安徒生童话-第7章

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and　looked　like　rays　of　light　rolling　and　dancing　afarover　the　heath。

〃That　is　Lokeman　driving　his　sheep；〃　said　some　one。

And　this　was　enough　to　excite　Jurgen's　imagination。　He　felt　asif　they　were　now　about　to　enter　fairyland；　though　everything　was　stillreal。　How　quiet　it　was！　The　heath　stretched　far　and　wide　around　themlike　a　beautiful　carpet。　The　heather　was　in　blossom；　and　thejuniper…bushes　and　fresh　oak　saplings　rose　like　bouquets　from　theearth。　An　inviting　place　for　a　frolic；　if　it　had　not　been　for　thenumber　of　poisonous　adders　of　which　the　travellers　spoke；　they　alsomentioned　that　the　place　had　formerly　been　infested　with　wolves；　andthat　the　district　was　still　called　Wolfsborg　for　this　reason。　Theold　man　who　was　driving　the　oxen　told　them　that　in　the　lifetime　of　hisfather　the　horses　had　many　a　hard　battle　with　the　wild　beasts　thatwere　now　exterminated。　One　morning；　when　he　himself　had　gone　out　tobring　in　the　horses；　he　found　one　of　them　standing　with　its　forefeeton　a　wolf　it　had　killed；　but　the　savage　animal　had　torn　andlacerated　the　brave　horse's　legs。

The　journey　over　the　heath　and　the　deep　sand　was　only　tooquickly　at　an　end。　They　stopped　before　the　house　of　mourning；　wherethey　found　plenty　of　guests　within　and　without。　Waggon　after　waggonstood　side　by　side；　while　the　horses　and　oxen　had　been　turned　out　tograze　on　the　scanty　pasture。　Great　sand…hills　like　those　at　home　bythe　North　Sea　rose　behind　the　house　and　extended　far　and　wide。　How　hadthey　e　here；　so　many　miles　inland？　They　were　as　large　and　high　asthose　on　the　coast；　and　the　wind　had　carried　them　there；　there　wasalso　a　legend　attached　to　them。

Psalms　were　sung；　and　a　few　of　the　old　people　shed　tears；　withthis　exception；　the　guests　were　cheerful　enough；　it　seemed　toJurgen；　and　there　was　plenty　to　eat　and　drink。　There　were　eels　ofthe　fattest；　requiring　brandy　to　bury　them；　as　the　eel…breeder　said；and　certainly　they　did　not　forget　to　carry　out　his　maxim　here。

Jurgen　went　in　and　out　the　house；　and　on　the　third　day　he　feltas　much　at　home　as　he　did　in　the　fisherman's　cottage　among　thesand…hills；　where　he　had　passed　his　early　days。　Here　on　the　heath　wereriches　unknown　to　him　until　now；　for　flowers；　blackberries；　andbilberries　were　to　be　found　in　profusion；　so　large　and　sweet　that　whenthey　were　crushed　beneath　the　tread　of　passers…by　the　heather　wasstained　with　their　red　juice。　Here　was　a　barrow　and　yonder　another。Then　columns　of　smoke　rose　into　the　still　air；　it　was　a　heath　fire；they　told　him…　how　brightly　it　blazed　in　the　dark　evening！

The　fourth　day　came；　and　the　funeral　festivities　were　at　an　end；they　were　to　go　back　from　the　land…dunes　to　the　sand…dunes。

〃Ours　are　better；〃　said　the　old　fisherman；　Jurgen's　foster…father；〃these　have　no　strength。〃

And　they　spoke　of　the　way　in　which　the　sand…dunes　had　e　inland；and　it　seemed　very　easy　to　understand。　This　is　how　they　explained　it：

A　dead　body　had　been　found　on　the　coast；　and　the　peasants　buriedit　in　the　churchyard。　From　that　time　the　sand　began　to　fly　about　andthe　sea　broke　in　with　violence。　A　wise　man　in　the　district　advisedthem　to　open　the　grave　and　see　if　the　buried　man　was　not　lying　suckinghis　thumb；　for　if　so　he　must　be　a　sailor；　and　the　sea　would　not　restuntil　it　had　got　him　back。　The　grave　was　opened；　and　he　really　wasfound　with　his　thumb　in　his　mouth。　So　they　laid　him　upon　a　cart；　andharnessed　two　oxen　to　it；　and　the　oxen　ran　off　with　the　sailor　overheath　and　moor　to　the　ocean；　as　if　they　had　been　stung　by　an　adder。Then　the　sand　ceased　to　fly　inland；　but　the　hills　that　had　beenpiled　up　still　remained。

All　this　Jurgen　listened　to　and　treasured　up　in　his　memory　ofthe　happiest　days　of　his　childhood…　the　days　of　the　burial　feast。

How　delightful　it　was　to　see　fresh　places　and　to　mix　withstrangers！　And　he　was　to　go　still　farther；　for　he　was　not　yet　fourteenyears　old　when　he　went　out　in　a　ship　to　see　the　world。　Heencountered　bad　weather；　heavy　seas；　unkindness；　and　hard　men…　suchwere　his　experiences；　for　he　became　ship…boy。　Cold　nights；　bad　living；and　blows　had　to　be　endured；　then　he　felt　his　noble　Spanish　blood　boilwithin　him；　and　bitter；　angry；　words　rose　to　his　lips；　but　he　gulpedthem　down；　it　was　better；　although　he　felt　as　the　eel　must　feel　whenit　is　skinned；　cut　up；　and　put　into　the　frying…pan。

〃I　shall　get　over　it；〃　said　a　voice　within　him。

He　saw　the　Spanish　coast；　the　native　land　of　his　parents。　Heeven　saw　the　town　where　they　had　lived　in　joy　and　prosperity；　but　heknew　nothing　of　his　home　or　his　relations；　and　his　relations　knew　justas　little　about　him。

The　poor　ship　boy　was　not　permitted　to　land；　but　on　the　last　dayof　their　stay　he　managed　to　get　ashore。　There　were　several　purchasesto　be　made；　and　he　was　sent　to　carry　them　on　board。

Jurgen　stood　there　in　his　shabby　clothes　which　looked　as　if　theyhad　been　washed　in　the　ditch　and　dried　in　the　chimney；　he；　who　hadalways　dwelt　among　the　sand…hills；　now　saw　a　great　city　for　thefirst　time。　How　lofty　the　houses　seemed；　and　what　a　number　of　peoplethere　were　in　the　streets！　some　pushing　this　way；　some　that…　a　perfectmaelstrom　of　citizens　and　peasants；　monks　and　soldiers…　the　jinglingof　bells　on　the　trappings　of　asses　and　mules；　the　chiming　of　churchbells；　calling；　shouting；　hammering　and　knocking…　all　going　on　atonce。　Every　trade　was　located　in　the　basement　of　the　houses　or　inthe　side　thoroughfares；　and　the　sun　shone　with　such　heat；　and　theair　was　so　close；　that　one　seemed　to　be　in　an　oven　full　of　beetles；cockchafers；　bees　and　flies；　all　humming　and　buzzing　together。Jurgen　scarcely　knew　where　he　was　or　which　way　he　went。　Then　he　sawjust　in　front　of　him　the　great　doorway　of　a　cathedral；　the　lights　weregleaming　in　the　dark　aisles；　and　the　fragrance　of　incense　was　waftedtowards　him。　Even　the　poorest　beggar　ventured　up　the　steps　into　thesanctuary。　Jurgen　followed　the　sailor　he　was　with　into　the　church；　andstood　in　the　sacred　edifice。　Coloured　pictures　gleamed　from　theirgolden　background；　and　on　the　altar　stood　the　figure　of　the　Virginwith　the　child　Jesus；　surrounded　by　lights　and　flowers；　priests　infestive　robes　were　chanting；　and　choir　boys　in　dazzling　attire　swungsilver　censers。　What　splendour　and　magnificence　he　saw　there！　Itstreamed　in　upon　his　soul　and　overpowered　him：　the　church　and　thefaith　of　his　parents　surrounded　him；　and　touched　a　chord　in　hisheart　that　caused　his　eyes　to　overflow　with　tears。

They　went　from　the　church　to　the　market…place。　Here　a　quantityof　provisions　were　given　him　to　carry。　The　way　to　the　harbour　waslong；　and　weary　and　overe　with　various　emotions；　he　rested　for　afew　moments　before　a　splendid　house；　with　marble　pillars；　statues；　andbroad　steps。　Here　he　rested　his　burden　against　the　wall。　Then　a　porterin　livery　came　out；　lifted　up　a　silver…headed　cane；　and　drove　himaway…　him；　the　grandson　of　that　house。　But　no　one　knew　that；　and　hejust　as　little　as　any　one。　Then　he　went　on　board　again；　and　oncemore　encountered　rough　words　and　blows；　much　work　and　little　sleep…such　was　his　experience　of　life。　They　say　it　is　good　to　suffer　inone's　young　days；　if　age　brings　something　to　make　up　for　it。

His　period　of　service　on　board　the　ship　came　to　an　end；　and　thevessel　lay　once　more　at　Ringkjobing　in　Jutland。　He　came　ashore；　andwent　home　to　the　sand…dunes　near　Hunsby；　but　his　foster…mother　haddied　during　his　absence。

A　hard　winter　followed　this　summer。　Snow…storms　swept　over　landand　sea；　and　there　was　difficulty　in　getting　from　one　place　toanother。　How　unequally　things　are　distributed　in　this　world！　Herethere　was　bitter　cold　and　snow…storms；　while　in　Spain　there　wasburning　sunshine　and　oppressive　heat。　Yet；　when　a　clear　frosty　daycame；　and　Jurgen　saw　the　swans　flying　in　numbers　from　the　seatowards　the　land；　across　to　Norre…Vosborg；　it　seemed　to　him　thatpeople　could　breathe　more　freely　here；　the　summer　also　in　this　part　ofthe　world　was　splendid。　In　imagination　he　saw　the　heath　blossom　andbee　purple　with　rich　juicy　berries；　and　the　elder…bushes　andlime…trees　at　Norre　Vosborg　in　flower。　He　made　up　his　mind　to　go　thereagain。

Spring　came；　and　the　fishing　began。　Jurgen　was　now　an　activehelper　in　this；　for　he　had　grown　during　the　last　year；　and　was　quickat　work。　He　was　full　of　life；　and　knew　how　to　swim；　to　tread　water；and　to　turn　over　and　tumble　in　the　strong　tide。　They　often　warnedhim　to　beware　of　the　sharks；　which　seize　the　best　swimmer；　draw　himdown；　and　devour　him；　but　such　was　not　to　be　Jurgen's　fate。

At　a　neighbour's　house　in　the　dunes　there　was　a　boy　namedMartin；　with　whom　Jurgen　was　on　very　friendly　terms；　and　they　bothtook　service　in　the　same　ship　to　Norway；　and　also　went　together　toHolland。　They　never　had　a　quarrel；　but　a　person　can　be　easilyexcited　to　quarrel　when　he　is　naturally　hot　tempered；　for　he　oftenshows　it　in　many　ways；　and　this　is　just　what　Jurgen　did　one　day　whenthey　fell　out　about　the　merest　trifle。　They　were　sitting　behind　thecabin　door；　eating　from　a　delft　plate；　which　they　had　placed　betweenthem。　Jurgen　held　his　pocket…knife　in　his　hand　and　raised　it　towardsMartin；　and　at　the　same　time　became　ashy　pale；　and　his　eyes　had　anugly　look。　Martin　only　said；　〃Ah！　ah！　you　are　one　of　that　sort；　areyou？　Fond　of　using　the　knife！〃

The　words　were　scarcely　spoken；　when　Jurgen's　hand　sank　down。　Hedid　not　answer