安徒生童话-第103章

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r　hair　was　black　as　ebony；　her　eye　dark　as　night；　yetfull　of　light　and　brilliancy　so　peculiar　to　the　daughters　of　the　east。It　was　Sarah。　The　expression　in　the　face　of　the　grown…up　maiden　wasstill　the　same　as　when；　a　child；　she　sat　on　the　schoolroom　formlistening　with　thoughtful　eyes　to　the　words　of　the　Christianteacher。　Every　Sunday　there　sounded　forth　from　a　church　close　by　thetones　of　an　organ　and　the　singing　of　the　congregation。　The　Jewish　girlheard　them　in　the　house　where；　industrious　and　faithful　in　all　things；she　performed　her　household　duties。　〃Thou　shalt　keep　the　Sabbathholy；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　law　in　her　heart；　but　her　Sabbath　was　aworking　day　among　the　Christians；　which　was　a　great　trouble　to　her。And　then　as　the　thought　arose　in　her　mind；　〃Does　God　reckon　by　daysand　hours？〃　her　conscience　felt　satisfied　on　this　question；　and　shefound　it　a　fort　to　her；　that　on　the　Christian　Sabbath　she　couldhave　an　hour　for　her　own　prayers　undisturbed。　The　music　and　singing　ofthe　congregation　sounded　in　her　ears　while　at　work　in　her　kitchen；till　the　place　itself　became　sacred　to　her。　Then　she　would　read　in　theOld　Testament；　that　treasure　and　fort　to　her　people；　and　it　wasindeed　the　only　Scriptures　she　could　read。　Faithfully　in　her　inmostthoughts　had　she　kept　the　words　of　her　father　to　her　teacher　whenshe　left　the　school；　and　the　vow　he　had　made　to　her　dying　motherthat　she　should　never　receive　Christian　baptism。　The　New　Testamentmust　remain　to　her　a　sealed　book；　and　yet　she　knew　a　great　deal　of　itsteaching；　and　the　sound　of　the　gospel　truths　still　lingered　amongthe　recollections　of　her　childhood。

One　evening　she　was　sitting　in　a　corner　of　the　dining…room；while　her　master　read　aloud。　It　was　not　the　gospel　he　read；　but　an　oldstory…book；　therefore　she　might　stay　and　listen　to　him。　The　storyrelated　that　a　Hungarian　knight；　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　aTurkish　pasha；　was　most　cruelly　treated　by　him。　He　caused　him　to　beyoked　with　his　oxen　to　the　plough；　and　driven　with　blows　from　the　whiptill　the　blood　flowed；　and　he　almost　sunk　with　exhaustion　and　pain。The　faithful　wife　of　the　knight　at　home　gave　up　all　her　jewels；mortgaged　her　castle　and　land；　and　his　friends　raised　large　sums　tomake　up　the　ransom　demanded　for　his　release；　which　was　most　enormouslyhigh。　It　was　collected　at　last；　and　the　knight　released　from　slaveryand　misery。　Sick　and　exhausted；　he　reached　home。

Ere　long　came　another　summons　to　a　struggle　with　the　foes　ofChristianity。　The　still　living　knight　heard　the　sound；　he　could　endureno　more；　he　had　neither　peace　nor　rest。　He　caused　himself　to　be　liftedon　his　war…horse；　the　color　came　into　his　cheeks；　and　his　strengthreturned　to　him　again　as　he　went　forth　to　battle　and　to　victory。　Thevery　same　pasha　who　had　yoked　him　to　the　plough；　became　hisprisoner；　and　was　dragged　to　a　dungeon　in　the　castle。　But　an　hourhad　scarcely　passed；　when　the　knight　stood　before　the　captive　pasha；and　inquired；　〃What　do　you　suppose　awaiteth　thee？〃

〃I　know；〃　replied　the　pasha；　〃retribution。〃

〃Yes；　the　retribution　of　a　Christian；〃　replied　the　knight。　〃Theteaching　of　Christ；　the　Teacher；　mands　us　to　forgive　our　enemies；to　love　our　neighbors；　for　God　is　love。　Depart　in　peace：　return　to　thyhome。　I　give　thee　back　to　thy　loved　ones。　But　in　future　be　mild　andhumane　to　all　who　are　in　trouble。〃

Then　the　prisoner　burst　into　tears；　and　exclaimed；　〃Oh　how　could　Iimagine　such　mercy　and　forgiveness！　I　expected　pain　and　torment。　Itseemed　to　me　so　sure　that　I　took　poison；　which　I　secretly　carriedabout　me；　and　in　a　few　hours　its　effects　will　destroy　me。　I　mustdie！　Nothing　can　save　me！　But　before　I　die；　explain　to　me　the　teachingwhich　is　so　full　of　love　and　mercy；　so　great　and　God…like。　Oh；　thatI　may　hear　his　teaching；　and　die　a　Christian！〃　And　his　prayer　wasgranted。

This　was　the　legend　which　the　master　read　out　of　the　oldstory…book。　Every　one　in　the　house　who　was　present　listened；　andshared　the　pleasure；　but　Sarah；　the　Jewish　girl；　sitting　so　still　in　acorner；　felt　her　heart　burn　with　excitement。　Great　tears　came　into　hershining　dark　eyes；　and　with　the　same　gentle　piety　with　which　she　hadonce　listened　to　the　gospel　while　sitting　on　the　form　at　school；　shefelt　its　grandeur　now；　and　the　tears　rolled　down　her　cheeks。　Thenthe　last　words　of　her　dying　mother　rose　before　her；　〃Let　not　mychild　bee　a　Christian；〃　and　with　them　sounded　in　her　heart　thewords　of　the　law；　〃Honor　thy　father　and　thy　mother。〃

〃I　am　not　admitted　among　the　Christians；〃　she　said；　〃they　mockme　as　a　Jewish　girl；　the　neighbors'　boys　did　so　last　Sunday　when　Istood　looking　in　through　the　open　church　door　at　the　candles　burningon　the　altar；　and　listening　to　the　singing。　Ever　since　I　sat　on　theschool…bench　I　have　felt　the　power　of　Christianity；　a　power　which；like　a　sunbeam；　streams　into　my　heart；　however　closely　I　may　closemy　eyes　against　it。　But　I　will　not　grieve　thee；　my　mother；　in　thygrave。　I　will　not　be　unfaithful　to　my　father's　vow。　I　will　not　readthe　Bible　of　the　Christian。　I　have　the　God　of　my　fathers；　and　in　Him　Iwill　trust。〃

And　again　years　passed　by。　Sarah's　master　died；　and　his　widowfound　herself　in　such　reduced　circumstances　that　she　wished　to　dismissher　servant　maid；　but　Sarah　refused　to　leave　the　house；　and　she　becamea　true　support　in　time　of　trouble；　and　kept　the　household　togetherby　working　till　late　at　night；　with　her　busy　hands；　to　earn　theirdaily　bread。　Not　a　relative　came　forward　to　assist　them；　and　the　widowwas　confined　to　a　sick　bed　for　months　and　grew　weaker　from　day　to　day。Sarah　worked　hard；　but　contrived　to　spare　time　to　amuse　her　andwatch　by　the　sick　bed。　She　was　gentle　and　pious；　an　angel　ofblessing　in　that　house　of　poverty。

〃My　Bible　lies　on　the　table　yonder；〃　said　the　sick　woman　one　dayto　Sarah。　〃Read　me　something　from　it；　the　night　appears　so　long；　andmy　spirit　thirsts　to　hear　the　word　of　God。〃

And　Sarah　bowed　her　head。　She　took　the　book；　and　folded　her　handover　the　Bible　of　the　Christians；　and　at　last　opened　it；　and　read　tothe　sick　woman。　Tears　stood　in　her　eyes　as　she　read；　and　they　shonewith　brightness；　for　in　her　heart　it　was　light。

〃Mother；〃　she　murmured；　〃thy　child　may　not　receive　Christianbaptism；　nor　be　admitted　into　the　congregation　of　Christian　people。Thou　hast　so　willed　it；　and　I　will　respect　thy　mand。　We　aretherefore　still　united　here　on　earth；　but　in　the　next　world　there　willbe　a　higher　union；　even　with　God　Himself；　who　leads　and　guides　Hispeople　till　death。　He　came　down　from　heaven　to　earth　to　suffer　for　us；that　we　should　bring　forth　the　fruits　of　repentance。　I　understand　itnow。　I　know　not　how　I　learnt　this　truth；　unless　it　is　through　the　nameof　Christ。〃　Yet　she　trembled　as　she　pronounced　the　holy　name。　Shestruggled　against　these　convictions　of　the　truth　of　Christianity　forsome　days；　till　one　evening　while　watching　her　mistress　she　wassuddenly　taken　very　ill；　her　limbs　tottered　under　her；　and　she　sankfainting　by　the　bedside　of　the　sick　woman。

〃Poor　Sarah；〃　said　the　neighbors；　〃she　is　overe　with　hardwork　and　night　watching。〃　And　then　they　carried　her　to　the　hospitalfor　the　sick　poor。　There　she　died；　and　they　bore　her　to　herresting…place　in　the　earth；　but　not　to　the　churchyard　of　theChristians。　There　was　no　place　for　the　Jewish　girl；　but　they　dug　agrave　for　her　outside　the　wall。　And　God's　sun；　which　shines　upon　thegraves　of　the　churchyard　of　the　Christians；　also　throws　its　beams　onthe　grave　of　the　Jewish　maiden　beyond　the　wall。　And　when　the　psalms　ofthe　Christians　sound　across　the　churchyard；　their　echo　reaches　herlonely　resting…place；　and　she　who　sleeps　there　will　be　countedworthy　at　the　resurrection；　through　the　name　of　Christ　the　Lord；　whosaid　to　His　disciples；　〃John　baptized　you　with　water；　but　I　willbaptize　you　with　the　Holy　Ghost。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　JUMPER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THE　Flea；　the　Grasshopper；　and　the　Skipjack　once　wanted　to　seewhich　of　them　could　jump　highest；　and　they　invited　the　whole　world；and　whoever　else　would　e；　to　see　the　grand　sight。　And　there　thethree　famous　jumpers　were　met　together　in　the　room。

〃Yes；　I'll　give　my　daughter　to　him　who　jumps　highest；〃　said　theKing；　〃for　it　would　be　mean　to　let　these　people　jump　for　nothing。〃

The　Flea　stepped　out　first。　He　had　very　pretty　manners；　andbowed　in　all　directions；　for　he　had　young　ladies'　blood　in　hisveins；　and　was　accustomed　to　consort　only　with　human　beings；　andthat　was　of　great　consequence。

Then　came　the　Grasshopper：　he　was　certainly　much　heavier；　but　hehad　a　good　figure；　and　wore　the　green　uniform　that　was　born　withhim。　This　person；　moreover；　maintained　that　he　belonged　to　a　veryold　family　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　that　he　was　highly　esteemedthere。　He　had　just　e　from　the　field；　he　said；　and　had　been　put　intoa　card　house　three　stories　high；　and　all　made　of　picture　cards　withthe　figures　turned　inwards。　There　were　doors　and　windows　in　the　house；cut　in　the　body　of　the　Queen　of　Hearts。

〃I　sing　so；〃　he　said；　〃that　sixteen　native　crickets　who　havechirped　from　their　youth　up；　and　have　never　yet　had　a　card　house　oftheir　own；　would　bee　thinner　than　they　are　with　envy　if　they　wereto　hear　me。〃

Both　of　them；　the　Flea　and　the　Grasshopper；　took　care　toannounce　who　they　were；　and　that　they　considered　themse