安徒生童话- 第51部分

Her　benefactor　in　the　machinery　department；　Herr　Sivertsen；visited　her　every　Sunday；　but　it　was　a　long　time　from　Sunday　toSunday。　In　the　latter　time；　therefore；　she　used　to　have　in　a　littlechild　〃for　the　scraps；〃　that　is　to　say；　to　eat　up　the　remains　of　thedinner。　It　was　a　child　employed　in　the　ballet；　one　that　certainlywanted　feeding。　The　little　one　used　to　appear；　sometimes　as　an　elf；sometimes　as　a　page；　the　most　difficult　part　she　had　to　play　was　thelion's　hind　leg　in　the　〃Magic　Flute；〃　but　as　she　grew　larger　she　couldrepresent　the　fore…feet　of　the　lion。　She　certainly　only　got　half　aguilder　for　that；　whereas　the　hind　legs　were　paid　for　with　a　wholeguilder；　but　then　she　had　to　walk　bent；　and　to　do　without　fresh　air。〃That　was　all　very　interesting　to　hear；〃　said　our　aunt。

She　deserved　to　live　as　long　as　the　theatre　stood；　but　she　couldnot　last　so　long；　and　she　did　not　die　in　the　theatre；　butrespectably　in　her　bed。　Her　last　words　were；　moreover；　not　withoutmeaning。　She　asked；

〃What　will　the　play　be　to…morrow？〃

At　her　death　she　left　about　five　hundred　dollars。　We　presumethis　from　the　interest；　which　came　to　twenty　dollars。　This　our　aunthad　destined　as　a　legacy　for　a　worthy　old　spinster　who　had　no　friends；it　was　to　be　devoted　to　a　yearly　subscription　for　a　place　in　thesecond　tier；　on　the　left　side；　for　the　Saturday　evening；　〃for　onthat　evening　two　pieces　were　always　given；〃　it　said　in　the　will；　andthe　only　condition　laid　upon　the　person　who　enjoyed　the　legacy　was；that　she　should　think；　every　Saturday　evening；　of　our　aunt；　who　waslying　in　her　grave。

This　was　our　aunt's　religion。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　POULTRY　MEG'S　FAMILY

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

POULTRY　MEG　was　the　only　person　who　lived　in　the　new　statelydwelling　that　had　been　built　for　the　fowls　and　ducks　belonging　tothe　manor　house。　It　stood　there　where　once　the　old　knightly　buildinghad　stood　with　its　tower；　its　pointed　gables；　its　moat；　and　itsdrawbridge。　Close　by　it　was　a　wilderness　of　trees　and　thicket；　herethe　garden　had　been；　and　had　stretched　out　to　a　great　lake；　whichwas　now　moorland。　Crows　and　choughs　flew　screaming　over　the　old　trees；and　there　were　crowds　of　birds；　they　did　not　seem　to　get　fewer　whenany　one　shot　among　them；　but　seemed　rather　to　increase。　One　heardthe　screaming　into　the　poultry…house；　where　Poultry　Meg　sat　with　theducklings　running　to　and　fro　over　her　wooden　shoes。　She　knew　everyfowl　and　every　duck　from　the　moment　it　crept　out　of　the　shell；　and　shewas　fond　of　her　fowls　and　her　ducks；　and　proud　of　the　stately　housethat　had　been　built　for　them。　Her　own　little　room　in　the　house　wasclean　and　neat；　for　that　was　the　wish　of　the　gracious　lady　to　whom　thehouse　belonged。　She　often　came　in　the　pany　of　grand　noble　guests；to　whom　she　showed　〃the　hens'　and　ducks'　barracks；〃　as　she　calledthe　little　house。

Here　were　a　clothes　cupboard；　and　an；　arm…chair；　and　even　achest　of　drawers；　and　on　these　drawers　a　polished　metal　plate　had　beenplaced；　whereon　was　engraved　the　word　〃Grubbe；〃　and　this　was　thename　of　the　noble　family　that　had　lived　in　the　house　of　old。　The　brassplate　had　been　found　when　they　were　digging　the　foundation；　and　theclerk　has　said　it　had　no　value　except　in　being　an　old　relic。　The　clerkknew　all　about　the　place；　and　about　the　old　times；　for　he　had　hisknowledge　from　books；　and　many　a　memorandum　had　been　written　and　putin　his　table…drawer。　But　the　oldest　of　the　crows　perhaps　knew　morethan　he；　and　screamed　it　out　in　her　own　language；　but　that　was　thecrow's　language；　and　the　clerk　did　not　understand　that；　clever　as　hewas。

After　the　hot　summer　days　the　mist　sometimes　hung　over　themoorland　as　if　a　whole　lake　were　behind　the　old　trees；　among　which　thecrows　and　the　daws　were　fluttering；　and　thus　it　had　looked　when　thegood　Knight　Grubbe　had　lived　here…　when　the　old　manor　house　stood　withits　thick　red　walls。　The　dog…chain　used　to　reach　in　those　days　quiteover　the　gateway；　through　the　tower　one　went　into　a　paved　passagewhich　led　to　the　rooms；　the　windows　were　narrow；　and　the　panes　weresmall；　even　in　the　great　hall　where　the　dancing　used　to　be；　but　in　thetime　of　the　last　Grubbe；　there　had　been　no　dancing　in　the　hallwithin　the　memory　of　man；　although　an　old　drum　still　lay　there　thathad　served　as　part　of　the　music。　Here　stood　a　quaintly　carvedcupboard；　in　which　rare　flower…roots　were　kept；　for　my　Lady　Grubbe　wasfond　of　plants　and　cultivated　trees　and　shrubs。　Her　husbandpreferred　riding　out　to　shoot　wolves　and　boars；　and　his　littledaughter　Marie　always　went　with　him　part　of　the　way。　When　she　was　onlyfive　years　old；　she　would　sit　proudly　on　her　horse；　and　look　saucilyround　with　her　great　black　eyes。　It　was　a　great　amusement　to　her　tohit　out　among　the　hunting…dogs　with　her　whip；　but　her　father　wouldrather　have　seen　her　hit　among　the　peasant　boys；　who　came　running　upto　stare　at　their　lord。

The　peasant　in　the　clay　hut　close　by　the　knightly　house　had　ason　named　Soren；　of　the　same　age　as　the　gracious　little　lady。　Theboy　could　climb　well；　and　had　always　to　bring　her　down　the　bird'snests。　The　birds　screamed　as　loud　as　they　could；　and　one　of　thegreatest　of　them　hacked　him　with　its　beak　over　the　eye　so　that　theblood　ran　down；　and　it　was　at　first　thought　the　eye　had　beendestroyed；　but　it　had　not　been　injured　after　all。　Marie　Grubbe　used　tocall　him　her　Soren；　and　that　was　a　great　favor；　and　was　an　advantageto　Soren's　father…　poor　Jon；　who　had　one　day　mitted　a　fault；　andwas　to　be　punished　by　riding　on　the　wooden　horse。　This　same　horsestood　in　the　courtyard；　and　had　four　poles　for　legs；　and　a　singlenarrow　plant　for　a　back；　on　this　Jon　had　to　ride　astride；　and　someheavy　bricks　were　fastened　to　his　feet　into　the　bargain；　that　he　mightnot　sit　too　fortably。　He　made　horrible　grimaces；　and　Soren　wept　andimplored　little　Marie　to　interfere。　She　immediately　ordered　thatSoren's　father　should　be　taken　down；　and　when　they　did　not　obey　her；she　stamped　on　the　floor；　and　pulled　at　her　father's　sleeve　till　itwas　torn　to　pieces。　She　would　have　her　way；　and　she　got　her　way；　andSoren's　father　was　taken　down。

Lady　Grubbe；　who　now　came　up；　parted　her　little　daughter's　hairfrom　the　child's　brow；　and　looked　at　her　affectionately；　but　Marie　didnot　understand　why。

She　wanted　to　go　to　the　hounds；　and　not　to　her　mother；　who　wentdown　into　the　garden；　to　the　lake　where　the　water…lily　bloomed；　andthe　heads　of　bulrushes　nodded　amid　the　reeds；　and　she　looked　at　allthis　beauty　and　freshness。　〃How　pleasant！〃　she　said。　In　the　gardenstood　at　that　time　a　rare　tree；　which　she　herself　had　planted。　Itwas　called　the　blood…beech…　a　kind　of　negro　growing　among　the　othertrees；　so　dark　brown　were　the　leaves。　This　tree　required　muchsunshine；　for　in　continual　shade　it　would　bee　bright　green　like　theother　trees；　and　thus　lose　its　distinctive　character。　In　the　loftychestnut　trees　were　many　birds'　nests；　and　also　in　the　thickets　and　inthe　grassy　meadows。　It　seemed　as　though　the　birds　knew　that　theywere　protected　here；　and　that　no　one　must　fire　a　gun　at　them。

Little　Marie　came　here　with　Soren。　He　knew　how　to　climb；　as　wehave　already　said；　and　eggs　and　fluffy…feathered　young　birds　werebrought　down。　The　birds；　great　and　small；　flew　about　in　terror　andt