安徒生童话- 第86部分

The　staircase　was　of　cast　iron；　spiral；　broad　and　easy。　Belowthere　burned　a　lamp；　and　farther　down；　another。　They　stood　in　alabyrinth　of　endless　halls　and　arched　passages；　all　municating　witheach　other。　All　the　streets　and　lanes　of　Paris　were　to　be　seen　hereagain；　as　in　a　dim　reflection。　The　names　were　painted　up；　and　every；house　above　had　its　number　down　here　also；　and　struck　its　rootsunder　the　macadamized　quays　of　a　broad　canal；　in　which　the　muddy　waterflowed　onward。　Over　it　the　fresh　streaming　water　was　carried　onarches；　and　quite　at　the　top　hung　the　tangled　　of　gas…pipes　andtelegraph…wires。

In　the　distance　lamps　gleamed；　like　a　reflection　from　theworld…city　above。　Every　now　and　then　a　dull　rumbling　was　heard。　Thiscame　from　the　heavy　wagons　rolling　over　the　entrance　bridges。

Whither　had　the　Dryad　e？

You　have；　no　doubt；　heard　of　the　CATABS？　Now　they　are　vanishingpoints　in　that　new　underground　world…　that　wonder　of　the　presentday…　the　sewers　of　Paris。　The　Dryad　was　there；　and　not　in　theworld's　Exhibition　in　the　Champ　de　Mars。

She　heard　exclamations　of　wonder　and　admiration。

〃From　here　go　forth　health　and　life　for　thousands　upon　thousandsup　yonder！　Our　time　is　the　time　of　progress；　with　its　manifoldblessings。〃

Such　was　the　opinion　and　the　speech　of　men；　but　not　of　thosecreatures　who　had　been　born　here；　and　who　built　and　dwelt　here…　of　therats；　namely；　who　were　squeaking　to　one　another　in　the　clefts　of　acrumbling　wall；　quite　plainly；　and　in　a　way　the　Dryad　understood　well。

A　big　old　Father…Rat；　with　his　tail　bitten　off；　was　relievinghis　feelings　in　loud　squeaks；　and　his　family　gave　their　tribute　ofconcurrence　to　every　word　he　said：

〃I　am　disgusted　with　this　man…mewing；〃　he　cried…　〃with　theseoutbursts　of　ignorance。　A　fine　magnificence；　truly！　all　made　up　of　gasand　petroleum！　I　can't　eat　such　stuff　as　that。　Everything　here　is　sofine　and　bright　now；　that　one's　ashamed　of　one's　self；　without　exactlyknowing　why。　Ah；　if　we　only　lived　in　the　days　of　tallow　candles！　andit　does　not　lie　so　very　far　behind　us。　That　was　a　romantic　time；　asone　may　say。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　of　there？〃　asked　the　Dryad。　〃I　have　neverseen　you　before。　What　is　it　you　are　talking　about？〃

〃Of　the　glorious　days　that　are　gone；〃　said　the　Rat…　〃of　thehappy　time　of　our　great…grandfathers　and　great…grandmothers。　Then　itwas　a　great　thing　to　get　down　here。　That　was　a　rat's　nest　quitedifferent　from　Paris。　Mother　Plague　used　to　live　here　then；　she　killedpeople；　but　never　rats。　Robbers　and　smugglers　could　breathe　freelyhere。　Here　was　the　meeting…place　of　the　most　interesting　personages；whom　one　now　only　gets　to　see　in　the　theatres　where　they　actmelodrama；　up　above。　The　time　of　romance　is　gone　even　in　our　rat'snest；　and　here　also　fresh　air　and　petroleum　have　broken　in。〃

Thus　squeaked　the　Rat；　he　squeaked　in　honor　of　the　old　time；when　Mother　Plague　was　still　alive。

A　carriage　stopped；　a　kind　of　open　omnibus；　drawn　by　swift　horses。The　pany　mounted　and　drove　away　along　the　Boulevard　deSebastopol；　that　is　to　say；　the　underground　boulevard；　over　whichthe　well…known　crowded　street　of　that　name　extended。

The　carriage　disappeared　in　the　twilight；　the　Dryad　disappeared；lifted　to　the　cheerful　freshness　above。　Here；　and　not　below　in　thevaulted　passages；　filled　with　heavy　air；　the　wonder　work　must　be　foundwhich　she　was　to　seek　in　her　short　lifetime。　It　must　gleam　brighterthan　all　the　gas…flames；　stronger　than　the　moon　that　was　justgliding　past。

Yes；　certainly；　she　saw　it　yonder　in　the　distance；　it　gleamedbefore　her；　and　twinkled　and　glittered　like　the　evening　star　in　thesky。

She　saw　a　glittering　portal　open；　that　led　to　a　little　garden；where　all　was　brightness　and　dance　music。　Colored　lamps　surroundedlittle　lakes；　in　which　were　water…plants　of　colored　metal；　fromwhose　flowers　jets　of　water　spurted　up。　Beautiful　weeping　willows；real　products　of　spring；　hung　their　fresh　branches　over　these　lakeslike　a　fresh；　green；　transparent；　and　yet　screening　veil。　In　thebushes　burnt　an　open　fire；　throwing　a　red　twilight　over　the　quiet　hutsof　branches；　into　which　the　sounds　of　music　perated…　an　eartickling；　intoxicating　music；　that　sent　the　blood　coursing　through　theveins。

Beautiful　girls　in　festive　attire；　with　pleasant　smiles　on　theirlips；　and　the　light　spirit　of　youth　in　their　hearts…　〃Marys；〃　withroses　in　their　hair；　but　without　carriage　and　postilion…　flitted　toand　fro　in　the　wild　dance。

Where　were　the　heads；　where　the　feet？　As　if　stung　by　tarantulas；they　sprang；　laughed；　rejoiced；　as　if　in　their　ecstacies　they　weregoing　to　embrace　all　the　world。

The　Dryad　felt　herself　torn　with　them　into　the　whirl　of　the　dance。Round　her　delicate　foot　clung　the　silken　boot；　chestnut　brown　incolor；　like　the　ribbon　that　floated　from　her　hair　down　upon　her　bareshoulders。　The　green　silk　dress　waved　in　large　folds；　but　did　notentirely　hide　the　pretty　foot　and　ankle。

Had　she　e　to　the　enchanted　Garden　of　Armida？　What　was　thename　of　the　place？

The　name　glittered　in　gas…jets　over　the　entrance。　It　was〃Mabille。〃

The　soaring　upwards　of　rockets；　the　splashing　of　fountains；　andthe　popping　of　champagne　corks　acpanied　the　wild　bacchanticdance。　Over　the　whole　glided　the　moon　through　the　air；　clear；　but　witha　somewhat　crooked　face。

A　wild　joviality　seemed　to　rush　through　the　Dryad；　as　though　shewere　intoxicated　with　opium。　Her　eyes　spoke；　her　lips　spoke；　but　thesound　of　violins　and　of　flutes　drowned　the　sound　of　her　voice。　Herpartner　whispered　words　to　her　which　she　did　not　understand；　nor　do　weunderstand　them。　He　stretched　out　his　arms　to　draw　her　to　him；　buthe　embraced　only　the　empty　air。

The　Dryad　had　been　carried　away；　like　a　rose…leaf　on　the　wind。Before　her　she　saw　a　flame　in　the　air；　a　flashing　light　high　up　on　atower。　The　beacon　light　shone　from　the　goal　of　her　longing；　shone　fromthe　red　lighthouse　tower　of　the　Fata　Morgana　of　the　Champ　de　Mars。Thither　she　was　carried　by　the　wind。　She　circled　round　the　tower；the　workmen　thought　it　was　a　butterfly　that　had　e　too　early；　andthat　now　sank　down　dying。

The　moon　shone　bright；　gas…lamps　spread　light　around；　throughthe　halls；　over　the　all…world's　buildings　scattered　about；　over　therose…hills　and　the　rocks　produced　by　human　ingenuity；　from　whichwaterfalls；　driven　by　the　power　of　〃Master　Bloodless；〃　fell　down。The　caverns　of　the　sea；　the　depths　of　the　lakes；　the　kingdom　of　thefishes　were　opened　here。　Men　walked　as　in　the　depths　of　the　deep　pond；and　held　converse　with　the　sea；　in　the　diving…bell　of　glass。　The　waterpressed　against　the　strong　glass　walls　above　and　on　every　side。　Thepolypi；　eel…like　living　creatures；　had　fastened　themselves　to　thebottom；　and　stretched　out　arms；　fathoms　long；　for　prey。　A　big　turbotwas　making　himself　broad　in　front；　quietly　enough；　but　not　withoutcasting　some　suspicious　glances　aside。　A　crab　clambered　over　him；looking　like　a　gigantic　spider；　while　the　shrimps　wandered　about　inrestless　haste；　like　the　butterflies　and　moths　of　the　sea。

In　the　fresh　water　grew　water…lilies；　nymphaea；　and　reeds；　thegold…fishes　stood　up　below　in　rank　and　file；　all　turning　their　headsone　way；　that　the　streaming　water　might　flow　into　their　mouths。　Fatcarps　stared　at　the　glass　wall　with　stupid　eyes。　They　knew　th