安徒生童话- 第85部分

Thus　sighed　the　Dryad；　and　she　prayed：

〃Take　from　me　the　years　that　were　destined　for　me；　and　give　me　buthalf　of　the　life　of　the　ephemeral　fly！　Deliver　me　from　my　prison！　Giveme　human　life；　human　happiness；　only　a　short　span；　only　the　one　night；if　it　cannot　be　otherwise；　and　then　punish　me　for　my　wish　to　live；my　longing　for　life！　Strike　me　out　of　thy　list。　Let　my　shell；　thefresh　young　tree；　wither；　or　be　hewn　down；　and　burnt　to　ashes；　andscattered　to　all　the　winds！〃

A　rustling　went　through　the　leaves　of　the　tree；　there　was　atrembling　in　each　of　the　leaves；　it　seemed　as　if　fire　streamed　throughit。　A　gust　of　wind　shook　its　green　crown；　and　from　the　midst　of　thatcrown　a　female　figure　came　forth。　In　the　same　moment　she　was　sittingbeneath　the　brightly…illuminated　leafy　branches；　young　and　beautifulto　behold；　like　poor　Mary；　to　whom　the　clergyman　had　said；　〃Thegreat　city　will　be　thy　destruction。〃

The　Dryad　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　tree…　at　her　house　door；　whichshe　had　locked；　and　whose　key　had　thrown　away。　So　young！　so　fair！The　stars　saw　her；　and　blinked　at　her。　The　gas…lamps　saw　her；　andgleamed　and　beckoned　to　her。　How　delicate　she　was；　and　yet　howblooming！…　a　child；　and　yet　a　grown　maiden！　Her　dress　was　fine　assilk；　green　as　the　freshly…opened　leaves　on　the　crown　of　the　tree；in　her　nut…brown　hair　clung　a　half…opened　chestnut　blossom。　She　lookedlike　the　Goddess　of　Spring。

For　one　short　minute　she　sat　motionless；　then　she　sprang　up；and；　light　as　a　gazelle；　she　hurried　away。　She　ran　and　sprang　like　thereflection　from　the　mirror　that；　carried　by　the　sunshine；　is　cast；　nowhere；　now　there。　Could　any　one　have　followed　her　with　his　eyes；　hewould　have　seen　how　marvellously　her　dress　and　her　form　changed；according　to　the　nature　of　the　house　or　the　place　whose　light　happenedto　shine　upon　her。

She　reached　the　Boulevards。　Here　a　sea　of　light　streamed　forthfrom　the　gas…flames　of　the　lamps；　the　shops　and　the　cafes。　Herestood　in　a　row　young　and　slender　trees；　each　of　which　concealed　itsDryad；　and　gave　shade　from　the　artificial　sunlight。　The　whole　vastpavement　was　one　great　festive　hall；　where　covered　tables　stoodladen　with　refreshments　of　all　kinds；　from　champagne　and　Chartreusedown　to　coffee　and　beer。　Here　was　an　exhibition　of　flowers；　statues；books；　and　colored　stuffs。

From　the　crowd　close　by　the　lofty　houses　she　looked　forth　over　theterrific　stream　beyond　the　rows　of　trees。　Yonder　heaved　a　stream　ofrolling　carriages；　cabriolets；　coaches；　omnibuses；　cabs；　and　amongthem　riding　gentlemen　and　marching　troops。　To　cross　to　the　oppositeshore　was　an　undertaking　fraught　with　danger　to　life　and　limb。　Nowlanterns　shed　their　radiance　abroad；　now　the　gas　had　the　upper　hand；suddenly　a　rocket　rises！　Whence？　Whither？

Here　are　sounds　of　soft　Italian　melodies；　yonder；　Spanish　songsare　sung；　acpanied　by　the　rattle　of　the　castas；　but　strongest　ofall；　and　predominating　over　the　rest；　the　street…organ　tunes　of　themoment；　the　exciting　〃Can…Can〃　music；　which　Orpheus　never　knew；　andwhich　was　never　heard　by　the　〃Belle　Helene。〃　Even　the　barrow　wastempted　to　hop　upon　one　of　its　wheels。

The　Dryad　danced；　floated；　flew；　changing　her　color　everymoment；　like　a　humming…bird　in　the　sunshine；　each　house；　with　theworld　belonging　to　it；　gave　her　its　own　reflections。

As　the　glowing　lotus…flower；　torn　from　its　stem；　is　carried　awayby　the　stream；　so　the　Dryad　drifted　along。　Whenever　she　paused；　shewas　another　being；　so　that　none　was　able　to　follow　her；　to　recognizeher；　or　to　look　more　closely　at　her。

Like　cloud…pictures；　all　things　flew　by　her。　She　looked　into　athousand　faces；　but　not　one　was　familiar　to　her；　she　saw　not　asingle　form　from　home。　Two　bright　eyes　had　remained　in　her　memory。　Shethought　of　Mary；　poor　Mary；　the　ragged　merry　child；　who　wore　the　redflowers　in　her　black　hair。　Mary　was　now　here；　in　the　world…city；rich　and　magnificent　as　in　that　day　when　she　drove　past　the　house　ofthe　old　clergyman；　and　past　the　tree　of　the　Dryad；　the　old　oak。

Here　she　was　certainly　living；　in　the　deafening　tumult。　Perhapsshe　had　just　stepped　out　of　one　of　the　gorgeous　carriages　inwaiting。　Handsome　equipages；　with　coachmen　in　gold　braid　and　footmenin　silken　hose；　drove　up。　The　people　who　alighted　from　them　were　allrichly…dressed　ladies。　They　went　through　the　opened　gate；　and　ascendedthe　broad　staircase　that　led　to　a　building　resting　on　marblepillars。　Was　this　building；　perhaps；　the　wonder　of　the　world？　ThereMary　would　certainly　be　found。

〃Sancta　Maria！〃　resounded　from　the　interior。　Incense　floatedthrough　the　lofty　painted　and　gilded　aisles；　where　a　solemn　twilightreigned。

It　was　the　Church　of　the　Madeleine。

Clad　in　black　garments　of　the　most　costly　stuffs；　fashionedaccording　to　the　latest　mode；　the　rich　feminine　world　of　Parisglided　across　the　shining　pavement。　The　crests　of　the　proprietors　wereengraved　on　silver　shields　on　the　velvet…bound　prayer…books；　andembroidered　in　the　corners　of　perfumed　handkerchiefs　bordered　withBrussels　lace。　A　few　of　the　ladies　were　kneeling　in　silent　prayerbefore　the　altars；　others　resorted　to　the　confessionals。

Anxiety　and　fear　took　possession　of　the　Dryad；　she　felt　as　ifshe　had　entered　a　place　where　she　had　no　right　to　be。　Here　was　theabode　of　silence；　the　hall　of　secrets。　Everything　was　said　inwhispers；　every　word　was　a　mystery。

The　Dryad　saw　herself　enveloped　in　lace　and　silk；　like　the　womenof　wealth　and　of　high　birth　around　her。　Had；　perhaps；　every　one　ofthem　a　longing　in　her　breast；　like　the　Dryad？

A　deep；　painful　sigh　was　heard。　Did　it　escape　from　someconfessional　in　a　distant　corner；　or　from　the　bosom　of　the　Dryad？She　drew　the　veil　closer　around　her；　she　breathed　incense；　and　not　thefresh　air。　Here　was　not　the　abiding…place　of　her　longing。

Away！　away…　a　hastening　without　rest。　The　ephemeral　fly　knowsnot　repose；　for　her　existence　is　flight。

She　was　out　again　among　the　gas　candelabra；　by　a　magnificentfountain。

〃All　its　streaming　waters　are　not　able　to　wash　out　the　innocentblood　that　was　spilt　here。〃

Such　were　the　words　spoken。　Strangers　stood　around；　carrying　ona　lively　conversation；　such　as　no　one　would　have　dared　to　carry　onin　the　gorgeous　hall　of　secrets　whence　the　Dryad　came。

A　heavy　stone　slab　was　turned　and　then　lifted。　She　did　notunderstand　why。　She　saw　an　opening　that　led　into　the　depths　below。　Thestrangers　stepped　down；　leaving　the　starlit　air　and　the　cheerfullife　of　the　upper　world　behind　them。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　one　of　the　women　who　stood　around；　to　herhusband；　〃I　cannot　venture　to　go　down；　nor　do　I　care　for　the　wondersdown　yonder。　You　had　better　stay　here　with　me。〃

〃Indeed；　and　travel　home；〃　said　the　man；　〃and　quit　Paris　withouthaving　seen　the　most　wonderful　thing　of　all…　the　real　wonder　of　thepresent　period；　created　by　the　power　and　resolution　of　one　man！〃

〃I　will　not　go　down　for　all　that；〃　was　the　reply。

〃The　wonder　of　the　present　time；〃　it　had　been　called。　The　Dryadhad　heard　and　had　understood　it。　The　goal　of　her　ardent　longing　hadthus　been　reached；　and　here　was　the　entrance　to　it。　Down　into　thedepths　below　Paris？　She　had　not　thought　of　such　a　thing；　but　now　sheheard　it　said；　and　saw　the　strangers　descending；　and　went　after　them。

The　staircase　was　of　cast　iron；　spira