安徒生童话-第114章

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wn；　and　through　the　long；dreary　night；　she　carried　her　sick　child　in　her　arms。　She　wept　overit；　kissed　it；　and　prayed　for　it　as　only　a　mother　can　pray　in　thathour　of　her　anguish。〃

〃Holy　and　wonderful　in　its　might　is　the　white　rose　of　grief；　butit　is　not　the　one　we　seek。〃

〃No；　the　loveliest　rose　in　the　world　I　saw　at　the　Lord's　table；〃said　the　good　old　bishop。　〃I　saw　it　shine　as　if　an　angel's　face　hadappeared。　A　young　maiden　knelt　at　the　altar；　and　renewed　the　vows　madeat　her　baptism；　and　there　were　white　roses　and　red　roses　on　theblushing　cheeks　of　that　young　girl。　She　looked　up　to　heaven　with　allthe　purity　and　love　of　her　young　spirit；　in　all　the　expression　ofthe　highest　and　purest　love。〃

〃May　she　be　blessed！〃　said　the　wise　man：　〃but　no　one　has　yet　namedthe　loveliest　rose　in　the　world。〃

Then　there　came　into　the　room　a　child…　the　queen's　little　son。Tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　and　glistened　on　his　cheeks；　he　carried　agreat　book　and　the　binding　was　of　velvet；　with　silver　clasps。〃Mother；〃　cried　the　little　boy；　〃only　hear　what　I　have　read。〃　Andthe　child　seated　himself　by　the　bedside；　and　read　from　the　book　of　Himwho　suffered　death　on　the　cross　to　save　all　men；　even　who　are　yetunborn。　He　read；　〃Greater　love　hath　no　man　than　this；〃　and　as　heread　a　roseate　hue　spread　over　the　cheeks　of　the　queen；　and　her　eyesbecame　so　enlightened　and　clear；　that　she　saw　from　the　leaves　of　thebook　a　lovely　rose　spring　forth；　a　type　of　Him　who　shed　His　blood　onthe　cross。

〃I　see　it；〃　she　said。　〃He　who　beholds　this；　the　loveliest　roseon　earth；　shall　never　die。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　MAIL…COACH　PASSENGERS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IT　was　bitterly　cold；　the　sky　glittered　with　stars；　and　not　abreeze　stirred。　〃Bump〃…　an　old　pot　was　thrown　at　a　neighbor's　door；and　〃bang；　bang；〃　went　the　guns；　for　they　were　greeting　the　NewYear。　It　was　New　Year's　Eve；　and　the　church　clock　was　striking　twelve。〃Tan…ta…ra…ra；　tan…ta…ra…ra；〃　sounded　the　horn；　and　the　mail…coachcame　lumbering　up。　The　clumsy　vehicle　stopped　at　the　gate　of　the　town；all　the　places　had　been　taken；　for　there　were　twelve　passengers　in　thecoach。

〃Hurrah！　hurrah！〃　cried　the　people　in　the　town；　for　in　every　housethe　New　Year　was　being　weled；　and　as　the　clock　struck；　they　stoodup；　the　full　glasses　in　their　hands；　to　drink　success　to　the　newer。　〃A　happy　New　Year；〃　was　the　cry；　〃a　pretty　wife；　plenty　ofmoney；　and　no　sorrow　or　care。〃

The　wish　passed　round；　and　the　glasses　clashed　together　tillthey　rang　again；　while　before　the　town…gate　the　mail　coach　stoppedwith　the　twelve　strange　passengers。　And　who　were　these　strangers？　Eachof　them　had　his　passport　and　his　luggage　with　him；　they　even　broughtpresents　for　me；　and　for　you；　and　for　all　the　people　in　the　town。　〃Whowere　they？　what　did　they　want？　and　what　did　they　bring　with　them？〃

〃Good…morning；〃　they　cried　to　the　sentry　at　the　town…gate。

〃Good…morning；〃　replied　the　sentry；　for　the　clock　had　strucktwelve。　〃Your　name　and　profession？〃　asked　the　sentry　of　the　one　whoalighted　first　from　the　carriage。

〃See　for　yourself　in　the　passport；〃　he　replied。　〃I　am　myself；〃　anda　famous　fellow　he　looked；　arrayed　in　bear…skin　and　fur　boots。　〃I　amthe　man　on　whom　many　persons　fix　their　hopes。　e　to　me　to…morrow；and　I'll　give　you　a　New　Year's　present。　I　throw　shillings　and　penceamong　the　people；　I　give　balls；　no　less　than　thirty…one；　indeed；that　is　the　highest　number　I　can　spare　for　balls。　My　ships　are　oftenfrozen　in；　but　in　my　offices　it　is　warm　and　fortable。　My　name　isJANUARY。　I'm　a　merchant；　and　I　generally　bring　my　accounts　with　me。〃

Then　the　second　alighted。　He　seemed　a　merry　fellow。　He　was　adirector　of　a　theatre；　a　manager　of　masked　balls；　and　a　leader　ofall　the　amusements　we　can　imagine。　His　luggage　consisted　of　a　greatcask。

〃We'll　dance　the　bung　out　of　the　cask　at　carnival　time；〃　saidhe；　〃I'll　prepare　a　merry　tune　for　you　and　for　myself　too。Unfortunately　I　have　not　long　to　live…　the　shortest　time；　in　fact；of　my　whole　family…　only　twenty…eight　days。　Sometimes　they　pop　me　in　aday　extra；　but　I　trouble　myself　very　little　about　that。　Hurrah！〃

〃You　must　not　shout　so；〃　said　the　sentry。

〃Certainly　I　may　shout；〃　retorted　the　man；　〃I'm　Prince　Carnival；travelling　under　the　name　of　FEBRUARY。〃

The　third　now　got　out。　He　looked　a　personification　of　fasting；　buthe　carried　his　nose　very　high；　for　he　was　related　to　the　〃forty（k）nights；〃　and　was　a　weather　prophet。　But　that　is　not　a　verylucrative　office；　and　therefore　he　praised　fasting。　In　his　button…holehe　carried　a　little　bunch　of　violets；　but　they　were　very　small。

〃MARCH；　March；〃　the　fourth　called　after　him；　slapping　him　on　theshoulder；　〃don't　you　smell　something？　Make　haste　into　the　guardroom；　they're　drinking　punch　there；　that's　your　favorite　drink。　Ican　smell　it　out　here　already。　Forward；　Master　March。〃　But　it　wasnot　true；　the　speaker　only　wanted　to　remind　him　of　his　name；　and　tomake　an　APRIL　fool　of　him；　for　with　that　fun　the　fourth　generallybegan　his　career。　He　looked　very　jovial；　did　little　work；　and　hadthe　more　holidays。　〃If　the　world　were　only　a　little　more　settled；〃said　he：　〃but　sometimes　I'm　obliged　to　be　in　a　good　humor；　andsometimes　a　bad　one；　according　to　circumstances；　now　rain；　nowsunshine。　I'm　kind　of　a　house　agent；　also　a　manager　of　funerals。　I　canlaugh　or　cry；　according　to　circumstances。　I　have　my　summer　wardrobe　inthis　box　here；　but　it　would　be　very　foolish　to　put　it　on　now。　Here　Iam。　On　Sundays　I　go　out　walking　in　shoes　and　white　silk　stockings；　anda　muff。〃

After　him；　a　lady　stepped　out　of　the　coach。　She　called　herselfMiss　MAY。　She　wore　a　summer　dress　and　overshoes；　her　dress　was　a　lightgreen；　and　she　wore　anemones　in　her　hair。　She　was　so　scented　withwild…thyme；　that　it　made　the　sentry　sneeze。

〃Your　health；　and　God　bless　you；〃　was　her　salutation　to　him。

How　pretty　she　was！　and　such　a　singer！　not　a　theatre　singer；　nor　aballad　singer；　no；　but　a　singer　of　the　woods；　for　she　wandered　throughthe　gay　green　forest；　and　had　a　concert　there　for　her　own　amusement。

〃Now　es　the　young　lady；〃　said　those　in　the　carriage；　and　outstepped　a　young　dame；　delicate；　proud；　and　pretty。　It　was　MistressJUNE；　in　whose　service　people　bee　lazy　and　fond　of　sleeping　forhours。　She　gives　a　feast　on　the　longest　day　of　the　year；　that　theremay　be　time　for　her　guests　to　partake　of　the　numerous　dishes　at　hertable。　Indeed；　she　keeps　her　own　carriage；　but　still　she　travelledby　the　mail；　with　the　rest；　because　she　wished　to　show　that　she　wasnot　high…minded。　But　she　was　not　without　a　protector；　her　youngerbrother；　JULY；　was　with　her。　He　was　a　plump　young　fellow；　clad　insummer　garments　and　wearing　a　straw　hat。　He　had　but　very　littleluggage　with　him；　because　it　was　so　cumbersome　in　the　great　heat；　hehad；　however；　swimming…trousers　with　him；　which　are　nothing　tocarry。　Then　came　the　mother　herself；　in　crinoline；　Madame　AUGUST；　awholesale　dealer　in　fruit；　proprietress　of　a　large　number　of　fishponds　and　a　land　cultivator。　She　was　fat　and　heated；　yet　she　could　useher　hands　well；　and　would　herself　carry　out　beer　to　the　laborers　inthe　field。　〃In　the　sweat　of　the　face　shalt　thou　eat　bread；〃　saidshe；　〃it　is　written　in　the　Bible。〃　After　work；　came　the　recreations；dancing　and　playing　in　the　greenwood；　and　the　〃harvest　homes。〃　She　wasa　thorough　housewife。

After　her　a　man　came　out　of　the　coach；　who　is　a　painter；　he　is　thegreat　master　of　colors；　and　is　named　SEPTEMBER。　The　forest；　on　hisarrival；　had　to　change　its　colors　when　he　wished　it；　and　how　beautifulare　the　colors　he　chooses！　The　woods　glow　with　hues　of　red　and　goldand　brown。　This　great　master　painter　could　whistle　like　a　blackbird。He　was　quick　in　his　work；　and　soon　entwined　the　tendrils　of　the　hopplant　around　his　beer　jug。　This　was　an　ornament　to　the　jug；　and　he　hasa　great　love　for　ornament。　There　he　stood　with　his　color　pot　in　hishand；　and　that　was　the　whole　of　his　luggage。　A　land…owner　followed；who　in　the　month　for　sowing　seed　attended　to　the　ploughing　and　wasfond　of　field　sports。　Squire　OCTOBER　brought　his　dog　and　his　gunwith　him；　and　had　nuts　in　his　game　bag。　〃Crack；　crack。〃　He　had　a　greatdeal　of　luggage；　even　an　English　plough。　He　spoke　of　farming；　but　whathe　said　could　scarcely　be　heard　for　the　coughing　and　gasping　of　hisneighbor。　It　was　NOVEMBER；　who　coughed　violently　as　he　got　out。　He　hada　cold；　which　caused　him　to　use　his　pocket…handkerchief　continually；and　yet　he　said　he　was　obliged　to　acpany　servant　girls　to　their　newplaces；　and　initiate　them　into　their　winter　service。　He　said　hethought　his　cold　would　never　leave　him　when　he　went　out　woodcutting；for　he　was　a　master　sawyer；　and　had　to　supply　wood　to　the　wholeparish。　He　spent　his　evenings　preparing　wooden　soles　for　skates；　forhe　knew；　he　said；　that　in　a　few　weeks　these　shoes　would　be　wantedfor　the　amusement　of　skating。　At　length　the　last　passenger　made　herappearance；…　old　Mother　DECEMBER；　with　her　fire…stool。　The　dame　wasvery　old；　but　her　eyes　glistened　like　two　stars。　She　carried　on　herarm　a　flower…pot；　in　which　a　little　fir…tree　was　growing。　〃This　tree　Ishall　guard　and　cherish；〃　she　said；　〃that　it　may　grow　large　byChristmas　Eve；　and　reach　from　the　ground　to　the　ceiling；　to　be　coveredand　adorned　with　flaming　candles；　golden　apples；　and　little　figures。The