安徒生童话-第102章

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dor　of　thewest；　stood　the　dark　blue　mountains　of　Jura。

〃God　grant　you　all　that　is　brightest　and　best！〃　exclaimed　Babette。

〃He　will；〃　said　Rudy。　〃He　will　to…morrow。　To…morrow　you　will　bewholly　mine；　my　own　sweet　wife。〃

〃The　boat！〃　cried　Babette；　suddenly。　The　boat　in　which　they　wereto　return　had　broken　loose；　and　was　floating　away　from　the　island。

〃I　will　fetch　it　back；〃　said　Rudy；　throwing　off　his　coat　andboots；　he　sprang　into　the　lake；　and　swam　with　strong　efforts　towardsit。

The　dark…blue　water；　from　the　glaciers　of　the　mountains；　was　icycold　and　very　deep。　Rudy　gave　but　one　glance　into　the　water　beneath；but　in　that　one　glance　he　saw　a　gold　ring　rolling；　glittering；　andsparkling　before　him。　His　engaged　ring　came　into　his　mind；　but　thiswas　larger；　and　spread　into　a　glittering　circle；　in　which　appeared　aclear　glacier。　Deep　chasms　yawned　around　it；　the　water…drops　glitteredas　if　lighted　with　blue　flame；　and　tinkled　like　the　chiming　ofchurch　bells。　In　one　moment　he　saw　what　would　require　many　words　todescribe。　Young　hunters；　and　young　maidens…　men　and　women　who　had　sunkin　the　deep　chasms　of　the　glaciers…　stood　before　him　here　inlifelike　forms；　with　eyes　open　and　smiles　on　their　lips；　and　farbeneath　them　could　be　heard　the　chiming　of　the　church　bells　ofburied　villages；　where　the　villagers　knelt　beneath　the　vaultedarches　of　churches　in　which　ice…blocks　formed　the　organ　pipes；　and　themountain　stream　the　music。

On　the　clear；　transparent　ground　sat　the　Ice　Maiden。　She　raisedherself　towards　Rudy；　and　kissed　his　feet；　and　instantly　a　cold；deathly　chill；　like　an　electric　shock；　passed　through　his　limbs。　Iceor　fire！　It　was　impossible　to　tell；　the　shock　was　so　instantaneous。

〃Mine！　mine！〃　sounded　around　him；　and　within　him；　〃I　kissed　theewhen　thou　wert　a　little　child。　I　once　kissed　thee　on　the　mouth；　andnow　I　have　kissed　thee　from　heel　to　toe；　thou　art　wholly　mine。〃　Andthen　he　disappeared　in　the　clear；　blue　water。

All　was　still。　The　church　bells　were　silent；　the　last　tone　floatedaway　with　the　last　red　glimmer　on　the　evening　clouds。　〃Thou　art　mine；〃sounded　from　the　depths　below：　but　from　the　heights　above；　from　theeternal　world；　also　sounded　the　words；　〃Thou　art　mine！〃　Happy　was　hethus　to　pass　from　life　to　life；　from　earth　to　heaven。　A　chord　wasloosened；　and　tones　of　sorrow　burst　forth。　The　icy　kiss　of　death　hadovere　the　perishable　body；　it　was　but　the　prelude　before　life'sreal　drama　could　begin；　the　discord　which　was　quickly　lost　in　harmony。Do　you　think　this　a　sad　story？　Poor　Babette！　for　her　it　wasunspeakable　anguish。

The　boat　drifted　farther　and　farther　away。　No　one　on　theopposite　shore　knew　that　the　betrothed　pair　had　gone　over　to　thelittle　island。　The　clouds　sunk　as　the　evening　drew　on；　and　it　becamedark。　Alone；　in　despair；　she　waited　and　trembled。　The　weather　becamefearful；　flash　after　flash　lighted　up　the　mountains　of　Jura；　Savoy；and　Switzerland；　while　peals　of　thunder；　that　lasted　for　many　minutes；rolled　over　her　head。　The　lightning　was　so　vivid　that　every　singlevine　stem　could　be　seen　for　a　moment　as　distinctly　as　in　thesunlight　at　noon…day；　and　then　all　was　veiled　in　darkness。　Itflashed　across　the　lake　in　winding；　zigzag　lines；　lighting　it　up　onall　sides；　while　the　echoes　of　the　thunder　grew　louder　and　stronger。On　land；　the　boats　were　all　carefully　drawn　up　on　the　beach；　everyliving　thing　sought　shelter；　and　at　length　the　rain　poured　down　intorrents。

〃Where　can　Rudy　and　Babette　be　in　this　awful　weather？〃　said　themiller。

Poor　Babette　sat　with　her　hands　clasped；　and　her　head　boweddown；　dumb　with　grief；　she　had　ceased　to　weep　and　cry　for　help。

〃In　the　deep　water！〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃far　down　he　lies；　as　ifbeneath　a　glacier。〃

Deep　in　her　heart　rested　the　memory　of　what　Rudy　had　told　her　ofthe　death　of　his　mother；　and　of　his　own　recovery；　even　after　he　hadbeen　taken　up　as　dead　from　the　cleft　in　the　glacier。

〃Ah；〃　she　thought；　〃the　Ice　Maiden　has　him　at　last。〃

Suddenly　there　came　a　flash　of　lightning；　as　dazzling　as　therays　of　the　sun　on　the　white　snow。　The　lake　rose　for　a　moment　like　ashining　glacier；　and　before　Babette　stood　the　pallid；　glittering；majestic　form　of　the　Ice　Maiden；　and　at　her　feet　lay　Rudy's　corpse。

〃Mine！〃　she　cried；　and　again　all　was　darkness　around　the　heavingwater。

〃How　cruel；〃　murmured　Babette；　〃why　should　he　die　just　as　theday　of　happiness　drew　near？　Merciful　God；　enlighten　myunderstanding；　shed　light　upon　my　heart；　for　I　cannot　prehend　thearrangements　of　Thy　providence；　even　while　I　bow　to　the　decree　ofThy　almighty　wisdom　and　power。〃　And　God　did　enlighten　her　heart。

A　sudden　flash　of　thought；　like　a　ray　of　mercy；　recalled　her　dreamof　the　preceding　night；　all　was　vividly　represented　before　her。　Sheremembered　the　words　and　wishes　she　had　then　expressed；　that　whatwas　best　for　her　and　for　Rudy　she　might　piously　submit　to。

〃Woe　is　me；〃　she　said；　〃was　the　germ　of　sin　really　in　my　heart？was　my　dream　a　glimpse　into　the　course　of　my　future　life；　whose　threadmust　be　violently　broken　to　rescue　me　from　sin？　Oh；　miserable　creaturethat　I　am！〃

Thus　she　sat　lamenting　in　the　dark　night；　while　through　the　deepstillness　the　last　words　of　Rudy　seemed　to　ring　in　her　ears。　〃Thisearth　has　nothing　more　to　bestow。〃　Words；　uttered　in　the　fulness　ofjoy；　were　again　heard　amid　the　depths　of　sorrow。

Years　have　passed　since　this　sad　event　happened。　The　shores　of　thepeaceful　lake　still　smile　in　beauty。　The　vines　are　full　of　lusciousgrapes。　Steamboats；　with　waving　flags；　pass　swiftly　by。Pleasure…boats；　with　their　swelling　sails；　skim　lightly　over　thewatery　mirror；　like　white　butterflies。　The　railway　is　opened　beyondChillon；　and　goes　far　into　the　deep　valley　of　the　Rhone。　At　everystation　strangers　alight　with　red…bound　guide…books　in　their　hands；　inwhich　they　read　of　every　place　worth　seeing。　They　visit　Chillon；　andobserve　on　the　lake　the　little　island　with　the　three　acacias；　and　thenread　in　their　guide…book　the　story　of　the　bridal　pair　who；　in　the　year1856；　rowed　over　to　it。　They　read　that　the　two　were　missing　till　thenext　morning；　when　some　people　on　the　shore　heard　the　despairing　criesof　the　bride；　and　went　to　her　assistance；　and　by　her　were　told　ofthe　bridegroom's　fate。

But　the　guide…book　does　not　speak　of　Babette's　quiet　lifeafterwards　with　her　father；　not　at　the　mill…　strangers　dwell　therenow…　but　in　a　pretty　house　in　a　row　near　the　station。　On　many　anevening　she　sits　at　her　window；　and　looks　out　over　thechestnut…trees　to　the　snow…capped　mountains　on　which　Rudy　once　roamed。She　looks　at　the　Alpine　glow　in　the　evening　sky；　which　is　caused　bythe　children　of　the　sun　retiring　to　rest　on　the　mountain…tops；　andagain　they　breathe　their　song　of　the　traveller　whom　the　whirlwindcould　deprive　of　his　cloak　but　not　of　his　life。　There　is　a　rosy　tinton　the　mountain　snow；　and　there　are　rosy　gleams　in　each　heart　in　whichdwells　the　thought；　〃God　permits　nothing　to　happen；　which　is　not　thebest　for　us。〃　But　this　is　not　often　revealed　to　all；　as　it　wasrevealed　to　Babette　in　her　wonderful　dream。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　JEWISH　MAIDEN

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　a　charity　school；　among　the　children；　sat　a　little　Jewish　girl。She　was　a　good；　intelligent　child；　and　very　quick　at　her　lessons；but　the　Scripture…lesson　class　she　was　not　allowed　to　join；　for　thiswas　a　Christian　school。　During　the　hour　of　this　lesson；　the　Jewishgirl　was　allowed　to　learn　her　geography；　or　to　work　her　sum　for　thenext　day；　and　when　her　geography　lesson　was　perfect；　the　book　remainedopen　before　her；　but　she　read　not　another　word；　for　she　sat　silentlylistening　to　the　words　of　the　Christian　teacher。　He　soon　becameaware　that　the　little　one　was　paying　more　attention　to　what　he　saidthan　most　of　the　other　children。　〃Read　your　book；　Sarah；〃　he　said　toher　gently。

But　again　and　again　he　saw　her　dark；　beaming　eyes　fixed　uponhim；　and　once；　when　he　asked　her　a　question；　she　could　answer　him　evenbetter　than　the　other　children。　She　had　not　only　heard；　but　understoodhis　words；　and　pondered　them　in　her　heart。　Her　father；　a　poor　buthonest　man；　had　placed　his　daughter　at　the　school　on　the　conditionsthat　she　should　not　be　instructed　in　the　Christian　faith。　But　it　mighthave　caused　confusion；　or　raised　discontent　in　the　minds　of　theother　children　if　she　had　been　sent　out　of　the　room；　so　sheremained；　and　now　it　was　evident　this　could　not　go　on。　The　teacherwent　to　her　father；　and　advised　him　to　remove　his　daughter　from　theschool；　or　to　allow　her　to　bee　a　Christian。　〃I　cannot　any　longer　bean　idle　spectator　of　those　beaming　eyes；　which　express　such　a　deep　andearnest　longing　for　the　words　of　the　gospel；〃　said　he。

Then　the　father　burst　into　tears。　〃I　know　very　little　of　the　lawof　my　fathers；〃　said　he；　〃but　Sarah's　mother　was　firm　in　her　belief　asa　daughter　of　Israel；　and　I　vowed　to　her　on　her　deathbed　that　ourchild　should　never　be　baptized。　I　must　keep　my　vow：　it　is　to　me　evenas　a　covenant　with　God　Himself。〃　And　so　the　little　Jewish　girl　leftthe　Christian　school。

Years　rolled　by。　In　one　of　the　smallest　provincial　towns；　in　ahumble　household；　lived　a　poor　maiden　of　the　Jewish　faith；　as　aservant。　Her　hair　was　black　as　ebony；　her　eye　dark　as　night；　yetfull　of　light　and　brilliancy　so　peculiar　to　the