安徒生童话-第107部分

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；　and　deep　furrows　showed　themselves　around　histemples；　his　skin　turned　pale　and　yellow；　while　his　eyes　stilllooked　eagerly　for　gold；　the　longed…for　gold；　and　the　result　of　hislabor　was　debt　instead　of　gain。　I　blew　the　smoke　and　ashes　into　hisface　and　beard；　I　moaned　through　the　broken　window…panes；　and　theyawning　clefts　in　the　walls；　I　blew　into　the　chests　and　drawersbelonging　to　his　daughters；　wherein　lay　the　clothes　that　had　beefaded　and　threadbare；　from　being　worn　over　and　over　again。　Such　a　songhad　not　been　sung；　at　the　children's　cradle　as　I　sung　now。　Thelordly　life　had　changed　to　a　life　of　penury。　I　was　the　only　one　whorejoiced　aloud　in　that　castle；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃At　last　I　snowedthem　up；　and　they　say　snow　keeps　people　warm。　It　was　good　for　them；for　they　had　no　wood；　and　the　forest；　from　which　they　might　haveobtained　it；　had　been　cut　down。　The　frost　was　very　bitter；　and　Irushed　through　loop…holes　and　passages；　over　gables　and　roofs　withkeen　and　cutting　swiftness。　The　three　high…born　daughters　were　lyingin　bed　because　of　the　cold；　and　their　father　crouching　beneath　hisleather　coverlet。　Nothing　to　eat；　nothing　to　burn；　no　fire　on　thehearth！　Here　was　a　life　for　high…born　people！　'Give　it　up；　give　itup！'　But　my　Lord　Daa　would　not　do　that。　'After　winter；　spring　wille；'　he　said；　'after　want；　good　times。　We　must　not　lose　patience；　wemust　learn　to　wait。　Now　my　horses　and　lands　are　all　mortgaged；　it　isindeed　high　time；　but　gold　will　e　at　last…　at　Easter。'

〃I　heard　him　as　he　thus　spoke；　he　was　looking　at　a　spider's　web；and　he　continued；　'Thou　cunning　little　weaver；　thou　dost　teach　meperseverance。　Let　any　one　tear　thy　web；　and　thou　wilt　begin　againand　repair　it。　Let　it　be　entirely　destroyed；　thou　wilt　resolutelybegin　to　make　another　till　it　is　pleted。　So　ought　we　to　do；　if　wewish　to　succeed　at　last。'

〃It　was　the　morning　of　Easter…day。　The　bells　sounded　from　theneighboring　church；　and　the　sun　seemed　to　rejoice　in　the　sky。　Themaster　of　the　castle　had　watched　through　the　night；　in　feverishexcitement；　and　had　been　melting　and　cooling；　distilling　and　mixing。　Iheard　him　sighing　like　a　soul　in　despair；　I　heard　him　praying；　and　Inoticed　how　he　held　his　breath。　The　lamp　burnt　out；　but　he　did　notobserve　it。　I　blew　up　the　fire　in　the　coals　on　the　hearth；　and　itthrew　a　red　glow　on　his　ghastly　white　face；　lighting　it　up　with　aglare；　while　his　sunken　eyes　looked　out　wildly　from　their　cavernousdepths；　and　appeared　to　grow　larger　and　more　prominent；　as　if　theywould　burst　from　their　sockets。　'Look　at　the　alchymic　glass；'　hecried；　'something　glows　in　the　crucible；　pure　and　heavy。'　He　lifted　itwith　a　trembling　hand；　and　exclaimed　in　a　voice　of　agitation；　'Gold！gold！'　He　was　quite　giddy；　I　could　have　blown　him　down；〃　said　theWind；　〃but　I　only　fanned　the　glowing　coals；　and　acpanied　himthrough　the　door　to　the　room　where　his　daughter　sat　shivering。　Hiscoat　was　powdered　with　ashes；　and　there　were　ashes　in　his　beard　and　inhis　tangled　hair。　He　stood　erect；　and　held　high　in　the　air　the　brittleglass　that　contained　his　costly　treasure。　'Found！　found！　Gold！gold！'　he　shouted；　again　holding　the　glass　aloft；　that　it　mightflash　in　the　sunshine；　but　his　hand　trembled；　and　the　alchymic　glassfell　from　it；　clattering　to　the　ground；　and　brake　in　a　thousandpieces。　The　last　bubble　of　his　happiness　had　burst；　with　a　whiz　anda　whir；　and　I　rushed　away　from　the　gold…maker's　house。

〃Late　in　the　autumn；　when　the　days　were　short；　and　the　mistsprinkled　cold　drops　on　the　berries　and　the　leafless　branches；　Icame　back　in　fresh　spirits；　rushed　through　the　air；　swept　the　skyclear；　and　snapped　off　the　dry　twigs；　which　is　certainly　no　greatlabor　to　do；　yet　it　must　be　done。　There　was　another　kind　of　sweepingtaking　place　at　Waldemar　Daa's；　in　the　castle　of　Borreby。　His　enemy；Owe　Ramel；　of　Basnas；　was　there；　with　the　mortgage　of　the　house　andeverything　it　contained；　in　his　pocket。　I　rattled　the　brokenwindows；　beat　against　the　old　rotten　doors；　and　whistled　throughcracks　and　crevices；　so　that　Mr。　Owe　Ramel　did　not　much　like　to　remainthere。　Ida　and　Anna　Dorothea　wept　bitterly；　Joanna　stood；　pale　andproud；　biting　her　lips　till　the　blood　came；　but　what　could　that　avail？Owe　Ramel　offered　Waldemar　Daa　permission　to　remain　in　the　housetill　the　end　of　his　life。　No　one　thanked　him　for　the　offer；　and　Isaw　the　ruined　old　gentleman　lift　his　head；　and　throw　it　back　moreproudly　than　ever。　Then　I　rushed　against　the　house　and　the　oldlime…trees　with　such　force；　that　one　of　the　thickest　branches；　adecayed　one；　was　broken　off；　and　the　branch　fell　at　the　entrance；and　remained　there。　It　might　have　been　used　as　a　broom；　if　any　one　hadwanted　to　sweep　the　place　out；　and　a　grand　sweeping…out　there　reallywas；　I　thought　it　would　be　so。　It　was　hard　for　any　one　to　preserveposure　on　such　a　day；　but　these　people　had　strong　wills；　asunbending　as　their　hard　fortune。　There　was　nothing　they　could　calltheir　own；　excepting　the　clothes　they　wore。　Yes；　there　was　one　thingmore；　an　alchymist's　glass；　a　new　one；　which　had　been　lately　bought；and　filled　with　what　could　be　gathered　from　the　ground　of　the　treasurewhich　had　promised　so　much　but　failed　in　keeping　its　promise。　WaldemarDaa　hid　the　glass　in　his　bosom；　and；　taking　his　stick　in　his　hand；　theonce　rich　gentleman　passed　with　his　daughters　out　of　the　house　ofBorreby。　I　blew　coldly　upon　his　flustered　cheeks；　I　stroked　his　graybeard　and　his　long　white　hair；　and　I　sang　as　well　as　I　was　able；'Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r。　Gone　away！　Gone　away！'　Ida　walked　on　one　sideof　the　old　man；　and　Anna　Dorothea　on　the　other；　Joanna　turned　round；as　they　left　the　entrance。　Why？　Fortune　would　not　turn　because　sheturned。　She　looked　at　the　stone　in　the　walls　which　had　once　formedpart　of　the　castle　of　Marck　Stig；　and　perhaps　she　thought　of　hisdaughters　and　of　the　old　song；…

　　　〃The　eldest　and　youngest；　hand…in…hand；

Went　forth　alone　to　a　distant　land。〃These　were　only　two；　here　there　were　three；　and　their　father　with　themalso。　They　walked　along　the　high…road；　where　once　they　had　driven　intheir　splendid　carriage；　they　went　forth　with　their　father　as　beggars。They　wandered　across　an　open　field　to　a　mud　hut；　which　they　rented　fora　dollar　and　a　half　a　year；　a　new　home；　with　bare　walls　and　emptycupboards。　Crows　and　magpies　fluttered　about　them；　and　cried；　as　if　incontempt；　'Caw；　caw；　turned　out　of　our　nest…　caw；　caw；'　as　they　haddone　in　the　wood　at　Borreby；　when　the　trees　were　felled。　Daa　and　hisdaughters　could　not　help　hearing　it；　so　I　blew　about　their　ears　todrown　the　noise；　what　use　was　it　that　they　should　listen？　So　they　wentto　live　in　the　mud　hut　in　the　open　field；　and　I　wandered　away；　overmoor　and　meadow；　through　bare　bushes　and　leafless　forests；　to　the　opensea；　to　the　broad　shores　in　other　lands；　'Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r！　Away；away！'　year　after　year。〃

And　what　became　of　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　daughters？　Listen；　theWind　will　tell　us：

〃The　last　I　saw　of　them　was　the　pale　hyacinth；　Anna　Dorothea。　Shewas　old　and　bent　then；　for　fifty　years　had　passed　and　she　had　outlivedthem　all。　She　could　relate　the　history。　Yonder；　on　the　heath；　near　thetown　of　Wiborg；　in　Jutland；　stood　the　fine　new　house　of　the　canon。　Itwas　built　of　red　brick；　with　projecting　gables。　It　was　inhabited；　forthe　smoke　curled　up　thickly　from　the　chimneys。　The　canon's　gentle　ladyand　her　beautiful　daughters　sat　in　the　bay…window；　and　looked　over　thehawthorn　hedge　of　the　garden　towards　the　brown　heath。　What　were　theylooking　at？　Their　glances　fell　upon　a　stork's　nest；　which　was　builtupon　an　old　tumbledown　hut。　The　roof；　as　far　as　one　existed　at　all；was　covered　with　moss　and　lichen。　The　stork's　nest　covered　the　greaterpart　of　it；　and　that　alone　was　in　a　good　condition；　for　it　was　kept　inorder　by　the　stork　himself。　That　is　a　house　to　be　looked　at；　and　notto　be　touched；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃For　the　sake　of　the　stork's　nest　ithad　been　allowed　to　remain；　although　it　is　a　blot　on　the　landscape。They　did　not　like　to　drive　the　stork　away；　therefore　the　old　shed　wasleft　standing；　and　the　poor　woman　who　dwelt　in　it　allowed　to　stay。　Shehad　the　Egyptian　bird　to　thank　for　that；　or　was　it　perchance　herreward　for　having　once　interceded　for　the　preservation　of　the　nest　ofits　black　brother　in　the　forest　of　Borreby？　At　that　time　she；　thepoor　woman；　was　a　young　child；　a　white　hyacinth　in　a　rich　garden。　Sheremembered　that　time　well；　for　it　was　Anna　Dorothea。

〃'O…h；　o…h；'　she　sighed；　for　people　can　sigh　like　the　moaning　ofthe　wind　among　the　reeds　and　rushes。　'O…h；　o…h；'　she　would　say；　'nobell　sounded　at　thy　burial；　Waldemar　Daa。　The　poor　school…boys　did　noteven　sing　a　psalm　when　the　former　lord　of　Borreby　was　laid　in　theearth　to　rest。　O…h；　everything　has　an　end；　even　misery。　Sister　Idabecame　the　wife　of　a　peasant；　that　was　the　hardest　trial　whichbefell　our　father；　that　the　husband　of　his　own　daughter　should　be　amiserable　serf；　whom　his　owner　could　place　for　punishment　on　thewooden　horse。　I　suppose　he　is　under　the　ground　now；　and　Ida…　alas！alas！　it　is　not　ended　yet；　miserable　that　I　am！　Kind　Heaven；　grantme　that　I　may　die。'

〃That　was　Anna　Dorothea's　prayer　in　the　wretched　hut　that　was　leftstanding　for　the　sake　of　the　stork。　I　took　pity　on　the　proudest　of　thesisters；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃Her　courage　was　like　that　of　a　man；　and　inman's　clothes　she　served　as　a　sailor　on　board　ship。　She　was　of　fewwords；　and　of　a　dark　countenance；　but　she　did　not　know　how　to　climb；so　I　blew　her　overboard　before　any　one　found　out　that　she　was　a　woman；and；　in　my　opinion；　that　was　well　done；〃　said　the　Wind。

On　such　another　Easter　morning　as　that　on　which　Waldemar　Daaimagined　he　had　discovered　the　art　of　making　gold；　I　heard　the　tonesof　a　psalm　under　the　stork's　nest；　and　within　the　crumbling　walls。It　was　Anna　Dorothea's　last　song。　There　was　no　window　in　the　hut；　onlya　hole　in　the　wall；　and　the　sun　rose　like　a　globe　of　burnished　gold；and　looked　through。　With　what　splendor　he　filled　that　dismal　dwelling！Her　eyes　were　glazing；　and　her　heart　breaking；　but　so　it　would　havebeen；　even　had　the　sun　not　shone　that　morning　on　Anna　Dorothea。　Thestork's　nest　had　secured　her　a　home　till　her　death。　I　sung　over　hergrave；　I　sung　at　her　father's　grave。　I　know　where　it　lies；　and　whereher　grave　is　too；　but　nobody　else　knows　it。

〃New　times　now；　all　is　changed。　The　old　high…road　is　lost　amidcultivated　fields；　the　new　one　now　winds　along　over　covered　graves；and　soon　the　railway　will　e；　with　its　train　of　carriages；　andrush　over　graves　where　lie　those　whose　very　names　are　forgoten。　Allpassed　away；　passed　away！

〃This　is　the　story　of　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　daughters。　Tell　itbetter；　any　of　you；　if　you　know　how；〃　said　the　Wind；　and　he　rushedaway；　and　was　gone。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　STORY　OF　THE　YEAR

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IT　was　near　the　end　of　January；　and　a　terrible　fall　of　snow　waspelting　down；　and　whirling　through　the　streets　and　lanes；　thewindows　were　plastered　with　snow　on　the　outside；　snow　fell　in　massesfrom　the　roofs。　Every　one　seemed　in　a　great　hurry；　they　ran；　theyflew；　fell　into　each　other's　arms；　holding　fast　for　a　moment　as　longas　they　could　stand　safely。　Coaches　and　horses　looked　as　if　they　hadbeen　frosted　with　sugar。　The　footmen　stood　with　their　backs　againstthe　carriages；　so　as　to　turn　their　faces　from　the　wind。　The　footpassengers　kept　within　the　shelter　of　the　carriages；　which　couldonly　move　slowly　on　in　the　deep　snow。　At　last　the　storm　abated；　anda　narrow　path　was　swept　clean　in　front　of　the　houses；　when　two　personsmet　in　this　path　they　stood　still；　for　neither　liked　to　take　the　firststep　on　one　side　into　the　deep　snow　to　let　the　other　pass　him。　Therethey　stood　silent　and　motionless；　till　at　last；　as　if　by　tacitconsent；　they　each　sacrificed　a　leg　and　buried　it　in　the　deep　snow。Towards　evening；　the　weather　became　calm。　The　sky；　cleared　from　thesnow；　looked　more　lofty　and　transparent；　while　the　stars　shone　withnew　brightness　and　purity。　The　frozen　snow　crackled　under　foot；　andwas　quite　firm　enough　to　bear　the　sparrows；　who　hopped　upon　it　inthe　morning　dawn。　They　searched　for　food　in　the　path　which　had　beenswept；　but　there　was　very　little　for　them；　and　they　were　terriblycold。　〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　said　one　to　another；　they　call　this　a　newyear；　but　I　think　it　is　worse　than　the　last。　We　might　just　as　wellhave　kept　the　old　year；　I'm　quite　unhappy；　and　I　have　a　right　to　beso。〃

〃Yes；　you　have；　and　yet　the　people　ran　about　and　fired　off　guns；to　usher　in　the　new　year；〃　said　a　little　shivering　sparrow。　〃Theythrew　things　against　the　doors；　and　were　quite　beside　themselveswith　joy；　because　the　old　year　had　disappeared。　I　was　glad　too；　forI　expected　we　should　have　some　warm　days；　but　my　hopes　have　e　tonothing。　It　freezes　harder　than　ever；　I　think　mankind　have　made　amistake　in　reckoning　time。〃

〃That　they　have；〃　said　a　third；　an　old　sparrow　with　a　whitepoll；　〃they　have　something　they　call　a　calendar；　it's　an　inventionof　their　own；　and　everything　must　be　arranged　according　to　it；　butit　won't　do。　When　spring　es；　then　the　year　begins。　It　is　thevoice　of　nature；　and　I　reckon　by　that。〃

〃But　when　will　spring　e？〃　asked　the　others。

〃It　will　e　when　the　stork　returns；　but　he　is　very　uncertain；and　here　in　the　town　no　one　knows　anything　about　it。　In　the　countrythey　have　more　knowledge；　shall　we　fly　away　there　and　wait？　we　shallbe　nearer　to　spring　then；　certainly。〃

〃That　may　be　all　very　well；〃　said　another　sparrow；　who　had　beenhopping　about　for　a　long　time；　chirping；　but　not　saying　anything　ofconsequence；　〃but　I　have　found　a　few　forts　here　in　town　which；I'm　afraid；　I　should　miss　out　in　the　country。　Here　in　thisneighborhood；　there　lives　a　family　of　people　who　have　been　so　sensibleas　to　place　three　or　four　flower…pots　against　the　wall　in　thecourt…yard；　so　that　the　openings　are　all　turned　inward；　and　the　bottomof　each　points　outward。　In　the　latter　a　hole　has　been　cut　large　enoughfor　me　to　fly　in　and　out。　I　and　my　husband　have　built　a　nest　in　one　ofthese　pots；　and　all　our　young　ones；　who　have　now　flown　away；　werebrought　up　there。　The　people　who　live　there　of　course　made　the　wholearrangement　that　they　might　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　us；　or　theywould　not　have　done　it。　It　pleased　them　also　to　strew　bread…crumbs　forus；　and　so　we　have　food；　and　may　consider　ourselves　provided　for。　So　Ithink　my　husband　and　I　will　stay　where　we　are；　although　we　are　notvery　happy；　but　we　shall　stay。〃

〃And　we　will　fly　into　the　country；〃　said　the　others；　〃to　see　ifspring　is　ing。〃　And　away　they　flew。

In　the　country　it　was　really　winter；　a　few　degrees　colder　thanin　the　town。　The　sharp　winds　blew　over　the　snow…covered　fields。　Thefarmer；　wrapped　in　warm　clothing；　sat　in　his　sleigh；　and　beat　his　armsacross　his　chest　to　keep　off　the　cold。　The　whip　lay　on　his　lap。　Thehorses　ran　till　they　smoked。　The　snow　crackled；　the　sparrows　hoppedabout　in　the　wheel…ruts；　and　shivered；　crying；　〃Tweet；　tweet；　whenwill　spring　e？　It　is　very　long　in　ing。〃

〃Very　long　indeed；〃　sounded　over　the　field；　from　the　nearestsnow…covered　hill。　It　might　have　been　the　echo　which　people　heard；or　perhaps　the　words　of　that　wonderful　old　man；　who　sat　high　on　a　heapof　snow；　regardless　of　wind　or　weather。　He　was　all　in　white；　he　had　ona　peasant's　coarse　white　coat　of　frieze。　He　had　long　white　hair；　apale　face；　and　large　clear　blue　eyes。　〃Who　is　that　old　man？〃　asked　thesparrows。

〃I　know　who　he　is；〃　said　an　old　raven；　who　sat　on　the　fence；　andwas