安徒生童话- 第17部分

The　sun　had　set；　and　the　evening　bells　sounded　through　the　airfrom　the　tower　of　the　village　church；　but　to　her　it　was　not　the　bells；but　the　cry　of　the　frogs　in　the　marshes。　Then　they　ceased；　and　allaround　became　still；　not　a　bird　could　be　heard；　they　were　all　at　rest；even　the　owl　had　not　left　her　hiding　place；　deep　silence　reigned　onthe　margin　of　the　wood　by　the　sea…shore。　As　Anne　Lisbeth　walked　on　shecould　hear　her　own　footsteps　in　the　sands；　even　the　waves　of　the　seawere　at　rest；　and　all　in　the　deep　waters　had　sunk　into　silence。There　was　quiet　among　the　dead　and　the　living　in　the　deep　sea。　AnneLisbeth　walked　on；　thinking　of　nothing　at　all；　as　people　say；　orrather　her　thoughts　wandered；　but　not　away　from　her；　for　thought　isnever　absent　from　us；　it　only　slumbers。　Many　thoughts　that　have　laindormant　are　roused　at　the　proper　time；　and　begin　to　stir　in　the　mindand　the　heart；　and　seem　even　to　e　upon　us　from　above。　It　iswritten；　that　a　good　deed　bears　a　blessing　for　its　fruit；　and　it　isalso　written；　that　the　wages　of　sin　is　death。　Much　has　been　said　andmuch　written　which　we　pass　over　or　know　nothing　of。　A　light　ariseswithin　us；　and　then　forgotten　things　make　themselves　remembered；　andthus　it　was　with　Anne　Lisbeth。　The　germ　of　every　vice　and　every　virtuelies　in　our　heart；　in　yours　and　in　mine；　they　lie　like　little　grainsof　seed；　till　a　ray　of　sunshine；　or　the　touch　of　an　evil　hand；　oryou　turn　the　corner　to　the　right　or　to　the　left；　and　the　decision　ismade。　The　little　seed　is　stirred；　it　swells　and　shoots　up；　and　poursits　sap　into　your　blood；　directing　your　course　either　for　good　orevil。　Troublesome　thoughts　often　exist　in　the　mind；　fermentingthere；　which　are　not　realized　by　us　while　the　senses　are　as　it　wereslumbering；　but　still　they　are　there。　Anne　Lisbeth　walked　on　thus　withher　senses　half　asleep；　but　the　thoughts　were　fermenting　within　her。

From　one　Shrove　Tuesday　to　another；　much　may　occur　to　weigh　downthe　heart；　it　is　the　reckoning　of　a　whole　year；　much　may　be　forgotten；sins　against　heaven　in　word　and　thought；　sins　against　our　neighbor；and　against　our　own　conscience。　We　are　scarcely　aware　of　theirexistence；　and　Anne　Lisbeth　did　not　think　of　any　of　her　errors。　Shehad　mitted　no　crime　against　the　law　of　the　land；　she　was　anhonorable　person；　in　a　good　position…　that　she　knew。

She　continued　her　walk　along　by　the　margin　of　the　sea。　What　was　itshe　saw　lying　there？　An　old　hat；　a　man's　hat。　Now　when　might　that　havebeen　washed　overboard？　She　drew　nearer；　she　stopped　to　look　at　thehat；　〃Ha！　what　was　lying　yonder？〃　She　shuddered；　yet　it　was　nothingsave　a　heap　of　grass　and　tangled　seaweed　flung　across　a　long　stone；but　it　looked　like　a　corpse。　Only　tangled　grass；　and　yet　she　wasfrightened　at　it。　As　she　turned　to　walk　away；　much　came　into　hermind　that　she　had　heard　in　her　childhood：　old　superstitions　ofspectres　by　the　sea…shore；　of　the　ghosts　of　drowned　but　unburiedpeople；　whose　corpses　had　been　washed　up　on　the　desolate　beach。　Thebody；　she　knew；　could　do　no　harm　to　any　one；　but　the　spirit　couldpursue　the　lonely　wanderer；　attach　itself　to　him；　and　demand　to　becarried　to　the　churchyard；　that　it　might　rest　in　consecrated　ground。〃Hold　fast！　hold　fast！〃　the　spectre　would　cry；　and　as　Anne　Lisbethmurmured　these　words　to　herself；　the　whole　of　her　dream　was　suddenlyrecalled　to　her　memory；　when　the　mother　had　clung　to　her；　anduttered　these　words；　when；　amid　the　crashing　of　worlds；　her　sleeve　hadbeen　torn；　and　she　had　slipped　from　the　grasp　of　her　child；　who　wantedto　hold　her　up　in　that　terrible　hour。　Her　child；　her　own　child；which　she　had　never　loved；　lay　now　buried　in　the　sea；　and　might　riseup；　like　a　spectre；　from　the　waters；　and　cry；　〃Hold　fast；　carry　meto　consecrated　ground！〃

As　these　thoughts　passed　through　her　mind；　fear　gave　speed　toher　feet；　so　that　she　walked　faster　and　faster。　Fear　came　upon　heras　if　a　cold；　clammy　hand　had　been　laid　upon　her　heart；　so　that　shealmost　fainted。　As　she　looked　across　the　sea；　all　there　grew　darker；　aheavy　mist　came　rolling　onwards；　and　clung　to　bush　and　tree；distorting　them　into　fantastic　shapes。　She　turned　and　glanced　at　themoon；　which　had　risen　behind　her。　It　looked　like　a　pale；　raylesssurface；　and　a　deadly　weight　seemed　to　hang　upon　her　limbs。　〃Hold；〃thought　she；　and　then　she　turned　round　a　second　time　to　look　at　themoon。　A　white　face　appeared　quite　close　to　her；　with　a　mist；　hanginglike　a　garment　from　its　shoulders。　〃Stop！　carry　me　to　consecratedearth；〃　sounded　in　her　ears；　in　strange；　hollow　tones。　The　sound　didnot　e　from　frogs　or　ravens；　she　saw　no　sign　of　such　creatures。　〃Agrave！　dig　me　a　grave！〃　was　repeated　quite　loud。　Yes；　it　was　indeedthe　spectre　of　her　child。　The　child　that　lay　beneath　the　ocean；　andwhose　spirit　could　have　no　rest　until　it　was　carried　to　thechurchyard；　and　until　a　grave　had　been　dug　for　it　in　consecratedground。　She　would　go　there　at　once；　and　there　she　would　dig。　Sheturned　in　the　direction　of　the　church；　and　the　weight　on　her　heartseemed　to　grow　lighter；　and　even　to　vanish　altogether；　but　when　sheturned　to　go　home　by　the　shortest　way；　it　returned。　〃Stop！　stop！〃and　the　words　came　quite　clear；　though　they　were　like　the　croak　of　afrog；　or　the　wail　of　a　bird。　〃A　grave！　dig　me　a　grave！〃

The　mist　was　cold　and　damp；　her　hands　and　face　were　moist　andclammy　with　horror；　a　heavy　weight　again　seized　her　and　clung　toher；　her　mind　became　clear　for　thoughts　that　had　never　before　beenthere。

In　these　northern　regions；　a　beech…wood　often　buds　in　a　singlenight　and　appears　in　the　morning　sunlight　in　its　full　glory　ofyouthful　green。　So；　in　a　single　instant；　can　the　consciousness　ofthe　sin　that　has　been　mitted　in　thoughts；　words；　and　actions　of　ourpast　life；　be　unfolded　to　us。　When　once　the　conscience　is　awakened；　itsprings　up　in　the　heart　spontaneously；　and　God　awakens　theconscience　when　we　least　expect　it。　Then　we　can　find　no　excuse　forourselves；　the　deed　is　there　and　bears　witness　against　us。　Thethoughts　seem　to　bee　words；　and　to　sound　far　out　into　the　world。　Weare　horrified　at　the　thought　of　what　we　have　carried　within　us；　and　atthe　consciousness　that　we　have　not　overe　the　evil　which　has　itsorigin　in　thoughtlessness　and　pride。　The　heart　conceals　withinitself　the　vices　as　well　as　the　virtues；　and　they　grow　in　theshallowest　ground。　Anne　Lisbeth　now　experienced　in　thought　what　wehave　clothed　in　words。　She　was　overpowered　by　them；　and　sank　downand　crept　along　for　some　distance　on　the　ground。　〃A　grave！　dig　me　agrave！〃　sounded　again　in　her　ears；　and　she　would　have　gladly　buriedherself；　if　in　the　grave　she　could　have　found　forgetfulness　of　heractions。

It　was　the　first　hour　of　her　awakening；　full　of　anguish　andhorror。　Superstition　made　her　alternately　shudder　with　cold　or　burnwith　the　heat　of　fever。　Many　things；　of　which　she　had　feared　even　tospeak；　came　into　her　mind。　Silently；　as　the　cloud…shadows　in　themoonshine；　a　spectral　apparition　flitted　by　her；　she　had　heard　of　itbefore。　Close　by　her　galloped　four　snorting　steeds；　with　fire　flashingfrom　their　eyes　and　nostrils。　They　dragged　a　burning　coach；　and　withinit　sat　the　wicked　lord　of　the　manor；　who　had　ruled　there　a　hundredyears　before。　The　legend　says　that　every　night；　at　twelve　o'clock；he　drove　into　his　castleyard　and　out　again。　He　was　not