安徒生童话-第27部分

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I　know　that　he　nevermarried；　I　believe　he　became　a　lawyer。　He　had　forgotten　me；　and　evenhad　we　met　he　would　not　have　known　me；　for　I　have　lost　all　my　goodlooks；　and　perhaps　that　is　all　for　the　best。〃　And　then　she　spoke　ofthe　dark　days　of　trial；　when　misfortune　had　fallen　upon　them。

〃We　had　five　hundred　dollars；〃　she　said；　〃and　there　was　a　house　inthe　street　to　be　sold　for　two　hundred；　so　we　thought　it　would　be　worthour　while　to　pull　it　down　and　build　a　new　one　in　its　place；　so　itwas　bought。　The　builder　and　carpenter　made　an　estimate　that　the　newhouse　would　cost　ten　hundred　and　twenty　dollars　to　build。　Eric　hadcredit；　so　he　borrowed　the　money　in　the　chief　town。　But　the　captain；who　was　bringing　it　to　him；　was　shipwrecked；　and　the　money　lost。Just　about　this　time；　my　dear　sweet　boy；　who　lies　sleeping　there；was　born；　and　my　husband　was　attacked　with　a　severe　lingering　illness。For　three　quarters　of　a　year　I　was　obliged　to　dress　and　undress　him。We　were　backward　in　our　payments；　we　borrowed　more　money；　and　all　thatwe　had　was　lost　and　sold；　and　then　my　husband　died。　Since　then　Ihave　worked；　toiled；　and　striven　for　the　sake　of　the　child。　I　havescrubbed　and　washed　both　coarse　and　fine　linen；　but　I　have　not　beenable　to　make　myself　better　off；　and　it　was　God's　will。　In　His　own　timeHe　will　take　me　to　Himself；　but　I　know　He　will　never　forsake　myboy。〃　Then　she　fell　asleep。　In　the　morning　she　felt　much　refreshed；and　strong　enough；　as　she　thought；　to　go　on　with　her　work。　But　as　soonas　she　stepped　into　the　cold　water；　a　sudden　faintness　seized　her；　sheclutched　at　the　air　convulsively　with　her　hand；　took　one　step　forward；and　fell。　Her　head　rested　on　dry　land；　but　her　feet　were　in　the　water；her　wooden　shoes；　which　were　only　tied　on　by　a　wisp　of　straw；　werecarried　away　by　the　stream；　and　thus　she　was　found　by　Martha　whenshe　came　to　bring　her　some　coffee。

In　the　meantime　a　messenger　had　been　sent　to　her　house　by　themayor；　to　say　that　she　must　e　to　him　immediately；　as　he　hadsomething　to　tell　her。　It　was　too　late；　a　surgeon　had　been　sent　for　toopen　a　vein　in　her　arm；　but　the　poor　woman　was　dead。

〃She　has　drunk　herself　to　death；〃　said　the　cruel　mayor。　In　theletter；　containing　the　news　of　his　brother's　death；　it　was　stated　thathe　had　left　in　his　will　a　legacy　of　six　hundred　dollars　to　theglovemaker's　widow；　who　had　been　his　mother's　maid；　to　be　paid　withdiscretion；　in　large　or　small　sums　to　the　widow　or　her　child。

〃There　was　something　between　my　brother　and　her；　I　remember；〃　saidthe　mayor；　〃it　is　a　good　thing　that　she　is　out　of　the　way；　for　now　theboy　will　have　the　whole。　I　will　place　him　with　honest　people　tobring　him　up；　that　he　may　bee　a　respectable　working　man。〃　And　theblessing　of　God　rested　upon　these　words。　The　mayor　sent　for　the　boy　toe　to　him；　and　promised　to　take　care　of　him；　but　most　cruellyadded　that　it　was　a　good　thing　that　his　mother　was　dead；　for　〃shewas　good　for　nothing。〃　They　carried　her　to　the　churchyard；　thechurchyard　in　which　the　poor　were　buried。　Martha　strewed　sand　on　thegrave　and　planted　a　rose…tree　upon　it；　and　the　boy　stood　by　her　side。

〃Oh；　my　poor　mother！〃　he　cried；　while　the　tears　rolled　down　hischeeks。　〃Is　it　true　what　they　say；　that　she　was　good　for　nothing？〃

〃No；　indeed；　it　is　not　true；〃　replied　the　old　servant；　raising　hereyes　to　heaven；　〃she　was　worth　a　great　deal；　I　knew　it　years　ago；and　since　the　last　night　of　her　life　I　am　more　certain　of　it　thanever。　I　say　she　was　a　good　and　worthy　woman；　and　God；　who　is　inheaven；　knows　I　am　speaking　the　truth；　though　the　world　may　say；even　now　she　was　good　for　nothing。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　SOMETHING

　　　by　Hans　Christian　AndersenSOMETHING

〃I　MEAN　to　be　somebody；　and　do　something　useful　in　the　world；〃said　the　eldest　of　five　brothers。　〃I　don't　care　how　humble　my　positionis；　so　that　I　can　only　do　some　good；　which　will　be　something。　I　intendto　be　a　brickmaker；　bricks　are　always　wanted；　and　I　shall　be　reallydoing　something。〃

〃Your　'something'　is　not　enough　for　me；〃　said　the　secondbrother；　〃what　you　talk　of　doing　is　nothing　at　all；　it　is　journeyman'swork；　or　might　even　be　done　by　a　machine。　No！　I　should　prefer　to　bea　builder　at　once；　there　is　something　real　in　that。　A　man　gains　aposition；　he　bees　a　citizen；　has　his　own　sign；　his　own　house　ofcall　for　his　workmen：　so　I　shall　be　a　builder。　If　all　goes　well；　intime　I　shall　bee　a　master；　and　have　my　own　journeymen；　and　mywife　will　be　treated　as　a　master's　wife。　This　is　what　I　callsomething。〃

〃I　call　it　all　nothing；〃　said　the　third；　〃not　in　reality　anyposition。　There　are　many　in　a　town　far　above　a　master　builder　inposition。　You　may　be　an　upright　man；　but　even　as　a　master　you　willonly　be　ranked　among　mon　men。　I　know　better　what　to　do　than　that。　Iwill　be　an　architect；　which　will　place　me　among　those　who　possessriches　and　intellect；　and　who　speculate　in　art。　I　shall　certainly　haveto　rise　by　my　own　endeavors　from　a　bricklayer's　laborer；　or　as　acarpenter's　apprentice…　a　lad　wearing　a　paper　cap；　although　I　now　weara　silk　hat。　I　shall　have　to　fetch　beer　and　spirits　for　the　journeymen；and　they　will　call　me　'thou；'　which　will　be　an　insult。　I　shallendure　it；　however；　for　I　shall　look　upon　it　all　as　a　mererepresentation；　a　masquerade；　a　mummery；　which　to…morrow；　that　is；when　I　myself　as　a　journeyman；　shall　have　served　my　time；　will　vanish；and　I　shall　go　my　way；　and　all　that　has　passed　will　be　nothing　tome。　Then　I　shall　enter　the　academy；　and　get　instructed　in　drawing；　andbe　called　an　architect。　I　may　even　attain　to　rank；　and　havesomething　placed　before　or　after　my　name；　and　I　shall　build　asothers　have　done　before　me。　By　this　there　will　be　always　'something'to　make　me　remembered；　and　is　not　that　worth　living　for？〃

〃Not　in　my　opinion；〃　said　the　fourth；　〃I　will　never　follow　thelead　of　others；　and　only　imitate　what　they　have　done。　I　will　be　agenius；　and　bee　greater　than　all　of　you　together。　I　will　create　anew　style　of　building；　and　introduce　a　plan　for　erecting　housessuitable　to　the　climate；　with　material　easily　obtained　in　the　country；and　thus　suit　national　feeling　and　the　developments　of　the　age；besides　building　a　storey　for　my　own　genius。〃

〃But　supposing　the　climate　and　the　material　are　not　good　formuch；〃　said　the　fifth　brother；　〃that　would　be　very　unfortunate　foryou；　and　have　an　influence　over　your　experiments。　Nationality　mayassert　itself　until　it　bees　affectation；　and　the　developments　ofa　century　may　run　wild；　as　youth　often　does。　I　see　clearly　that　noneof　you　will　ever　really　be　anything　worth　notice；　however　you　maynow　fancy　it。　But　do　as　you　like；　I　shall　not　imitate　you。　I　mean　tokeep　clear　of　all　these　things；　and　criticize　what　you　do。　In　everyaction　something　imperfect　may　be　discovered；　something　not　right；which　I　shall　make　it　my　business　to　find　out　and　expose；　that　will　besomething；　I　fancy。〃　And　he　kept　his　word；　and　became　a　critic。

People　said　of　this　fifth　brother；　〃There　is　something　veryprecise　about　him；　he　has　a　good　head…piece；　but　he　does　nothing。〃　Andon　that　very　account　they　thought　he　must　be　something。

Now；　you　see；　this　is　a　little　history　which　will　never　end；　aslong　as　the　world　exists；　there　will　always　be　men　like　these　fivebrothers。　And　what　became　of　them？　Were　they　each　nothing　orsomething？　You　shall　hear；　it　is　quite　a　history。

The　eldest　brother；　he　who　fabricated　bricks；　soon　discovered　thateach　brick；　when　finished；　brought　him　in　a　small　coin；　if　only　acopper　one；　and　many　copper　pieces；　if　placed　one　upon　another；　can　bechanged　into　a　shining　shilling；　and　at　whatever　door　a　person　knocks；who　has　a　number　of　these　in　his　hands；　whether　it　be　the　baker's；　thebutcher's；　or　the　tailor's；　the　door　flies　open；　and　he　can　get　all　hewants。　So　you　see　the　value　of　bricks。　Some　of　the　bricks；　however；crumbled　to　pieces；　or　were　broken；　but　the　elder　brother　found　ause　for　even　these。

On　the　high　bank　of　earth；　which　formed　a　dyke　on　the　sea…coast；　apoor　woman　named　Margaret　wished　to　build　herself　a　house；　so　allthe　imperfect　bricks　were　given　to　her；　and　a　few　whole　ones　withthem；　for　the　eldest　brother　was　a　kind…hearted　man；　although　he　neverachieved　anything　higher　than　making　bricks。　The　poor　woman　builtherself　a　little　house…　it　was　small　and　narrow；　and　the　window　wasquite　crooked；　the　door　too　low；　and　the　straw　roof　might　have　beenbetter　thatched。　But　still　it　was　a　shelter；　and　from　within　you　couldlook　far　over　the　sea；　which　dashed　wildly　against　the　sea…wall　onwhich　the　little　house　was　built。　The　salt　waves　sprinkled　their　whitefoam　over　it；　but　it　stood　firm；　and　remained　long　after　he　who　hadgiven　the　bricks　to　build　it　was　dead　and　buried。

The　second　brother　of　course　knew　better　how　to　build　than　poorMargaret；　for　he　served　an　apprenticeship　to　learn　it。　When　his　timewas　up；　he　packed　up　his　knapsack；　and　went　on　his　travels；　singingthe　journeyman's　song；…

　〃While　young；　I　can　wander　without　a　care；

　And　build　new　houses　everywhere；

　Fair　and　bright　are　my　dreams　of　home；

　Always　thought　of　wherever　I　roam。

　Hurrah　for　a　workman's　life　of　glee！

　There's　a　loved　one　at　home　who　thinks　of　me；

　Home　and　friends　I　can　ne'er　forget；

　And　I　mean　to　be　a　master　yet。〃And　that　is　what　he　did。　On　his　return　home；　he　became　a　masterbuilder；…　built　one　house　after　another　in　the　town；　till　theyformed　quite　a　street；　which；　when　finished；　became　really　an　ornamentto　the　town。　These　houses　built　a　house　for　him　in　return；　which　wasto　be　his　own。　But　how　can　houses　build　a　house？　If　the　houses　wereasked；　they　could　not　answer；　but　the　people　would　understand；　andsay；　〃Certainly　the　street　built　his　house　for　him。〃　It　was　not　verylarge；　and　the　floor　was　of　lime；　but　when　he　danced　with　his　bride　onthe　lime…covered　floor；　it　was　to　him　white　and　shining；　and　fromevery　stone　in　the　wall　flowers　seemed　to　spring　forth　and　decoratethe　room　as　with　the　richest　tapestry。　It　was　really　a　pretty　house；and　in　it　were　a　happy　pair。　The　flag　of　the　corporation　flutteredbefore　it；　and　the　journeymen　and　apprentices　shouted　〃Hurrah。〃　He　hadgained　his　position；　he　had　made　himself　something；　and　at　last　hedied；　which　was　〃something〃　too。

Now　we　e　to　the　architect；　the　third　brother；　who　had　beenfirst　a　carpenter's　apprentice；　had　worn　a　cap；　and　served　as　anerrand　boy；　but　afterwards　went　to　the　academy；　and　risen　to　be　anarchitect；　a　high　and　noble　gentleman。　Ah　yes；　the　houses　of　the　newstreet；　which　the　brother　who　was　a　master　builder　erected；　may　havebuilt　his　house　for　him；　but　the　street　received　its　name　from　thearchitect；　and　the　handsomest　house　in　the　street　became　his　property。That　was　something；　and　he　was　〃something；〃　for　he　had　a　list　oftitles　before　and　after　his　name。　His　children　were　called　〃wellborn；〃and　when　he　died；　his　widow　was　treated　as　a　lady　of　position；　andthat　was　〃something。〃　His　name　remained　always　written　at　the　cornerof　the　street；　and　lived　in　every　one's　mouth　as　its　name。　Yes；　thisalso　was　something。〃

And　what　about　the　genius　of　the　family…　the　fourth　brother…　whowanted　to　invent　something　new　and　original？　He　tried　to　build　a　loftystorey　himself；　but　it　fell　to　pieces；　and　he　fell　with　it　and　brokehis　neck。　However；　he　had　a　splendid　funeral；　with　the　city　flagsand　music　in　the　procession；　flowers　were　strewn　on　the　pavement；and　three　orations　were　spoken　over　his　grave；　each　one　longer　thanthe　other。　He　would　have　liked　this　very　much　during　his　life；　as　wellas　the　poems　about　him　in　the　papers；　for　he　liked　nothing　so　wellas　to　be　talked　of。　A　monument　was　also　erected　over　his　grave。　It　wasonly　another　storey　over　him；　but　that　was　〃something；〃　Now　he　wasdead；　like　the　three　other　brothers。

The　youngest…　the　critic…　outlived　them　all；　which　was　quite　rightfor　him。　It　gave　him　the　opportunity　of　having　the　last　word；　which　tohim　was　of　great　importance。　People　always　said　he　had　a　goodhead…piece。　At　last　his　hour　came；　and　he　died；　and　arrived　at　thegates　of　heaven。　Souls　always　enter　these　gates　in　pairs；　so　hefound　himself　standing　and　waiting　for　admission　with　another；　and　whoshould　it　be　but　old　dame　Margaret；　from　the　house　on　the　dyke！　〃It　isevidently　for　the　sake　of　contrast　that　I　and　this　wretched　soulshould　arrive　here　exactly　at　the　same　time；〃　said　the　critic。　〃Praywho　are　you；　my　good　woman？〃　said　he；　〃do　you　want　to　get　in　heretoo？〃

And　the　old　woman　curtsied　as　well　as　she　could；　she　thought　itmust　be　St。　Peter　himself　who　spoke　to　her。　〃I　am　a　poor　old　woman；〃she　said；　〃without　my　family。　I　am　old　Margaret；　that　lived　in　thehouse　on　the　dyke。〃

〃Well；　and　what　have　you　done…　what　great　deed　have　youperformed　down　below？〃

〃I　have　done　nothing　at　all　in　the　world　that　could　give　me　aclaim　to　have　these　doors　open　for　me；〃　she　said。　〃It　would　be　onlythrough　mercy　that　I　can　be　allowed　to　slip　in　through　the　gate。〃

〃In　what　manner　did　you　leave　the　world？〃　he　asked；　just　for　thesake　of　saying　something；　for　it　made　him　feel　very　weary　to　standthere　and　wait。

〃How　I　left　the　world？〃　she　replied；　〃why；　I　can　scarcely　tellyou。　During　the　last　years　of　my　life　I　was　sick　and　miserable；　andI　was　unable　to　bear　creeping　out　of　bed　suddenly　into　the　frost　andcold。　Last　winter　was　a　hard　winter；　but　I　have　got　over　it　all　now。There　were　a　few　mild　days；　as　your　honor；　no　doubt；　knows。　The　icelay　thickly　on　the　lake；　as　far　one　could　see。　The　people　came　fromthe　town；　and　walked　upon　it；　and　they　say　there　were　dancing　andskating　upon　it；　I　believe；　and　a　great　feasting。　The　sound　ofbeautiful　music　came　into　my　poor　little　room　where　I　lay。　Towardsevening；　when　the　moon　rose　beautifully；　though　not　yet　in　her　fullsplendor；　I　glanced　from　my　bed　over　the　wide　sea；　and　there；　justwhere　the　sea　and　sky　met；　rose　a　curious　white　cloud。　I　lay　lookingat　the　cloud　till　I　observed　a　little　black　spot　in　the　middle　ofit；　which　gradually　grew　larger　and　larger；　and　then　I　knew　what　itmeant…　I　am　old　and　experienced；　and　although　this　token　is　notoften　seen；　I　knew　it；　and　a　shuddering　seized　me。　Twice　in　my　lifehad　I　seen　this　same　thing；　and　I　knew　that　there　would　be　an　awfulstorm；　with　a　spring　tide；　which　would　overwhelm　the　poor　people　whowere　now　out　on　the　ice；　drinking；　dancing；　and　making　merry。　Youngand　old；　the　whole　city；　were　there；　who　was　to　warn　them；　if　no　onenoticed　the　sign；　or　knew　what　it　meant　as　I　did？　I　was　so　alarmed；that　I　felt　more　strength　and　life　than　I　had　done　for　some　time。　Igot　out　of　bed；　and　reached　the　window；　I　could　not　crawl　anyfarther　from　weakness　and　exhaustion；　but　I　managed　to　open　thewindow。　I　saw　the　people　outside　running　and　jumping　about　on　the　ice；I　saw　the　beautiful　flags　waving　in　the　wind；　I　heard　the　boysshouting；　'Hurrah！'　and　the　lads　and　lasses　singing；　and　everythingfull　of　merriment　and　joy。　But　there　was　the　white　cloud　with　theblack　spot　hanging　over　them。　I　cried　out　as　loudly　as　I　could；　but　noone　heard　me；　I　was　too　far　off　from　the　people。　Soon　would　thestorm　burst；　the　ice　break；　and　all　who　were　on　it　be　irretrievablylost。　They　could　not　hear　me；　and　to　go　to　them　was　quite　out　of　mypower。　Oh；　if　I　could　only　get　them　safe　on　land！　Then　came　thethought；　as　if　from　heaven；　that　I　would　rather　set　fire　to　my　bed；and　let　the　house　be　burnt　down；　than　that　so　many　people　shouldperish　miserably。　I　got　a　light；　and　in　a　few　momen