安徒生童话-第66章

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Carriages　rushed　past；　carriages　rolled　past；　light　ones　and　heavyones　mingled　together。　Omnibuses；　those　over…crowded　moving　houses；came　rattling　by；　horsemen　galloped　among　them；　even　carts　andwagons　asserted　their　rights。

The　Dryad　asked　herself　if　these　high…grown　houses；　which　stood　soclose　around　her；　would　not　remove　and　take　other　shapes；　like　theclouds　in　the　sky；　and　draw　aside；　so　that　she　might　cast　a　glanceinto　Paris；　and　over　it。　Notre　Dame　must　show　itself；　the　VendomeColumn；　and　the　wondrous　building　which　had　called　and　was　stillcalling　so　many　strangers　to　the　city。

But　the　houses　did　not　stir　from　their　places。　It　was　yet　day　whenthe　lamps　were　lit。　The　gas…jets　gleamed　from　the　shops；　and　shoneeven　into　the　branches　of　the　trees；　so　that　it　was　like　sunlight　insummer。　The　stars　above　made　their　appearance；　the　same　to　which　theDryad　had　looked　up　in　her　home。　She　thought　she　felt　a　clear　purestream　of　air　which　went　forth　from　them。　She　felt　herself　lifted　upand　strengthened；　and　felt　an　increased　power　of　seeing　throughevery　leaf　and　through　every　fibre　of　the　root。　Amid　all　the　noise　andthe　turmoil；　the　colors　and　the　lights；　she　knew　herself　watched　bymild　eyes。

From　the　side　streets　sounded　the　merry　notes　of　fiddles　andwind　instruments。　Up！　to　the　dance；　to　the　dance！　to　jollity　andpleasure！　that　was　their　invitation。　Such　music　it　was；　that　horses；carriages；　trees；　and　houses　would　have　danced；　if　they　had　known　how。The　charm　of　intoxicating　delight　filled　the　bosom　of　the　Dryad。

〃How　glorious；　how　splendid　it　is！〃　she　cried；　rejoicingly。　〃Now　Iam　in　Paris！〃

The　next　day　that　dawned；　the　next　night　that　fell；　offered　thesame　spectacle；　similar　bustle；　similar　life；　changing；　indeed；　yetalways　the　same；　and　thus　it　went　on　through　the　sequence　of　days。

〃Now　I　know　every　tree；　every　flower　on　the　square　here！　I　knowevery　house；　every　balcony；　every　shop　in　this　narrow　cut…offcorner；　where　I　am　denied　the　sight　of　this　great　mighty　city。　Whereare　the　arches　of　triumph；　the　Boulevards；　the　wondrous　building　ofthe　world？　I　see　nothing　of　all　this。　As　if　shut　up　in　a　cage；　I　standamong　the　high　houses；　which　I　now　know　by　heart；　with　theirinscriptions；　signs；　and　placards；　all　the　painted　confectionery；　thatis　no　longer　to　my　taste。　Where　are　all　the　things　of　which　I　heard；for　which　I　longed；　and　for　whose　sake　I　wanted　to　e　hither？　whathave　I　seized；　found；　won？　I　feel　the　same　longing　I　felt　before；　Ifeel　that　there　is　a　life　I　should　wish　to　grasp　and　to　experience。I　must　go　out　into　the　ranks　of　living　men；　and　mingle　among　them。　Imust　fly　about　like　a　bird。　I　must　see　and　feel；　and　bee　humanaltogether。　I　must　enjoy　the　one　half…day；　instead　of　vegetating　foryears　in　every…day　sameness　and　weariness；　in　which　I　bee　ill；and　at　last　sink　and　disappear　like　the　dew　on　the　meadows。　I　willgleam　like　the　cloud；　gleam　in　the　sunshine　of　life；　look　out　over　thewhole　like　the　cloud；　and　pass　away　like　it；　no　one　knoweth　whither。〃

Thus　sighed　the　Dryad；　and　she　prayed：

〃Take　from　me　the　years　that　were　destined　for　me；　and　give　me　buthalf　of　the　life　of　the　ephemeral　fly！　Deliver　me　from　my　prison！　Giveme　human　life；　human　happiness；　only　a　short　span；　only　the　one　night；if　it　cannot　be　otherwise；　and　then　punish　me　for　my　wish　to　live；my　longing　for　life！　Strike　me　out　of　thy　list。　Let　my　shell；　thefresh　young　tree；　wither；　or　be　hewn　down；　and　burnt　to　ashes；　andscattered　to　all　the　winds！〃

A　rustling　went　through　the　leaves　of　the　tree；　there　was　atrembling　in　each　of　the　leaves；　it　seemed　as　if　fire　streamed　throughit。　A　gust　of　wind　shook　its　green　crown；　and　from　the　midst　of　thatcrown　a　female　figure　came　forth。　In　the　same　moment　she　was　sittingbeneath　the　brightly…illuminated　leafy　branches；　young　and　beautifulto　behold；　like　poor　Mary；　to　whom　the　clergyman　had　said；　〃Thegreat　city　will　be　thy　destruction。〃

The　Dryad　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　tree…　at　her　house　door；　whichshe　had　locked；　and　whose　key　had　thrown　away。　So　young！　so　fair！The　stars　saw　her；　and　blinked　at　her。　The　gas…lamps　saw　her；　andgleamed　and　beckoned　to　her。　How　delicate　she　was；　and　yet　howblooming！…　a　child；　and　yet　a　grown　maiden！　Her　dress　was　fine　assilk；　green　as　the　freshly…opened　leaves　on　the　crown　of　the　tree；in　her　nut…brown　hair　clung　a　half…opened　chestnut　blossom。　She　lookedlike　the　Goddess　of　Spring。

For　one　short　minute　she　sat　motionless；　then　she　sprang　up；and；　light　as　a　gazelle；　she　hurried　away。　She　ran　and　sprang　like　thereflection　from　the　mirror　that；　carried　by　the　sunshine；　is　cast；　nowhere；　now　there。　Could　any　one　have　followed　her　with　his　eyes；　hewould　have　seen　how　marvellously　her　dress　and　her　form　changed；according　to　the　nature　of　the　house　or　the　place　whose　light　happenedto　shine　upon　her。

She　reached　the　Boulevards。　Here　a　sea　of　light　streamed　forthfrom　the　gas…flames　of　the　lamps；　the　shops　and　the　cafes。　Herestood　in　a　row　young　and　slender　trees；　each　of　which　concealed　itsDryad；　and　gave　shade　from　the　artificial　sunlight。　The　whole　vastpavement　was　one　great　festive　hall；　where　covered　tables　stoodladen　with　refreshments　of　all　kinds；　from　champagne　and　Chartreusedown　to　coffee　and　beer。　Here　was　an　exhibition　of　flowers；　statues；books；　and　colored　stuffs。

From　the　crowd　close　by　the　lofty　houses　she　looked　forth　over　theterrific　stream　beyond　the　rows　of　trees。　Yonder　heaved　a　stream　ofrolling　carriages；　cabriolets；　coaches；　omnibuses；　cabs；　and　amongthem　riding　gentlemen　and　marching　troops。　To　cross　to　the　oppositeshore　was　an　undertaking　fraught　with　danger　to　life　and　limb。　Nowlanterns　shed　their　radiance　abroad；　now　the　gas　had　the　upper　hand；suddenly　a　rocket　rises！　Whence？　Whither？

Here　are　sounds　of　soft　Italian　melodies；　yonder；　Spanish　songsare　sung；　acpanied　by　the　rattle　of　the　castas；　but　strongest　ofall；　and　predominating　over　the　rest；　the　street…organ　tunes　of　themoment；　the　exciting　〃Can…Can〃　music；　which　Orpheus　never　knew；　andwhich　was　never　heard　by　the　〃Belle　Helene。〃　Even　the　barrow　wastempted　to　hop　upon　one　of　its　wheels。

The　Dryad　danced；　floated；　flew；　changing　her　color　everymoment；　like　a　humming…bird　in　the　sunshine；　each　house；　with　theworld　belonging　to　it；　gave　her　its　own　reflections。

As　the　glowing　lotus…flower；　torn　from　its　stem；　is　carried　awayby　the　stream；　so　the　Dryad　drifted　along。　Whenever　she　paused；　shewas　another　being；　so　that　none　was　able　to　follow　her；　to　recognizeher；　or　to　look　more　closely　at　her。

Like　cloud…pictures；　all　things　flew　by　her。　She　looked　into　athousand　faces；　but　not　one　was　familiar　to　her；　she　saw　not　asingle　form　from　home。　Two　bright　eyes　had　remained　in　her　memory。　Shethought　of　Mary；　poor　Mary；　the　ragged　merry　child；　who　wore　the　redflowers　in　her　black　hair。　Mary　was　now　here；　in　the　world…city；rich　and　magnificent　as　in　that　day　when　she　drove　past　the　house　ofthe　old　clergyman；　and　past　the　tree　of　the　Dryad；　the　old　oak。

Here　she　was　certainly　living；　in　the　deafening　tumult。　Perhapsshe　had　just　stepped　out　of　one　of　the　gorgeous　carriages　inwaiting。　Handsome　equipages；　with　coachmen　in　gold　braid　and　footmenin　silken　hose；　drove　up。　The　people　who　alighted　from　them　were　allrichly…dressed　ladies。　They　went　through　the　opened　gate；　and　ascendedthe　broad　staircase　that　led　to　a　building　resting　on　marblepillars。　Was　this　building；　perhaps；　the　wonder　of　the　world？　ThereMary　would　certainly　be　found。

〃Sancta　Maria！〃　resounded　from　the　interior。　Incense　floatedthrough　the　lofty　painted　and　gilded　aisles；　where　a　solemn　twilightreigned。

It　was　the　Church　of　the　Madeleine。

Clad　in　black　garments　of　the　most　costly　stuffs；　fashionedaccording　to　the　latest　mode；　the　rich　feminine　world　of　Parisglided　across　the　shining　pavement。　The　crests　of　the　proprietors　wereengraved　on　silver　shields　on　the　velvet…bound　prayer…books；　andembroidered　in　the　corners　of　perfumed　handkerchiefs　bordered　withBrussels　lace。　A　few　of　the　ladies　were　kneeling　in　silent　prayerbefore　the　altars；　others　resorted　to　the　confessionals。

Anxiety　and　fear　took　possession　of　the　Dryad；　she　felt　as　ifshe　had　entered　a　place　where　she　had　no　right　to　be。　Here　was　theabode　of　silence；　the　hall　of　secrets。　Everything　was　said　inwhispers；　every　word　was　a　mystery。

The　Dryad　saw　herself　enveloped　in　lace　and　silk；　like　the　womenof　wealth　and　of　high　birth　around　her。　Had；　perhaps；　every　one　ofthem　a　longing　in　her　breast；　like　the　Dryad？

A　deep；　painful　sigh　was　heard。　Did　it　escape　from　someconfessional　in　a　distant　corner；　or　from　the　bosom　of　the　Dryad？She　drew　the　veil　closer　around　her；　she　breathed　incense；　and　not　thefresh　air。　Here　was　not　the　abiding…place　of　her　longing。

Away！　away…　a　hastening　without　rest。　The　ephemeral　fly　knowsnot　repose；　for　her　existence　is　flight。

She　was　out　again　among　the　gas　candelabra；　by　a　magnificentfountain。

〃All　its　streaming　waters　are　not　able　to　wash　out　the　innocentblood　that　was　spilt　here。〃

Such　were　the　words　spoken。　Strangers　stood　around；　carrying　ona　lively　conversation；　such　as　no　one　would　have　dared　to　carry　onin　the　gorgeous　hall　of　secrets　whence　the　Dryad　came。

A　heavy　stone　slab　was　turned　and　then　lifted。　She　did　notunders