安徒生童话-第79部分

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？〃　said　the　bird。

So　Death　gave　up　each　of　these　treasures　for　a　song；　and　thenightingale　continued　her　singing。　She　sung　of　the　quiet　churchyard；where　the　white　roses　grow；　where　the　elder…tree　wafts　its　perfumeon　the　breeze；　and　the　fresh；　sweet　grass　is　moistened　by　themourners'　tears。　Then　Death　longed　to　go　and　see　his　garden；　andfloated　out　through　the　window　in　the　form　of　a　cold；　white　mist。

〃Thanks；　thanks；　you　heavenly　little　bird。　I　know　you　well。　Ibanished　you　from　my　kingdom　once；　and　yet　you　have　charmed　away　theevil　faces　from　my　bed；　and　banished　Death　from　my　heart；　with　yoursweet　song。　How　can　I　reward　you？〃

〃You　have　already　rewarded　me；〃　said　the　nightingale。　〃I　shallnever　forget　that　I　drew　tears　from　your　eyes　the　first　time　I　sang　toyou。　These　are　the　jewels　that　rejoice　a　singer's　heart。　But　nowsleep；　and　grow　strong　and　well　again。　I　will　sing　to　you　again。〃

And　as　she　sung；　the　emperor　fell　into　a　sweet　sleep；　and　how　mildand　refreshing　that　slumber　was！　When　he　awoke；　strengthened　andrestored；　the　sun　shone　brightly　through　the　window；　but　not　one　ofhis　servants　had　returned…　they　all　believed　he　was　dead；　only　thenightingale　still　sat　beside　him；　and　sang。

〃You　must　always　remain　with　me；〃　said　the　emperor。　〃You　shallsing　only　when　it　pleases　you；　and　I　will　break　the　artificial　birdinto　a　thousand　pieces。〃

〃No；　do　not　do　that；〃　replied　the　nightingale；　〃the　bird　didvery　well　as　long　as　it　could。　Keep　it　here　still。　I　cannot　live　inthe　palace；　and　build　my　nest；　but　let　me　e　when　I　like。　I　will　siton　a　bough　outside　your　window；　in　the　evening；　and　sing　to　you；　sothat　you　may　be　happy；　and　have　thoughts　full　of　joy。　I　will　sing　toyou　of　those　who　are　happy；　and　those　who　suffer；　of　the　good　andthe　evil；　who　are　hidden　around　you。　The　little　singing　bird　flies　farfrom　you　and　your　court　to　the　home　of　the　fisherman　and　the　peasant'scot。　I　love　your　heart　better　than　your　crown；　and　yet　somethingholy　lingers　round　that　also。　I　will　e；　I　will　sing　to　you；　but　youmust　promise　me　one　thing。〃

〃Everything；〃　said　the　emperor；　who；　having　dressed　himself　in　hisimperial　robes；　stood　with　the　hand　that　held　the　heavy　golden　swordpressed　to　his　heart。

〃I　only　ask　one　thing；〃　she　replied；　〃let　no　one　know　that　youhave　a　little　bird　who　tells　you　everything。　It　will　be　best　toconceal　it。〃　So　saying；　the　nightingale　flew　away。

The　servants　now　came　in　to　look　after　the　dead　emperor；　when；　lo！there　he　stood；　and；　to　their　astonishment；　said；　〃Good　morning。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　OLD　BACHELOR'S　NIGHTCAP

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　is　a　street　in　Copenhagen　with　a　very　strange　name。　It　iscalled　〃Hysken〃　street。　Where　the　name　came　from；　and　what　it　means　isvery　uncertain。　It　is　said　to　be　German；　but　that　is　unjust　to　theGermans；　for　it　would　then　be　called　〃Hauschen；〃　not　〃Hysken。〃〃Hauschen；〃　means　a　little　house；　and　for　many　years　it　consisted　onlyof　a　few　small　houses；　which　were　scarcely　larger　than　the　woodenbooths　we　see　in　the　market…places　at　fair　time。　They　were　perhaps　alittle　higher；　and　had　windows；　but　the　panes　consisted　of　horn　orbladder…skins；　for　glass　was　then　too　dear　to　have　glazed　windows　inevery　house。　This　was　a　long　time　ago；　so　long　indeed　that　ourgrandfathers；　and　even　great…grandfathers；　would　speak　of　those　daysas　〃olden　times；〃　indeed；　many　centuries　have　passed　since　then。

The　rich　merchants　in　Bremen　and　Lubeck；　who　carried　on　trade　inCopenhagen；　did　not　reside　in　the　town　themselves；　but　sent　theirclerks；　who　dwelt　in　the　wooden　booths　in　the　Hauschen　street；　andsold　beer　and　spices。　The　German　beer　was　very　good；　and　there　weremany　sorts…　from　Bremen；　Prussia；　and　Brunswick…　and　quantities　of　allsorts　of　spices；　saffron；　aniseed；　ginger；　and　especially　pepper；indeed；　pepper　was　almost　the　chief　article　sold　here；　so　ithappened　at　last　that　the　German　clerks　in　Denmark　got　theirnickname　of　〃pepper　gentry。〃　It　had　been　made　a　condition　with　theseclerks　that　they　should　not　marry；　so　that　those　who　lived　to　be　oldhad　to　take　care　of　themselves；　to　attend　to　their　own　forts；　andeven　to　light　their　own　fires；　when　they　had　any　to　light。　Many　ofthem　were　very　aged；　lonely　old　boys；　with　strange　thoughts　andeccentric　habits。　From　this；　all　unmarried　men；　who　have　attained　acertain　age；　are　called；　in　Denmark；　〃pepper　gentry；〃　and　this　must　beremembered　by　all　those　who　wish　to　understand　the　story。　These〃pepper　gentlemen；〃　or；　as　they　are　called　in　England；　〃oldbachelors；〃　are　often　made　a　butt　of　ridicule；　they　are　told　to　put　ontheir　nightcaps；　draw　them　over　their　eyes；　and　go　to　sleep。　Theboys　in　Denmark　make　a　song　of　it；　thus：…

　　〃Poor　old　bachelor；　cut　your　wood；

Such　a　nightcap　was　never　seen；

Who　would　think　it　was　ever　clean？

　　Go　to　sleep；　it　will　do　you　good。〃

So　they　sing　about　the　〃pepper　gentleman；〃　so　do　they　make　sportof　the　poor　old　bachelor　and　his　nightcap；　and　all　because　they　reallyknow　nothing　of　either。　It　is　a　cap　that　no　one　need　wish　for；　orlaugh　at。　And　why　not？　Well；　we　shall　hear　in　the　story。

In　olden　times；　Hauschen　Street　was　not　paved；　and　passengerswould　stumble　out　of　one　hole　into　another；　as　they　generally　do　inunfrequented　highways；　and　the　street　was　so　narrow；　and　the　boothsleaning　against　each　other　were　so　close　together；　that　in　thesummer　time　a　sail　would　be　stretched　across　the　street　from　one　boothto　another　opposite。　At　these　times　the　odor　of　the　pepper；　saffron；and　ginger　became　more　powerful　than　ever。　Behind　the　counter；　as　arule；　there　were　no　young　men。　The　clerks　were　almost　all　old　boys；but　they　did　not　dress　as　we　are　accustomed　to　see　old　menrepresented；　wearing　wigs；　nightcaps；　and　knee…breeches；　and　with　coatand　waistcoat　buttoned　up　to　the　chin。　We　have　seen　the　portraits　ofour　great…grandfathers　dressed　in　this　way；　but　the　〃pepper　gentlemen〃had　no　money　to　spare　to　have　their　portraits　taken；　though　one　ofthem　would　have　made　a　very　interesting　picture　for　us　now；　if　takenas　he　appeared　standing　behind　his　counter；　or　going　to　church；　oron　holidays。　On　these　occasions；　they　wore　high…crowned；　broad…brimmedhats；　and　sometimes　a　younger　clerk　would　stick　a　feather　in　his。The　woollen　shirt　was　concealed　by　a　broad；　linen　collar；　the　closejacket　was　buttoned　up　to　the　chin；　and　the　cloak　hung　loosely　overit；　the　trousers　were　tucked　into　the　broad；　tipped　shoes；　for　theclerks　wore　no　stockings。　They　generally　stuck　a　table…knife　and　spoonin　their　girdles；　as　well　as　a　larger　knife；　as　a　protection　tothemselves；　and　such　a　weapon　was　often　very　necessary。

After　this　fashion　was　Anthony　dressed　on　holidays　andfestivals；　excepting　that；　instead　of　a　high…crowned　hat；　he　wore　akind　of　bon；　and　under　it　a　knitted　cap；　a　regular　nightcap；　towhich　he　was　so　accustomed　that　it　was　always　on　his　head；　he　had　two；nightcaps　I　mean；　not　heads。　Anthony　was　one　of　the　oldest　of　theclerks；　and　just　the　subject　for　a　painter。　He　was　as　thin　as　alath；　wrinkled　round　the　mouth　and　eyes；　had　long；　bony　fingers；bushy；　gray　eyebrows；　and　over　his　left　eye　hung　a　thick　tuft　of　hair；which　did　not　look　handsome；　but　made　his　appearance　veryremarkable。　People　knew　that　he　came　from　Bremen；　it　was　not　exactlyhis　home；　although　his　master　resided　there。　His　ancestors　were　fromThuringia；　and　had　lived　in　the　town　of　Eisenach；　close　by　Wartburg。Old　Anthony　seldom　spoke　of　this　place；　but　he　thought　of　it　all　themore。

The　old　clerks　of　Hauschen　Street　very　seldom　met　together；　eachone　remained　in　his　own　booth；　which　was　closed　early　enough　in　theevening；　and　then　it　looked　dark　and　dismal　out　in　the　street。　Onlya　faint　glimmer　of　light　struggled　through　the　horn　panes　in　thelittle　window　on　the　roof；　while　within　sat　the　old　clerk；　generallyon　his　bed；　singing　his　evening　hymn　in　a　low　voice；　or　he　would　bemoving　about　in　his　booth　till　late　in　the　night；　busily　employed　inmany　things。　It　certainly　was　not　a　very　lively　existence。　To　be　astranger　in　a　strange　land　is　a　bitter　lot；　no　one　notices　youunless　you　happen　to　stand　in　their　way。　Often；　when　it　was　dark　nightoutside；　with　rain　or　snow　falling；　the　place　looked　quite　desertedand　gloomy。　There　were　no　lamps　in　the　street；　excepting　a　verysmall　one；　which　hung　at　one　end　of　the　street；　before　a　picture　ofthe　Virgin；　which　had　been　painted　on　the　wall。　The　dashing　of　thewater　against　the　bulwarks　of　a　neighboring　castle　could　plainly　beheard。　Such　evenings　are　long　and　dreary；　unless　people　can　findsomething　to　do；　and　so　Anthony　found　it。　There　were　not　always　thingsto　be　packed　or　unpacked；　nor　paper　bags　to　be　made；　nor　the　scales　tobe　polished。　So　Anthony　invented　employment；　he　mended　his　clothes　andpatched　his　boots；　and　when　he　at　last　went　to　bed；…　his　nightcap；which　he　had　worn　from　habit；　still　remained　on　his　head；　he　hadonly　to　pull　it　down　a　little　farther　over　his　forehead。　Very　soon；however；　it　would　be　pushed　up　again　to　see　if　the　light　wasproperly　put　out；　he　would　touch　it；　press　the　wick　together；　and　atlast　pull　his　nightcap　over　his　eyes　and　lie　down　again　on　the　otherside。　But　often　there　would　arise　in　his　mind　a　doubt　as　to　whetherevery　coal　had　been　quite　put　out　in　the　little　fire…pan　in　the　shopbelow。　If　even　a　tiny　spark　had　remained　it　might　set　fire　tosomething；　and　cause　great　damage。　Then　he　would　rise　from　his　bed；creep　down　the　ladder…　for　it　could　scarcely　be　called　a　flight　ofstairs…　and　when　he　reached　the　fire…pan　not　a　spark　could　be　seen；　sohe　had　just　to　go　back　again　to　bed。　But　often；　when　he　had　got　halfway　back；　he　would　fancy　the　iron　shutters　of　the　door　were　notproperly　fastened；　and　his　thin　legs　would　carry　him　down　again。　Andwhen　at　last　he　crept　into　bed；　he　would　be　so　cold　that　his　teethchattered　in　his　head。　He　would　draw　the　coverlet　closer　round　him；pull　his　nightcap　over　his　eyes；　and　try　to　turn　his　thoughts　fromtrade；　and　from　the　labors　of　the　day；　to　olden　times。　But　this　wasscarcely　an　agreeable　entertainment；　for　thoughts　of　olden　memoriesraise　the　curtains　from　the　past；　and　sometimes　pierce　the　heartwith　painful　recollections　till　the　agony　brings　tears　to　the　wakingeyes。　And　so　it　was　with　Anthony；　often　the　scalding　tears；　likepearly　drops；　would　fall　from　his　eyes　to　the　coverlet　and　roll　on　thefloor　with　a　sound　as　if　one　of　his　heartstrings　had　broken。Sometimes；　with　a　lurid　flame；　memory　would　light　up　a　picture　of　lifewhich　had　never　faded　from　his　heart。　If　he　dried　his　eyes　with　hisnightcap；　then　the　tear　and　the　picture　would　be　crushed；　but　thesource　of　the　tears　remained　and　welled　up　again　in　his　heart。　Thepictures　did　not　follow　one　another　in　order；　as　the　circumstancesthey　represented　had　occurred；　very　often　the　most　painful　woulde　together；　and　when　those　came　which　were　most　full　of　joy；　theyhad　always　the　deepest　shadow　thrown　upon　them。

The　beech　woods　of　Denmark　are　acknowledged　by　every　one　to　bevery　beautiful；　but　more　beautiful　still　in　the　eyes　of　old　Anthonywere　the　beech　woods　in　the　neighborhood　of　Wartburg。　More　grand　andvenerable　to　him　seemed　the　old　oaks　around　the　proud　baronial　castle；where　the　creeping　plants　hung　over　the　stony　summits　of　the　rocks；sweeter　was　the　perfume　there　of　the　apple…blossom　than　in　all　theland　of　Denmark。　How　vividly　were　represented　to　him；　in　aglittering　tear　that　rolled　down　his　cheek；　two　children　at　play…　aboy　and　a　girl。　The　boy　had　rosy　cheeks；　golden　ringlets；　and　clear；blue　eyes；　he　was　the　son　of　Anthony；　a　rich　merchant；　it　was　himself。The　little　girl　had　brown　eyes　and　black　hair；　and　was　clever　andcourageous；　she　was　the　mayor's　daughter；　Molly。　The　children　wereplaying　with　an　apple；　they　shook　the　apple；　and　heard　the　pipsrattling　in　it。　Then　they　cut　it　in　two；　and　each　of　them　took　half。They　also　divided　the　pips　and　ate　all　but　one；　which　the　littlegirl　proposed　should　be　placed　in　the　ground。

〃You　will　see　what　will　e　out；〃　she　said；　〃something　youdon't　expect。　A　whole　apple…tree　will　e　out；　but　not　directly。〃Then　they　got　a　flower…pot；　filled　it　with　earth；　and　were　soon　bothvery　busy　and　eager　about　it。　The　boy　made　a　hole　in　the　earth　withhis　finger；　and　the　little　girl　placed　the　pip　in　the　hole；　and　thenthey　both　covered　it　over　with　earth。

〃Now　you　must　not　take　it　out　to…morrow　to　see　if　it　has　takenroot；〃　said　Molly；　〃no　one　ever　should　do　that。　I　did　so　with　myflowers；　but　only　twice；　I　wanted　to　see　if　they　were　growing。　Ididn't　know　any　better　then；　and　the　flowers　all　died。〃

Little　Anthony　kept　the　flower…pot；　and　every　morning　during　thewhole　winter　he　looked　at　it；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　butblack　earth。　At　last；　however；　the　spring　came；　and　the　sun　shone　warmagain；　and　then　two　little　green　leaves　sprouted　forth　in　the　pot。

〃They　are　Molly　and　me；〃　said　the　boy。　〃How　wonderful　they　are；and　so　beautiful！〃

Very　soon　a　third　leaf　made　its　appearance。

〃Who　does　that　stand　for？〃　thought　he；　and　then　came　another　andanother。　Day　after　day；　and　week　after　week；　till　the　plant　becamequite　a　tree。　And　all　this　about　the　two　children　was　mirrored　toold　Anthony　in　a　single　tear；　which　could　soon　be　wiped　away　anddisappear；　but　might　e　again　from　its　source　in　the　heart　of　theold　man。

In　the　neighborhood　of　Eisenach　stretches　a　ridge　of　stonymountains；　one　of　which　has　a　rounded　outline；　and　shows　itselfabove　the　rest　without　tree；　bush；　or　grass　on　its　barren　summits。It　is　called　the　〃Venus　Mountain；〃　and　the　story　goes　that　the　〃LadyVenus；〃　one　of　the　heathen　goddesses；　keeps　house　there。　She　is　alsocalled　〃Lady　Halle；〃　as　every　child　round　Eisenach　well　knows。　Sheit　was　who　enticed　the　noble　knight；　Tannhauser；　the　minstrel；　fromthe　circle　of　singers　at　Wartburg　into　her　mountain。

Little　Molly　and　Anthony　often　stood　by　this　mountain；　and　one　dayMolly　said；　〃Do　you　dare　to　knock　and　say；　'Lady　Halle；　Lady　Halle；open　the　door：　Tannhauser　is　here！'〃　But　Anthony　did　not　dare。Molly；　however；　did；　though　she　only　said　the　words；　〃Lady　Halle；　LadyHalle；〃　loudly　and　distinctly；　the　rest　she　muttered　so　much　under　herbreath　that　Anthony　felt　certain　she　had　really　said　nothing；　andyet　she　looked　quite　bold　and　saucy；　just　as　she　did　sometimes　whenshe　was　in　the　garden　with　a　number　of　other　little　girls；　theywould　all　stand　round　him　together；　and　want　to　kiss　him；　because　hedid　not　like　to　be　kissed；　and　pushed　them　away。　Then　Molly　was　theonly　one　who　dared　to　resist　him。　〃I　may　kiss　him；〃　she　would　sayproudly；　as　she　threw　her　arms　round　his　neck；　she　was　vain　of　herpower　over　Anthony；　for　he　would　submit　quietly　and　think　nothing　ofit。　Molly　was　very　charming；　but　rather　bold；　and　how　she　did　tease！

They　said　Lady　Halle　was　beautiful；　but　her　beauty　was　that　of　atempting　fiend。　Saint　Elizabeth；　the　tutelar　saint　of　the　land；　thepious　princess　of　Thuringia；　whose　good　deeds　have　been　immortalizedin　so　many　places　through　stories　and　legends；　had　greater　beautyand　more　real　grace。　Her　picture　hung　in　the　chapel；　surrounded　bysilver　lamps；　but　it　did　not　in　the　least　resemble　Molly。

The　apple…tree；　which　the　two　children　had　planted；　grew　yearafter　year；　till　it　became　so　large　that　it　had　to　be　transplantedinto　the　garden；　where　the　dew　fell　and　the　sun　shone　warmly。　Andthere　it　increased　in　strength　so　much　as　to　be　able　to　withstandth