the　great　black　birds；　andthey　flew　away；　but　on　the　following　day　they　came　back；　for　they　wereat　home　here。

The　quiet　gentle　lady　did　not　remain　long　at　home　here　on　earth；for　the　good　God　called　her　away；　and；　indeed；　her　home　was　ratherwith　Him　than　in　the　knightly　house；　and　the　church　bells　tolledsolemnly　when　her　corpse　was　carried　to　the　church；　and　the　eyes　ofthe　poor　people　were　wet　with　tears；　for　she　had　been　good　to　them。

When　she　was　gone；　no　one　attended　to　her　plantations；　and　thegarden　ran　to　waste。　Grubbe　the　knight　was　a　hard　man；　they　said；but　his　daughter；　young　as　she　was；　knew　how　to　manage　him。　He　used　tolaugh　and　let　her　have　her　way。　She　was　now　twelve　years　old；　andstrongly　built。　She　looked　the　people　through　and　through　with　herblack　eyes；　rode　her　horse　as　bravely　as　a　man；　and　could　fire　off　hergun　like　a　practiced　hunter。

One　day　there　were　great　visitors　in　the　neighborhood；　thegrandest　visitors　who　could　e。　The　young　King；　and　his　half…brotherand　rade；　the　Lord　Ulric　Frederick　Gyldenlowe。　They　wanted　tohunt　the　wild　boar；　and　to　pass　a　few　days　at　the　castle　of　Grubbe。

Gyldenlowe　sat　at　table　next　to　Marie　Grubbe；　and　he　took　her　bythe　hand　and　gave　her　a　kiss；　as　if　she　had　been　a　relation；　but　shegave　him　a　box　on　the　ear；　and　told　him　she　could　not　bear　him；　atwhich　there　was　great　laughter；　as　if　that　had　been　a　very　amusingthing。

And　perhaps　it　was　very　amusing；　for；　five　years　afterwards；when　Marie　had　fulfilled　her　seventeenth　year；　a　messenger　arrivedwith　a　letter；　in　which　Lord　Gyldenlowe　proposed　for　the　hand　of　thenoble　young　lady。　There　was　a　thing　for　you！

〃He　is　the　grandest　and　most　gallant　gentleman　in　the　wholecountry；〃　said　Grubbe　the　knight；　〃that　is　not　a　thing　to　despise。〃

〃I　don't　care　so　very　much　about　him；〃　said　Marie　Grubbe；　butshe　did　not　despise　the　grandest　man　of　all　the　country；　who　sat　bythe　king's　side。

Silver　plate；　and　fine　linen　and　woollen；　went　off　to　Copenhagenin　a　ship；　while　the　bride　made　the　journey　by　land　in　ten　days。　Butthe　outfit　met　with　contrary　winds；　or　with　no　winds　at　all；　forfour　months　passed　before　it　arrived；　and　when　it　came；　my　LadyGyldenlowe　was　gone。

〃I'd　rather　lie　on　coarse　sacking　than　lie　in　his　silken　beds；〃she　declared。　〃I'd　rather　walk　barefoot　than　drive　with　him　in　acoach！〃

Late　one　evening　in　November　two　women　came　riding　into　the　townof　Aarhuus。　They　were　the　gracious　Lady　Gyldenlowe　（Marie　Grubbe）and　her　maid。　They　came　from　the　town　of　Weile；　whither　they　hade　in　a　ship　from　Copenhagen。　They　stopped　at　Lord　Grubbe's　s