安徒生童话- 第215部分

〃Thank　you；〃　said　little　Gerda；　and　then　she　went　to　the　otherflowers；　and　looked　into　their　little　cups；　and　asked；　〃Do　you　knowwhere　little　Kay　is？〃　But　each　flower；　as　it　stood　in　the　sunshine；dreamed　only　of　its　own　little　fairy　tale　of　history。　Not　one　knewanything　of　Kay。　Gerda　heard　many　stories　from　the　flowers；　as　sheasked　them　one　after　another　about　him。

And　what；　said　the　tiger…lily？　〃Hark；　do　you　hear　the　drum？　…'turn；　turn；'…　there　are　only　two　notes；　always；　'turn；　turn。'Listen　to　the　women's　song　of　mourning！　Hear　the　cry　of　the　priest！　Inher　long　red　robe　stands　the　Hindoo　widow　by　the　funeral　pile。　Theflames　rise　around　her　as　she　places　herself　on　the　dead　body　of　herhusband；　but　the　Hindoo　woman　is　thinking　of　the　living　one　in　thatcircle；　of　him；　her　son；　who　lighted　those　flames。　Those　shiningeyes　trouble　her　heart　more　painfully　than　the　flames　which　willsoon　consume　her　body　to　ashes。　Can　the　fire　of　the　heart　beextinguished　in　the　flames　of　the　funeral　pile？〃

〃I　don't　understand　that　at　all；〃　said　little　Gerda。

〃That　is　my　story；〃　said　the　tiger…lily。

What；　says　the　convolvulus？　〃Near　yonder　narrow　road　stands　an　oldknight's　castle；　thick　ivy　creeps　over　the　old　ruined　walls；　leaf　overleaf；　even　to　the　balcony；　in　which　stands　a　beautiful　maiden。　Shebends　over　the　balustrades；　and　looks　up　the　road。　No　rose　on　its　stemis　fresher　than　she；　no　apple…blossom；　wafted　by　the　wind；　floats　morelightly　than　she　moves。　Her　rich　silk　rustles　as　she　bends　over　andexclaims；　'Will　he　not　e？'

〃Is　it　Kay　you　mean？〃　asked　Gerda。

〃I　am　only　speaking　of　a　story　of　my　dream；〃　replied　the　flower。

What；　said　the　little　snow…drop？　〃Between　two　trees　a　rope　ishanging；　there　is　a　piece　of　board　upon　it；　it　is　a　swing。　Twopretty　little　girls；　in　dresses　white　as　snow；　and　with　long　greenribbons　fluttering　from　their　hats；　are　sitting　upon　it　swinging。Their　brother　who　is　taller　than　they　are；　stands　in　the　swing；　he　hasone　arm　round　the　rope；　to　steady　himself；　in　one　hand　he　holds　alittle　bowl；　and　in　the　other　a　clay　pipe；　he　is　blowing　bubbles。　Asthe　swing　goes　on；　the　bubbles　fly　upward；　reflecting　the　mostbeautiful　varying　colors。　The　last　still　hangs　from　the　bowl　of　thepipe；　and　sways　in　the　wind。　On　goes　the　swing；　and　then　a　littleblack　dog　es　running　up。　He　is　almost　as　light　as　the　bubble；　andhe　raises　himself　on　his　hind　legs；　and　wants　to　be　taken　into　theswing；　but　it　does　not　stop；　and　the　dog　falls；　then　he　barks　and　getsangry。　The　children　stoop　towards　him；　and　the　bubble　bursts。　Aswinging　plank；　a　light　sparkling　foam　picture；…　that　is　my　story。〃

〃It　may　be　all　very　pretty　what　you　are　telling　me；〃　said　littleGerda；　〃but　you　speak　so　mournfully；　and　you　do　not　mention　little　Kayat　all。〃

What　do　the　hyacinths　say？　〃There　were　three　beautiful　sisters；fair　and　delicate。　The　dress　of　one　was　red；　of　the　second　blue；　andof　the　third　pure　white。　Hand　in　hand　they　danced　in　the　brightmoonlight；　by　the　calm　lake；　but　they　were　human　beings；　not　fairyelves。　The　sweet　fragrance　attracted　them；　and　they　disappeared　in　thewood；　here　the　fragrance　became　stronger。　Three　coffins；　in　whichlay　the　three　beautiful　maidens；　glided　from　the　thickest　part　ofthe　forest　across　the　lake。　The　fire…flies　flew　lightly　over　them；like　little　floating　torches。　Do　the　dancing　maidens　sleep；　or　arethey　dead？　The　scent　of　the　flower　says　that　they　are　corpses。　Theevening　bell　tolls　their　knell。〃

〃You　make　me　quite　sorrowful；〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃your　perfume　isso　strong；　you　make　me　think　of　the　dead　maidens。　Ah！　is　little　Kayreally　dead　then？　The　roses　have　been　in　the　earth；　and　they　say　no。〃

〃Cling；　clang；〃　tolled　the　hyacinth　bells。　〃We　are　not　tolling　forlittle　Kay；　we　do　not　know　him。　We　sing　our　song；　the　only　one　weknow。〃

Then　Gerda　went　to　the　buttercups　that　were　glittering　amongst　thebright　green　leaves。

〃You　are　little　bright　suns；〃　said　Gerda；　〃tell　me　if　you　knowwhere　I　can　find　my　play…fellow。〃

And　the　buttercups　sparkled　gayly；　and　looked　again　at　Gerda。　Whatsong　could　the　buttercups　sing？　It　was　not　about　Kay。

〃The　bright　warm　sun　shone　on　a　little　court；　on　the　first　warmday　of　spring。　His　bright　beams　rested　on　the　white　walls　of　theneighboring　house；　and　close　by　bloomed　the　first　yellow　flower　of　theseason；　glittering　like　gold　in　the　sun's　warm　ray。　An　old　woman　satin　her　arm　chair　at　the　house　door；　and　her　granddaughter；　a　poorand　pretty　servant…maid　came　to　see　her　for　a　short　visit。　When　shekissed　her　grandmother　there　was　gold　everywhere：　the　gold　of　theheart　in　that　holy　kiss；　it　was　a　golden　morning；　there　was　gold　inthe　beaming　sunlight；　gold　in　the　leaves　of　the　lowly　flower；　and　onthe　lips　of　the　maiden。　There；　that　is　my　story；〃　said　the　buttercup。

〃My　poor　old　grandmother！〃　sighed　Gerda；　〃she　is　longing　to　seeme；　and　grieving　for　me　as　she　did　for　little　Kay；　but　I　shall　soon　gohome　now；　and　take　little　Kay　with　me。　It　is　no　use　asking　theflowers；　they　know　only　their　own　songs；　and　can　give　me　noinformation。〃

And　then　she　tucked　up　her　little　dress；　that　she　might　runfaster；　but　the　narcissus　caught　her　by　the　leg　as　she　was　jumpingover　it；　so　she　stopped　and　looked　at　the　tall　yellow　flower；　andsaid；　〃Perhaps　you　may　know　something。〃

Then　she　stooped　down　quite　close　to　the　flower；　and　listened；　andwhat　did　he　say？

〃I　can　see　myself；　I　can　see　myself；〃　said　the　narcissus。　〃Oh；　howsweet　is　my　perfume！　Up　in　a　little　room　with　a　bow　window；　stands　alittle　dancing　girl；　half　undressed；　she　stands　sometimes　on　oneleg；　and　sometimes　on　both；　and　looks　as　if　she　would　tread　thewhole　world　under　her　feet。　She　is　nothing　but　a　delusion。　She　ispouring　water　out　of　a　tea…pot　on　a　piece　of　stuff　which　she　holdsin　her　hand；　it　is　her　bodice。　'Cleanliness　is　a　good　thing；'　shesays。　Her　white　dress　hangs　on　a　peg；　it　has　also　been　washed　in　thetea…pot；　and　dried　on　the　roof。　She　puts　it　on；　and　ties　asaffron…colored　handkerchief　round　her　neck；　which　makes　the　dresslook　whiter。　See　how　she　stretches　out　her　legs；　as　if　she　wereshowing　off　on　a　stem。　I　can　see　myself；　I　can　see　myself。〃

〃What　do　I　care　for　all　that；〃　said　Gerda；　〃you　need　not　tell　mesuch　stuff。〃　And　then　she　ran　to　the　other　end　of　the　garden。　The　doorwas　fastened；　but　she　pressed　against　the　rusty　latch；　and　it　gaveway。　The　door　sprang　open；　and　little　Gerda　ran　out　with　bare　feetinto　the　wide　world。　She　looked　back　three　times；　but　no　one　seemed　tobe　following　her。　At　last　she　could　run　no　longer；　so　she　sat　downto　rest　on　a　great　stone；　and　when　she　looked　round　she　saw　that　thesummer　was　over；　and　autumn　very　far　advanced。　She　had　known　nothingof　this　in　the　beautiful　garden；　where　the　sun　shone　and　the　flowersgrew　all　the　year　round。

〃Oh；　how　I　have　wasted　my　time？〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃it　is　autumn。I　must　not　rest　any　longer；〃　and　she　rose　up　to　go　on。　But　herlittle　feet　were　wounded　and　sore；　and　everything　around　her　looked　socold　and　bleak。　The　long　willow…leaves　were　quite　yellow。　Thedew…drops　fell　like　water；　leaf　after　leaf　dropped　from　the　trees；　thesloe…thorn　alone　still　bore　fruit；　but　the　sloes　were　sour；　and　setthe　teeth　on　edge。　Oh；　how　dark　and　weary　the　whole　world　appeared