安徒生童话-第60章

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　faces　and　sallowplexions。　No；　he　did　not　like　her。　But　which　one　did　he　like？

Spring　went　by；　and　summer　drew　towards　its　close；　autumn　came；but　he　had　not　decided。　The　flowers　now　appeared　in　their　mostgorgeous　robes；　but　all　in　vain；　they　had　not　the　fresh；　fragrantair　of　youth。　For　the　heart　asks　for　fragrance；　even　when　it　is　nolonger　young；　and　there　is　very　little　of　that　to　be　found　in　thedahlias　or　the　dry　chrysanthemums；　therefore　the　butterfly　turned　tothe　mint　on　the　ground。　You　know；　this　plant　has　no　blossom；　but　it　issweetness　all　over；…　full　of　fragrance　from　head　to　foot；　with　thescent　of　a　flower　in　every　leaf。

〃I　will　take　her；〃　said　the　butterfly；　and　he　made　her　an　offer。But　the　mint　stood　silent　and　stiff；　as　she　listened　to　him。　At　lastshe　said；…

〃Friendship；　if　you　please；　nothing　more。　I　am　old；　and　you　areold；　but　we　may　live　for　each　other　just　the　same；　as　to　marrying…　no；don't　let　us　appear　ridiculous　at　our　age。〃

And　so　it　happened　that　the　butterfly　got　no　wife　at　all。　He　hadbeen　too　long　choosing；　which　is　always　a　bad　plan。　And　thebutterfly　became　what　is　called　an　old　bachelor。

It　was　late　in　the　autumn；　with　rainy　and　cloudy　weather。　The　coldwind　blew　over　the　bowed　backs　of　the　willows；　so　that　they　creakedagain。　It　was　not　the　weather　for　flying　about　in　summer　clothes；but　fortunately　the　butterfly　was　not　out　in　it。　He　had　got　ashelter　by　chance。　It　was　in　a　room　heated　by　a　stove；　and　as　warmas　summer。　He　could　exist　here；　he　said；　well　enough。

〃But　it　is　not　enough　merely　to　exist；〃　said　he；　〃I　needfreedom；　sunshine；　and　a　little　flower　for　a　panion。〃

Then　he　flew　against　the　window…pane；　and　was　seen　and　admiredby　those　in　the　room；　who　caught　him；　and　stuck　him　on　a　pin；　in　a　boxof　curiosities。　They　could　not　do　more　for　him。

〃Now　I　am　perched　on　a　stalk；　like　the　flowers；〃　said　thebutterfly。　〃It　is　not　very　pleasant；　certainly；　I　should　imagine　it　issomething　like　being　married；　for　here　I　am　stuck　fast。〃　And　with　thisthought　he　consoled　himself　a　little。

〃That　seems　very　poor　consolation；〃　said　one　of　the　plants　inthe　room；　that　grew　in　a　pot。

〃Ah；〃　thought　the　butterfly；　〃one　can't　very　well　trust　theseplants　in　pots；　they　have　too　much　to　do　with　mankind。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　CHILD　IN　THE　GRAVE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IT　was　a　very　sad　day；　and　every　heart　in　the　house　felt　thedeepest　grief；　for　the　youngest　child；　a　boy　of　four　years　old；　thejoy　and　hope　of　his　parents；　was　dead。　Two　daughters；　the　elder　ofwhom　was　going　to　be　confirmed；　still　remained：　they　were　both　good；charming　girls；　but　the　lost　child　always　seems　the　dearest；　andwhen　it　is　youngest；　and　a　son；　it　makes　the　trial　still　more　heavy。The　sisters　mourned　as　young　hearts　can　mourn；　and　were　especiallygrieved　at　the　sight　of　their　parents'　sorrow。　The　father's　heartwas　bowed　down；　but　the　mother　sunk　pletely　under　the　deep　grief。Day　and　night　she　had　attended　to　the　sick　child；　nursing　and　carryingit　in　her　bosom；　as　a　part　of　herself。　She　could　not　realize　thefact　that　the　child　was　dead；　and　must　be　laid　in　a　coffin　to　restin　the　ground。　She　thought　God　could　not　take　her　darling　little　onefrom　her；　and　when　it　did　happen　notwithstanding　her　hopes　and　herbelief；　and　there　could　be　no　more　doubt　on　the　subject；　she　said　inher　feverish　agony；　〃God　does　not　know　it。　He　has　hard…heartedministering　spirits　on　earth；　who　do　according　to　their　own　will；and　heed　not　a　mother's　prayers。〃　Thus　in　her　great　grief　she　fellaway　from　her　faith　in　God；　and　dark　thoughts　arose　in　her　mindrespecting　death　and　a　future　state。　She　tried　to　believe　that　man　wasbut　dust；　and　that　with　his　life　all　existence　ended。　But　these　doubtswere　no　support　to　her；　nothing　on　which　she　could　rest；　and　shesunk　into　the　fathomless　depths　of　despair。　In　her　darkest　hours　sheceased　to　weep；　and　thought　not　of　the　young　daughters　who　werestill　left　to　her。　The　tears　of　her　husband　fell　on　her　forehead；but　she　took　no　notice　of　him；　her　thoughts　were　with　her　deadchild；　her　whole　existence　seemed　wrapped　up　in　the　remembrances　ofthe　little　one　and　of　every　innocent　word　it　had　uttered。

The　day　of　the　little　child's　funeral　came。　For　nightspreviously　the　mother　had　not　slept；　but　in　the　morning　twilight　ofthis　day　she　sunk　from　weariness　into　a　deep　sleep；　in　the　mean　timethe　coffin　was　carried　into　a　distant　room；　and　there　nailed　down；that　she　might　not　hear　the　blows　of　the　hammer。　When　she　awoke；　andwanted　to　see　her　child；　the　husband；　with　tears；　said；　〃We　haveclosed　the　coffin；　it　was　necessary　to　do　so。〃

〃When　God　is　so　hard　to　me；　how　can　I　expect　men　to　be　better？〃she　said　with　groans　and　tears。

The　coffin　was　carried　to　the　grave；　and　the　disconsolate　mothersat　with　her　young　daughters。　She　looked　at　them；　but　she　saw　themnot；　for　her　thoughts　were　far　away　from　the　domestic　hearth。　She　gaveherself　up　to　her　grief；　and　it　tossed　her　to　and　fro；　as　the　seatosses　a　ship　without　pass　or　rudder。　So　the　day　of　the　funeralpassed　away；　and　similar　days　followed；　of　dark；　wearisome　pain。With　tearful　eyes　and　mournful　glances；　the　sorrowing　daughters　andthe　afflicted　husband　looked　upon　her　who　would　not　hear　their　wordsof　fort；　and；　indeed；　what　forting　words　could　they　speak；when　they　were　themselves　so　full　of　grief？　It　seemed　as　if　shewould　never　again　know　sleep；　and　yet　it　would　have　been　her　bestfriend；　one　who　would　have　strengthened　her　body　and　poured　peace　intoher　soul。　They　at　last　persuaded　her　to　lie　down；　and　then　she　wouldlie　as　still　as　if　she　slept。

One　night；　when　her　husband　listened；　as　he　often　did；　to　herbreathing；　he　quite　believed　that　she　had　at　length　found　rest　andrelief　in　sleep。　He　folded　his　arms　and　prayed；　and　soon　sunkhimself　into　healthful　sleep；　therefore　he　did　not　notice　that　hiswife　arose；　threw　on　her　clothes；　and　glided　silently　from　thehouse；　to　go　where　her　thoughts　constantly　lingered…　to　the　grave　ofher　child。　She　passed　through　the　garden；　to　a　path　across　a　fieldthat　led　to　the　churchyard。　No　one　saw　her　as　she　walked；　nor　didshe　see　any　one；　for　her　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　one　object　of　herwanderings。　It　was　a　lovely　starlight　night　in　the　beginning　ofSeptember；　and　the　air　was　mild　and　still。　She　entered　thechurchyard；　and　stood　by　the　little　grave；　which　looked　like　a　largenosegay　of　fragrant　flowers。　She　sat　down；　and　bent　her　head　low　overthe　grave；　as　if　she　could　see　her　child　through　the　earth　thatcovered　him…　her　little　boy；　whose　smile　was　so　vividly　before　her；and　the　gentle　expression　of　whose　eyes；　even　on　his　sick…bed；　shecould　not　forget。　How　full　of　meaning　that　glance　had　been；　as　sheleaned　over　him；　holding　in　hers　the　pale　hand　which　he　had　no　longerstrength　to　raise！　As　she　had　sat　by　his　little　cot；　so　now　she　satby　his　grave；　and　here　she　could　weep　freely；　and　her　tears　fell　uponit。

〃Thou　wouldst　gladly　go　down　and　be　with　thy　child；〃　said　avoice　quite　close　to　her；…　a　voice　that　sounded　so　deep　and　clear；that　it　went　to　her　heart。

She　looked　up；　and　by　her　side　stood　a　man　wrapped　in　a　blackcloak；　with　a　hood　closely　drawn　over　his　face；　but　her　keen　glancecould　distinguish　the　face　under　the　hood。　It　was　stern；　yetawakened　confidence；　and　the　eyes　beamed　with　youthful　radiance。

〃Down　to　my　child；〃　she　repeated；　and　tones　of　despair　andentreaty　sounded　in　the　words。

〃Darest　thou　to　follow　me？〃　asked　the　form。　〃I　am　Death。〃

She　bowed　her　head　in　token　of　assent。　Then　suddenly　it　appearedas　if　all　the　stars　were　shining　with　the　radiance　of　the　full　moon　onthe　many…colored　flowers　that　decked　the　grave。　The　earth　that　coveredit　was　drawn　back　like　a　floating　drapery。　She　sunk　down；　and　thespectre　covered　her　with　a　black　cloak；　night　closed　around　her；　thenight　of　death。　She　sank　deeper　than　the　spade　of　the　sexton　couldperate；　till　the　churchyard　became　a　roof　above　her。　Then　the　cloakwas　removed；　and　she　found　herself　in　a　large　hall；　ofwide…spreading　dimensions；　in　which　there　was　a　subdued　light；　liketwilight；　reigning；　and　in　a　moment　her　child　appeared　before　her；smiling；　and　more　beautiful　than　ever；　with　a　silent　cry　she　pressedhim　to　her　heart。　A　glorious　strain　of　music　sounded…　now　distant；　nownear。　Never　had　she　listened　to　such　tones　as　these；　they　came　frombeyond　a　large　dark　curtain　which　separated　the　regions　of　deathfrom　the　land　of　eternity。

〃My　sweet；　darling　mother；〃　she　heard　the　child　say。　It　was　thewell…known；　beloved　voice；　and　kiss　followed　kiss；　in　boundlessdelight。　Then　the　child　pointed　to　the　dark　curtain。　〃There　is　nothingso　beautiful　on　earth　as　it　is　here。　Mother；　do　you　not　see　themall？　Oh；　it　is　happiness　indeed。〃

But　the　mother　saw　nothing　of　what　the　child　pointed　out；　only　thedark　curtain。　She　looked　with　earthly　eyes；　and　could　not　see　as　thechild　saw；…　he　whom　God　has　called　to　be　with　Himself。　She　couldhear　the　sounds　of　music；　but　she　heard　not　the　words；　the　Word　inwhich　she　was　to　trust。

〃I　can　fly　now；　mother；〃　said　the　child；　〃I　can　fly　with　otherhappy　children　into　the　presence　of　the　Almighty。　I　would　fain　flyaway　now；　but　if　you　weep　for　me　as　you　are　weeping　now；　you　may　neversee　me　again。　And　yet　I　would　go　so　gladl