安徒生童话- 第218部分

〃She　shall　play　with　me；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；　〃sheshall　give　me　her　muff　and　her　pretty　dress；　and　sleep　with　me　in　mybed。〃　And　then　she　bit　her　mother　again；　and　made　her　spring　in　theair；　and　jump　about；　and　all　the　robbers　laughed；　and　said；　〃See　howshe　is　dancing　with　her　young　cub。〃

〃I　will　have　a　ride　in　the　coach；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；and　she　would　have　her　own　way；　for　she　was　so　self…willed　andobstinate。

She　and　Gerda　seated　themselves　in　the　coach；　and　drove　away；　overstumps　and　stones；　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　The　littlerobber…girl　was　about　the　same　size　as　Gerda；　but　stronger；　she　hadbroader　shoulders　and　a　darker　skin；　her　eyes　were　quite　black；　andshe　had　a　mournful　look。　She　clasped　little　Gerda　round　the　waist；　andsaid；…

〃They　shall　not　kill　you　as　long　as　you　don't　make　us　vexed　withyou。　I　suppose　you　are　a　princess。〃

〃No；〃　said　Gerda；　and　then　she　told　her　all　her　history；　and　howfond　she　was　of　little　Kay。

The　robber…girl　looked　earnestly　at　her；　nodded　her　head　slightly；and　said；　〃They　sha'nt　kill　you；　even　if　I　do　get　angry　with　you；for　I　will　do　it　myself。〃　And　then　she　wiped　Gerda's　eyes；　and　stuckher　own　hands　in　the　beautiful　muff　which　was　so　soft　and　warm。

The　coach　stopped　in　the　courtyard　of　a　robber's　castle；　the　wallsof　which　were　cracked　from　top　to　bottom。　Ravens　and　crows　flew　in　andout　of　the　holes　and　crevices；　while　great　bulldogs；　either　of　whichlooked　as　if　it　could　swallow　a　man；　were　jumping　about；　but　they　werenot　allowed　to　bark。　In　the　large　and　smoky　hall　a　bright　fire　wasburning　on　the　stone　floor。　There　was　no　chimney；　so　the　smoke　went　upto　the　ceiling；　and　found　a　way　out　for　itself。　Soup　was　boiling　ina　large　cauldron；　and　hares　and　rabbits　were　roasting　on　the　spit。

〃You　shall　sleep　with　me　and　all　my　little　animals　to…night；〃　saidthe　robber…girl；　after　they　had　had　something　to　eat　and　drink。　So　shetook　Gerda　to　a　corner　of　the　hall；　where　some　straw　and　carpetswere　laid　down。　Above　them；　on　laths　and　perches；　were　more　than　ahundred　pigeons；　who　all　seemed　to　be　asleep；　although　they　movedslightly　when　the　two　little　girls　came　near　them。　〃These　all　belongto　me；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　and　she　seized　the　nearest　to　her；held　it　by　the　feet；　and　shook　it　till　it　flapped　its　wings。　〃Kissit；〃　cried　she；　flapping　it　in　Gerda's　face。　〃There　sit　thewood…pigeons；〃　continued　she；　pointing　to　a　number　of　laths　and　a　cagewhich　had　been　fixed　into　the　walls；　near　one　of　the　openings。　〃Bothrascals　would　fly　away　directly；　if　they　were　not　closely　locked　up。And　here　is　my　old　sweetheart　'Ba；'　and　she　dragged　out　a　reindeerby　the　horn；　he　wore　a　bright　copper　ring　round　his　neck；　and　was　tiedup。　〃We　are　obliged　to　hold　him　tight　too；　or　else　he　would　run　awayfrom　us　also。　I　tickle　his　neck　every　evening　with　my　sharp　knife；which　frightens　him　very　much。〃　And　then　the　robber…girl　drew　a　longknife　from　a　chink　in　the　wall；　and　let　it　slide　gently　over　thereindeer's　neck。　The　poor　animal　began　to　kick；　and　the　littlerobber…girl　laughed；　and　pulled　down　Gerda　into　bed　with　her。

〃Will　you　have　that　knife　with　you　while　you　are　asleep？〃　askedGerda；　looking　at　it　in　great　fright。

〃I　always　sleep　with　the　knife　by　me；〃　said　the　robber…girl。　〃Noone　knows　what　may　happen。　But　now　tell　me　again　all　about　little　Kay；and　why　you　went　out　into　the　world。〃

Then　Gerda　repeated　her　story　over　again；　while　the　wood…pigeonsin　the　cage　over　her　cooed；　and　the　other　pigeons　slept。　The　littlerobber…girl　put　one　arm　across　Gerda's　neck；　and　held　the　knife　in　theother；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　and　snoring。　But　Gerda　could　not　closeher　eyes　at　all；　she　knew　not　whether　she　was　to　live　or　die。　Therobbers　sat　round　the　fire；　singing　and　drinking；　and　the　old　womanstumbled　about。　It　was　a　terrible　sight　for　a　little　girl　to　witness。

Then　the　wood…pigeons　said；　〃Coo；　coo；　we　have　seen　little　Kay。A　white　fowl　carried　his　sledge；　and　he　sat　in　the　carriage　of　theSnow　Queen；　which　drove　through　the　wood　while　we　were　lying　in　ournest。　She　blew　upon　us；　and　all　the　young　ones　died　excepting　ustwo。　Coo；　coo。〃

〃What　are　you　saying　up　there？〃　cried　Gerda。　〃Where　was　the　SnowQueen　going？　Do　you　know　anything　about　it？〃

〃She　was　most　likely　travelling　to　Lapland；　where　there　isalways　snow　and　ice。　Ask　the　reindeer　that　is　fastened　up　there　with　arope。〃

〃Yes；　there　is　always　snow　and　ice；〃　said　the　reindeer；　〃and　it　isa　glorious　place；　you　can　leap　and　run　about　freely　on　the　sparklingice　plains。　The　Snow　Queen　has　her　summer　tent　there；　but　her　strongcastle　is　at　the　North　Pole；　on　an　island　called　Spitzbergen。〃

〃Oh；　Kay；　little　Kay！〃　sighed　Gerda。

〃Lie　still；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　〃or　I　shall　run　my　knife　intoyour　body。〃

In　the　morning　Gerda　told　her　all　that　the　wood…pigeons　hadsaid；　and　the　little　robber…girl　looked　quite　serious；　and　noddedher　head；　and　said；　〃That　is　all　talk；　that　is　all　talk。　Do　you　knowwhere　Lapland　is？〃　she　asked　the　reindeer。

〃Who　should　know　better　than　I　do？〃　said　the　animal；　while　hiseyes　sparkled。　〃I　was　born　and　brought　up　there；　and　used　to　run　aboutthe　snow…covered　plains。〃

〃Now　listen；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　〃all　our　men　are　gone　away；…only　mother　is　here；　and　here　she　will　stay；　but　at　noon　she　alwaysdrinks　out　of　a　great　bottle；　and　afterwards　sleeps　for　a　littlewhile；　and　then；　I'll　do　something　for　you。〃　Then　she　jumped　out　ofbed；　clasped　her　mother　round　the　neck；　and　pulled　her　by　the　beard；crying；　〃My　own　little　nanny　goat；　good　morning。〃　Then　her　motherfilliped　her　nose　till　it　was　quite　red；　yet　she　did　it　all　for　love。

When　the　mother　had　drunk　out　of　the　bottle；　and　was　gone　tosleep；　the　little　robber…maiden　went　to　the　reindeer；　and　said；　〃Ishould　like　very　much　to　tickle　your　neck　a　few　times　more　with　myknife；　for　it　makes　you　look　so　funny；　but　never　mind；…　I　will　untieyour　cord；　and　set　you　free；　so　that　you　may　run　away　to　Lapland；but　you　must　make　good　use　of　your　legs；　and　carry　this　littlemaiden　to　the　castle　of　the　Snow　Queen；　where　her　play…fellow　is。You　have　heard　what　she　told　me；　for　she　spoke　loud　enough；　and　youwere　listening。〃

Then　the　reindeer　jumped　for　joy；　and　the　little　robber…girllifted　Gerda　on　his　back；　and　had　the　forethought　to　tie　her　on；　andeven　to　give　her　her　own　little　cushion　to　sit　on。

〃Here　are　your　fur　boots　for　you；〃　said　she；　〃for　it　will　bevery　cold；　but　I　must　keep　the　muff；　it　is　so　pretty。　However；　youshall　not　be　frozen　for　the　want　of　it；　here　are　my　mother's　largewarm　mittens；　they　will　reach　up　to　your　elbows。　Let　me　put　them　on。There；　now　your　hands　look　just　like　my　mother's。〃

But　Gerda　wept　for　joy。

〃I　don't　like　to　see　you　fret；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；〃you　ought　to　look　quite　happy　now；　and　here　are　two　loaves　and　a　ham；so　that　you　need　not　starve。〃　These　were　fastened　on　the　reindeer；　andthen　the　little　robber…maiden　opened　the　door；　coaxed　in　all　the　greatdogs；　and　then　cut　the　string　with　which　the　reindeer　was　fastened；with　her　sharp　knife；　and　said；　〃Now　run；　but　mind　you　take　goodcare　of　the　little　girl。〃　And　then　Gerda　stretched　out　her　hand；with　the　great　mitten　on　it；　towards　the　little　robber…girl；　and　said；〃Farewell；〃　and　a