安徒生童话- 第263部分

At　this　moment　her　stepmother　came　into　the　room；　and　Joannasaid　quickly；　〃Knud　is　so　unhappy；　because　I　am　going　away；〃　and　itappeared　as　if　they　had　only　been　talking　of　her　journey。　〃e；　bea　man〃　she　added；　placing　her　hand　on　his　shoulder；　〃you　are　still　achild；　and　you　must　be　good　and　reasonable；　as　you　were　when　we　wereboth　children；　and　played　together　under　the　willow…tree。〃

Knud　listened；　but　he　felt　as　if　the　world　had　slid　out　of　itscourse。　His　thoughts　were　like　a　loose　thread　fluttering　to　and　fro　inthe　wind。　He　stayed；　although　he　could　not　tell　whether　she　hadasked　him　to　do　so。　But　she　was　kind　and　gentle　to　him；　she　poured　outhis　tea；　and　sang　to　him；　but　the　song　had　not　the　old　tone　in　it；although　it　was　wonderfully　beautiful；　and　made　his　heart　feel　readyto　burst。　And　then　he　rose　to　go。　He　did　not　offer　his　hand；　but　sheseized　it；　and　said…

〃Will　you　not　shake　hands　with　your　sister　at　parting；　my　oldplayfellow？〃　and　she　smiled　through　the　tears　that　were　rolling　downher　cheeks。　Again　she　repeated　the　word　〃brother；〃　which　was　a　greatconsolation　certainly；　and　thus　they　parted。

She　sailed　to　France；　and　Knud　wandered　about　the　muddy　streets　ofCopenhagen。　The　other　journeymen　in　the　shop　asked　him　why　he　lookedso　gloomy；　and　wanted　him　to　go　and　amuse　himself　with　them；　as　he　wasstill　a　young　man。　So　he　went　with　them　to　a　dancing…room。　He　saw　manyhandsome　girls　there；　but　none　like　Joanna；　and　here；　where　he　thoughtto　forget　her；　she　was　more　life…like　before　his　mind　than　ever。〃God　gives　us　strength　to　bear　much；　if　we　try　to　do　our　best；〃　shehad　said；　and　as　he　thought　of　this；　a　devout　feeling　came　into　hismind；　and　he　folded　his　hands。　Then；　as　the　violins　played　and　thegirls　danced　round　the　room；　he　started；　for　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　hewere　in　a　place　where　he　ought　not　to　have　brought　Joanna；　for　she　washere　with　him　in　his　heart；　and　so　he　went　out　at　once。　As　he　wentthrough　the　streets　at　a　quick　pace；　he　passed　the　house　where　sheused　to　live；　it　was　all　dark；　empty；　and　lonely。　But　the　world　wenton　its　course；　and　Knud　was　obliged　to　go　on　too。

Winter　came；　the　water　was　frozen；　and　everything　seemed　buried　ina　cold　grave。　But　when　spring　returned；　and　the　first　steamer　preparedto　sail；　Knud　was　seized　with　a　longing　to　wander　forth　into　theworld；　but　not　to　France。　So　he　packed　his　knapsack；　and　travelledthrough　Germany；　going　from　town　to　town；　but　finding　neither　restor　peace。　It　was　not　till　he　arrived　at　the　glorious　old　town　ofNuremberg　that　he　gained　the　mastery　over　himself；　and　rested　hisweary　feet；　and　here　he　remained。

Nuremberg　is　a　wonderful　old　city；　and　looks　as　if　it　had　been　cutout　of　an　old　picture…book。　The　streets　seem　to　have　arrangedthemselves　according　to　their　own　fancy；　and　as　if　the　houses　objectedto　stand　in　rows　or　rank　and　file。　Gables；　with　little　towers；ornamented　columns；　and　statues；　can　be　seen　even　to　the　city　gate；and　from　the　singular…shaped　roofs；　waterspouts；　formed　likedragons；　or　long　lean　dogs；　extend　far　across　to　the　middle　of　thestreet。　Here；　in　the　market…place；　stood　Knud；　with　his　knapsack　onhis　back；　close　to　one　of　the　old　fountains　which　are　so　beautifullyadorned　with　figures；　scriptural　and　historical；　and　which　spring　upbetween　the　sparkling　jets　of　water。　A　pretty　servant…maid　was　justfilling　her　pails；　and　she　gave　Knud　a　refreshing　draught；　she　had　ahandful　of　roses；　and　she　gave　him　one；　which　appeared　to　him　like　agood　omen　for　the　future。　From　a　neighboring　church　came　the　sounds　ofmusic；　and　the　familiar　tones　reminded　him　of　the　organ　at　home　atKjoge；　so　he　passed　into　the　great　cathedral。　The　sunshine　streamedthrough　the　painted　glass　windows；　and　between　two　lofty　slenderpillars。　His　thoughts　became　prayerful；　and　calm　peace　rested　on　hissoul。　He　next　sought　and　found　a　good　master　in　Nuremberg；　with　whomhe　stayed　and　learnt　the　German　language。

The　old　moat　round　the　town　had　been　converted　into　a　number　oflittle　kitchen　gardens；　but　the　high　walls；　with　their　heavy…lookingtowers；　are　still　standing。　Inside　these　walls　the　ropemaker　twistedhis　ropes　along　a　walk　built　like　a　gallery；　and　in　the　cracks　andcrevices　of　the　walls　elderbushes　grow　and　stretch　their　greenboughs　over　the　small　houses　which　stand　below。　In　one　of　these　houseslived　the　master　for　whom　Knud　worked；　and　over　the　little　garretwindow　where　he　sat；　the　elder…tree　waved　its　branches。　Here　hedwelt　through　one　summer　and　winter；　but　when　spring　came　again；　hecould　endure　it　no　longer。　The　elder　was　in　blossom；　and　its　fragrancewas　so　homelike；　that　he　fancied　himself　back　again　in　the　gardensof　Kjoge。　So　Knud　left　his　master；　and　went　to　work　for　another　wholived　farther　in　the　town；　where　no　elder　grew。　His　workshop　was　quiteclose　to　one　of　the　old　stone　bridges；　near　to　a　water…mill；　roundwhich　the　roaring　stream　rushed　and　foamed　always；　yet　restrained　bythe　neighboring　houses；　whose　old；　decayed　balconies　hung　over；　andseemed　ready　to　fall　into　the　water。　Here　grew　no　elder；　here　wasnot　even　a　flower…pot；　with　its　little　green　plant；　but　justopposite　the　workshop　stood　a　great　willow…tree；　which　seemed　tohold　fast　to　the　house　for　fear　of　being　carried　away　by　the　water。　Itstretched　its　branches　over　the　stream　just　as　those　of　thewillow…tree　in　the　garden　at　Kjoge　had　spread　over　the　river。　Yes；he　had　indeed　gone　from　elder…mother　to　willow…father。　There　was　asomething　about　the　tree　here；　especially　in　the　moonlight　nights；that　went　direct　to　his　heart；　yet　it　was　not　in　reality　themoonlight；　but　the　old　tree　itself。　However；　he　could　not　endure　it：and　why？　Ask　the　willow；　ask　the　blossoming　elder！　At　all　events；　hebade　farewell　to　Nuremberg　and　journeyed　onwards。　He　never　spoke　ofJoanna　to　any　one；　his　sorrow　was　hidden　in　his　heart。　The　oldchildish　story　of　the　two　cakes　had　a　deep　meaning　for　him。　Heunderstood　now　why　the　gingerbread　man　had　a　bitter　almond　in　his　leftside；　his　was　the　feeling　of　bitterness；　and　Joanna；　so　mild　andfriendly；　was　represented　by　the　honeycake　maiden。　As　he　thoughtupon　all　this；　the　strap　of　his　knapsack　pressed　across　his　chest　sothat　he　could　hardly　breathe；　he　loosened　it；　but　gained　no　relief。　Hesaw　but　half　the　world　around　him；　the　other　half　he　carried　withhim　in　his　inward　thoughts；　and　this　is　the　condition　in　which　he　leftNuremberg。　Not　till　he　caught　sight　of　the　lofty　mountains　did　theworld　appear　more　free　to　him；　his　thoughts　were　attracted　to　outerobjects；　and　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　The　Alps　appeared　to　him　likethe　wings　of　earth　folded　together；　unfolded；　they　would　display　thevariegated　pictures　of　dark　woods；　foaming　waters；　spreading　clouds；and　masses　of　snow。　〃At　the　last　day；〃　thought　he；　〃the　earth　willunfold　its　great　wings；　and　soar　upwards　to　the　skies；　there　toburst　like　a　soap…bubble　in　the　radiant　glance　of　the　Deity。　Oh；〃sighed　he；　〃that　the　last　day　were　e！〃

Silently　he　wandered　on　through　the　country　of　the　Alps；　whichseemed　to　him　like　a　fruit　garden；　covered　with　soft　turf。　From　thewooden　balconies　of　the　houses　the　young　lacemakers　nodded　as　hepassed。　The　summits　of　the　mountains　glowed　in　the　red　evening　sunset；and　the　green　lakes　beneath　the　dark　trees　reflected　the　glo