安徒生童话-第84章

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　we　may　be　allowed　to　guess　at　it。Charlotte　blushed　to　guess　at　it。　She　reddened　from　brow　to　neck；and　answered　not　a　single　word；　and　then　strangers　came　into　the　room；and　one　of　them　was　the　state　councillor's　son。　He　had　a　lofty　whiteforehead；　and　carried　it　so　high　that　it　seemed　to　go　back　into　hisneck。　And　Peter　sat　by　her　a　long　time；　and　she　looked　at　him　withgentle　eyes。

At　home　that　evening　he　spoke　of　travel　in　the　wide　world；　andof　the　golden　treasure　that　lay　hidden　for　him　in　his　violin。

〃To　be　famous！〃

〃Tum…me…lum；　tum…me…lum；　tum…me…lum！〃　said　the　Fire…drum。　〃Peterhas　gone　clear　out　of　his　wits。　I　think　there　must　be　a　fire　in　thehouse。〃

Next　day　the　mother　went　to　market。

〃Shall　I　tell　you　news；　Peter？〃　she　asked　when　she　came　home。　〃Acapital　piece　of　news。　Burgomaster's　Charlotte　has　engaged　herselfto　the　state　councillor's　son；　the　betrothal　took　place　yesterdayevening。〃

〃No！〃　cried　Peter；　and　he　sprang　up　from　his　chair。　But　his　motherpersisted　in　saying　〃Yes。〃　She　had　heard　it　from　the　baker's　wife；whose　husband　had　it　from　the　burgomaster's　own　mouth

And　Peter　became　as　pale　as　death；　and　sat　down　again。

〃Good　Heaven！　what's　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　his　mother。

〃Nothing；　nothing；　only　leave　me　to　myself；〃　he　answered　but　thetears　were　running　down　his　cheeks。

〃My　sweet　child；　my　golden　treasure！〃　cried　the　mother；　and　shewept；　but　the　Fire…drum　sang；　not　out　loud；　but　inwardly。

〃Charlotte's　gone！　Charlotte's　gone！　and　now　the　song　is　done。〃

But　the　song　was　not　done；　there　were　many　more　verses　in　it；　longverses；　the　most　beautiful　verses；　the　golden　treasures　of　a　life。

〃She　behaves　like　a　mad　woman；〃　said　the　neighbor's　wife。　〃All　theworld　is　to　see　the　letters　she　gets　from　her　golden　treasure；　andto　read　the　words　that　are　written　in　the　papers　about　his　violinplaying。　And　he　sends　her　money　too；　and　that's　very　useful　to　hersince　she　has　been　a　widow。〃

〃He　plays　before　emperors　and　kings；〃　said　the　town　musician。　〃Inever　had　that　fortune；　but　he's　my　pupil；　and　he　does　not　forgethis　old　master。〃

And　his　mother　said；

〃His　father　dreamt　that　Peter　came　home　from　the　war　with　a　silvercross。　He　did　not　gain　one　in　the　war；　but　it　is　still　moredifficult　to　gain　one　in　this　way。　Now　he　has　the　cross　of　honor。　Ifhis　father　had　only　lived　to　see　it！〃

〃He's　grown　famous！〃　said　the　Fire…drum；　and　all　his　native　townsaid　the　same　thing；　for　the　drummer's　son；　Peter　with　the　red　hair…Peter　whom　they　had　known　as　a　little　boy；　running　about　in　woodenshoes；　and　then　as　a　drummer；　playing　for　the　dancers…　was　beefamous！

〃He　played　at　our　house　before　he　played　in　the　presence　ofkings；〃　said　the　burgomaster's　wife。　〃At　that　time　he　was　quitesmitten　with　Charlotte。　He　was　always　of　an　aspiring　turn。　At　thattime　he　was　saucy　and　an　enthusiast。　My　husband　laughed　when　heheard　of　the　foolish　affair；　and　now　our　Charlotte　is　a　statecouncillor's　wife。〃

A　golden　treasure　had　been　hidden　in　the　heart　and　soul　of　thepoor　child；　who　had　beaten　the　roll　as　a　drummer…　a　roll　of　victoryfor　those　who　had　been　ready　to　retreat。　There　was　a　golden　treasurein　his　bosom；　the　power　of　sound；　it　burst　forth　on　his　violin　as　ifthe　instrument　had　been　a　plete　organ；　and　as　if　all　the　elves　of　amidsummer　night　were　dancing　across　the　strings。　In　its　sounds　wereheard　the　piping　of　the　thrush　and　the　full　clear　note　of　the　humanvoice；　therefore　the　sound　brought　rapture　to　every　heart；　and　carriedhis　name　triumphant　through　the　land。　That　was　a　great　firebrand…the　firebrand　of　inspiration。

〃And　then　he　looks　so　splendid！〃　said　the　young　ladies　and　the　oldladies　too；　and　the　oldest　of　all　procured　an　album　for　famous　locksof　hair；　wholly　and　solely　that　she　might　beg　a　lock　of　his　richsplendid　hair；　that　treasure；　that　golden　treasure。

And　the　son　came　into　the　poor　room　of　the　drummer；　elegant　as　aprince；　happier　than　a　king。　His　eyes　were　as　clear　and　his　face　wasas　radiant　as　sunshine；　and　he　held　his　mother　in　his　arms；　and　shekissed　his　mouth；　and　wept　as　blissfully　as　any　one　can　weep　forjoy；　and　he　nodded　at　every　old　piece　of　furniture　in　the　room；　at　thecupboard　with　the　tea…cups；　and　at　the　flower…vase。　He　nodded　at　thesleeping…bench；　where　he　had　slept　as　a　little　boy；　but　the　oldFire…drum　he　brought　out；　and　dragged　it　into　the　middle　of　theroom；　and　said　to　it　and　to　his　mother：

〃My　father　would　have　beaten　a　famous　roll　this　evening。　Now　Imust　do　it！〃

And　he　beat　a　thundering　roll…call　on　the　instrument；　and　the　Drumfelt　so　highly　honored　that　the　parchment　burst　with　exultation。

〃He　has　a　splendid　touch！〃　said　the　Drum。　〃I've　a　remembrance　ofhim　now　that　will　last。　I　expect　that　the　same　thing　will　happen　tohis　mother；　from　pure　joy　over　her　golden　treasure。〃

And　this　is　the　story　of　the　Golden　Treasure。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　GOLOSHES　OF　FORTUNE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

A　BEGINNING

IN　a　house　in　Copenhagen；　not　far　from　the　king's　new　market；　avery　large　party　had　assembled；　the　host　and　his　family　expecting；no　doubt；　to　receive　invitations　in　return。　One　half　of　the　panywere　already　seated　at　the　card…tables；　the　other　half　seemed　to　bewaiting　the　result　of　their　hostess's　question；　〃Well；　how　shall　weamuse　ourselves？〃

Conversation　followed；　which；　after　a　while；　began　to　prove　veryentertaining。　Among　other　subjects；　it　turned　upon　the　events　of　themiddle　ages；　which　some　persons　maintained　were　more　full　ofinterest　than　our　own　times。　Counsellor　Knapp　defended　this　opinion　sowarmly　that　the　lady　of　the　house　immediately　went　over　to　his　side；and　both　exclaimed　against　Oersted's　Essays　on　Ancient　and　ModernTimes；　in　which　the　preference　is　given　to　our　own。　The　counsellorconsidered　the　times　of　the　Danish　king；　Hans；　as　the　noblest　andhappiest。

The　conversation　on　this　topic　was　only　interrupted　for　a　momentby　the　arrival　of　a　newspaper；　which　did　not；　however；　contain　muchworth　reading；　and　while　it　is　still　going　on　we　will　pay　a　visit　tothe　ante…room；　in　which　cloaks；　sticks；　and　goloshes　were　carefullyplaced。　Here　sat　two　maidens；　one　young；　and　the　other　old；　as　if　theyhad　e　and　were　waiting　to　acpany　their　mistresses　home；　but　onlooking　at　them　more　closely；　it　could　easily　be　seen　that　they　wereno　mon　servants。　Their　shapes　were　too　graceful；　theirplexions　too　delicate；　and　the　cut　of　their　dresses　much　tooelegant。　They　were　two　fairies。　The　younger　was　not　Fortune　herself；but　the　chambermaid　of　one　of　Fortune's　attendants；　who　carriesabout　her　more　trifling　gifts。　The　elder　one；　who　was　named　Care；looked　rather　gloomy；　she　always　goes　about　to　perform　her　ownbusiness　in　person；　for　then　she　knows　it　is　properly　done。　Theywere　telling　each　other　where　they　had　been　during　the　day。　Themessenger　of　Fortune　had　only　transacted　a　few　unimportant　matters；for　instance；　she　had　preserved　a　new　bon　from　a　shower　of　rain；and　obtained　for　an　honest　man　a　bow　from　a　titled　nobody；　and　soon；　but　she　had　something　extraordinary　to　relate；　after　all。

〃I　must　tell　you；〃　said　she；　〃that　to…day　is　my　birthday；　and　inhonor　of　it　I　have　been　intrusted　with　a　pair　of　goloshes；　tointroduce　amongst　mankind。　These　goloshes　have　the　property　ofmaking　every　one　who　puts　them　on　imagine　himself　in　any　place　hewishes；　or　that　he　exists　at　any　period。　Every　wish　is　fulfilled　atthe　moment　it　is　expressed；　so　that　for　once　mankind　have　the　chanceof　being　happy。〃

No；〃　replied　Care；　〃you　may　depend　upon　it　that　whoever　puts　onthose　goloshes　will　be　very　unhappy；　and　bless　the　moment　in　whichhe　can　get　rid　of　them。〃

〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　replied　the　other。　〃Now　see；　I　willplace　them　by　the　door；　some　one　will　take　them　instead　of　his　own；and　he　will　be　the　happy　man。〃

This　was　the　end　of　their　conversation。COUNSELLOR

　　WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　THE　COUNSELLOR

IT　was　late　when　Counsellor　Knapp；　lost　in　thought　about　the　timesof　King　Hans；　desired　to　return　home；　and　fate　so　ordered　it　that　heput　on　the　goloshes　of　Fortune　instead　of　his　own；　and　walked　out　intothe　East　Street。　Through　the　magic　power　of　the　goloshes；　he　was　atonce　carried　back　three　hundred　years；　to　the　times　of　King　Hans；for　which　he　had　been　longing　when　he　put　them　on。　Therefore　heimmediately　set　his　foot　into　the　mud　and　mire　of　the　street；　which　inthose　days　possessed　no　pavement。

〃Why；　this　is　horrible；　how　dreadfully　dirty　it　is！〃　said　thecounsellor；　and　the　whole　pavement　has　vanished；　and　the　lamps　are　allout。〃

The　moon　had　not　yet　risen　high　enough　to　perate　the　thickfoggy　air；　and　all　the　objects　around　him　were　confused　together　inthe　darkness。　At　the　nearest　corner；　a　lamp　hung　before　a　picture　ofthe　Madonna；　but　the　light　it　gave　was　almost　useless；　for　he　onlyperceived　it　when　he　came　quite　close　and　his　eyes　fell　on　the　paintedfigures　of　the　Mother　and　Child。

〃That　is　most　likely　a　museum　of　art；〃　thought　he；　〃and　theyhave　forgotten　to　take　down　the　sign。〃

Two　men；　in　the　dress　of　olden　times；　passed　by　him。

〃What　odd　figures！〃　thought　he；　〃they　must　be　returning　fromsome　masquerade。〃

Suddenly　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　drum　and　fifes；　and　then　ablazing　light　from　torches　shone　upon　him。　The　counsellor　sta