安徒生童话-第153章

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it　was　beyondmy　prehension；　but　it　led　me　to　think　that　if　we　men　can　acquire　somuch；　we　must　surely　be　intended　to　last　longer　than　the　little　spanwhich　extends　only　to　the　time　when　we　are　hidden　away　under　theearth。　His　experiments　were　quite　miracles　on　a　small　scale；　and　yetthe　explanations　flowed　as　naturally　as　water　from　his　lips。　At　thetime　of　Moses　and　the　prophets；　such　a　man　would　have　been　placedamong　the　sages　of　the　land；　in　the　middle　ages　they　would　haveburnt　him　at　the　stake。

〃All　night　long　I　could　not　sleep；　and　the　next　evening　when　Igave　another　performance　and　the　lecturer　was　present；　I　was　in　one　ofmy　best　moods。

〃I　once　heard　of　an　actor；　who；　when　he　had　to　act　the　part　of　alover；　always　thought　of　one　particular　lady　in　the　audience；　heonly　played　for　her；　and　forgot　all　the　rest　of　the　house；　and　now　thePolytechnic　lecturer　was　my　she；　my　only　auditor；　for　whom　alone　Iplayed。

〃When　the　performance　was　over；　and　the　puppets　removed　behind　thecurtain；　the　Polytechnic　lecturer　invited　me　into　his　room　to　take　aglass　of　wine。　He　talked　of　my　edies；　and　I　of　his　science；　and　Ibelieve　we　were　both　equally　pleased。　But　I　had　the　best　of　it；　forthere　was　much　in　what　he　did　that　he　could　not　always　explain　tome。　For　instance；　why　a　piece　of　iron　which　is　rubbed　on　a　cylinder；should　bee　magic。　How　does　this　happen？　The　magic　sparks　eto　it；…　but　how？　It　is　the　same　with　people　in　the　world；　they　arerubbed　about　on　this　spherical　globe　till　the　electric　spark　esupon　them；　and　then　we　have　a　Napoleon；　or　a　Luther；　or　some　one　ofthe　kind。

〃'The　whole　world　is　but　a　series　of　miracles；'　said　the　lecturer；'but　we　are　so　accustomed　to　them　that　we　call　them　everyday　matters。'And　he　went　on　explaining　things　to　me　till　my　skull　seemed　liftedfrom　my　brain；　and　I　declared　that　were　I　not　such　an　old　fellow；　Iwould　at　once　bee　a　member　of　the　Polytechnic　Institution；　that　Imight　learn　to　look　at　the　bright　side　of　everything；　although　I　wasone　of　the　happiest　of　men。

〃'One　of　the　happiest！'　said　the　lecturer；　as　if　the　ideapleased　him；　'are　you　really　happy？'

〃'Yes；'　I　replied；　'for　I　am　weled　in　every　town；　when　I　arrivewith　my　pany；　but　I　certainly　have　one　wish　which　sometimesweighs　upon　my　cheerful　temper　like　a　mountain　of　lead。　I　shouldlike　to　bee　the　manager　of　a　real　theatre；　and　the　director　of　areal　troupe　of　men　and　women。'

〃'I　understand；'　he　said；　'you　would　like　to　have　life　breathedinto　your　puppets；　so　that　they　might　be　living　actors；　and　youtheir　director。　And　would　you　then　be　quite　happy？'

〃I　said　I　believed　so。　But　he　did　not；　and　we　talked　it　over　inall　manner　of　ways；　yet　could　not　agree　on　the　subject。　However；　thewine　was　excellent；　and　we　clanked　our　glasses　together　as　we　drank。There　must　have　been　magic　in　it；　or　I　should　most　certainly　beetipsy；　but　that　did　not　happen；　for　my　mind　seemed　quite　clear；　and；indeed；　a　kind　of　sunshine　filled　the　room；　and　beamed　from　the　eyesof　the　Polytechnic　lecturer。　It　made　me　think　of　the　old　storieswhen　the　gods；　in　their　immortal　youth；　wandered　upon　this　earth；and　paid　visits　to　mankind。　I　said　so　to　him；　and　he　smiled；　and　Icould　have　sworn　that　he　was　one　of　these　ancient　deities　in　disguise；or；　at　all　events；　that　he　belonged　to　the　race　of　the　gods。　Theresult　seemed　to　prove　I　was　right　in　my　suspicions；　for　it　wasarranged　that　my　highest　wish　should　be　granted；　that　my　puppetswere　to　be　gifted　with　life；　and　that　I　was　to　be　the　manager　of　areal　pany。　We　drank　to　my　success；　and　clanked　our　glasses。　Then　hepacked　all　my　dolls　into　the　box；　and　fastened　it　on　my　back；　and　Ifelt　as　if　I　were　spinning　round　in　a　circle；　and　presently　foundmyself　lying　on　the　floor。　I　remember　that　quite　well。　And　then　thewhole　pany　sprang　from　the　box。　The　spirit　had　e　upon　us　all；the　puppets　had　bee　distinguished　actors…　at　least；　so　they　saidthemselves…　and　I　was　their　director。

〃When　all　was　ready　for　the　first　representation；　the　wholepany　requested　permission　to　speak　to　me　before　appearing　inpublic。　The　dancing　lady　said　the　house　could　not　be　supportedunless　she　stood　on　one　leg；　for　she　was　a　great　genius；　and　begged　tobe　treated　as　such。　The　lady　who　acted　the　part　of　the　queenexpected　to　be　treated　as　a　queen　off　the　stage；　as　well　as　on　it；or　else　she　said　she　should　get　out　of　practice。　The　man　whose　duty　itwas　to　deliver　a　letter　gave　himself　as　many　airs　as　he　who　took　thepart　of　first　lover　in　the　piece；　he　declared　that　the　inferiorparts　were　as　important　as　the　great　ones；　and　deserving　equalconsideration；　as　parts　of　an　artistic　whole。　The　hero　of　the　piecewould　only　play　in　a　part　containing　points　likely　to　bring　down　theapplause　of　the　house。　The　'prima　donna'　would　only　act　when　thelights　were　red；　for　she　declared　that　a　blue　light　did　not　suit　herplexion。　It　was　like　a　pany　of　flies　in　a　bottle；　and　I　was　inthe　bottle　with　them；　for　I　was　their　director。　My　breath　was　takenaway；　my　head　whirled；　and　I　was　as　miserable　as　a　man　could　be。　Itwas　quite　a　novel；　strange　set　of　beings　among　whom　I　now　foundmyself。　I　only　wished　I　had　them　all　in　my　box　again；　and　that　I　hadnever　been　their　director。　So　I　told　them　roundly　that；　after　all；they　were　nothing　but　puppets；　and　then　they　killed　me。　After　awhile　I　found　myself　lying　on　my　bed　in　my　room；　but　how　I　gotthere；　or　how　I　got　away　at　all　from　the　Polytechnic　professor；　he　mayperhaps　know；　I　don't。　The　moon　shone　upon　the　floor；　the　box　layopen；　and　the　dolls　were　all　scattered　about　in　great　confusion；　but　Iwas　not　idle。　I　jumped　off　the　bed；　and　into　the　box　they　all　had　togo；　some　on　their　heads；　some　on　their　feet。　Then　I　shut　down　the　lid；and　seated　myself　upon　the　box。　'Now　you'll　have　to　stay；'　said　I；'and　I　shall　be　cautious　how　I　wish　you　flesh　and　blood　again。'

〃I　felt　quite　light；　my　cheerfulness　had　returned；　and　I　was　thehappiest　of　mortals。　The　Polytechnic　professor　had　fully　cured　me。　Iwas　as　happy　as　a　king；　and　went　to　sleep　on　the　box。　Next　morning…correctly　speaking；　it　was　noon；　for　I　slept　remarkably　late　that　day…I　found　myself　still　sitting　there；　in　happy　consciousness　that　myformer　wish　had　been　a　foolish　one。　I　inquired　for　the　Polytechnicprofessor；　but　he　had　disappeared　like　the　Greek　and　Roman　gods；from　that　time　I　have　been　the　happiest　man　in　the　world。　I　am　a　happydirector；　for　none　of　my　pany　ever　grumble；　nor　the　publiceither；　for　I　always　make　them　merry。　I　can　arrange　my　pieces　justas　I　please。　I　choose　out　of　every　edy　what　I　like　best；　and　no　oneis　offended。　Plays　that　are　neglected　now…a…days　by　the　great　publicwere　ran　after　thirty　years　ago；　and　listened　to　till　the　tears　randown　the　cheeks　of　the　audience。　These　are　the　pieces　I　bring　forward。I　place　them　before　the　little　ones；　who　cry　over　them　as　papa　andmamma　used　to　cry　thirty　years　ago。　But　I　make　them　shorter；　for　theyoungsters　don't　like　long　speeches；　and　if　they　have　anythingmournful；　they　like　it　to　be　over　quickly。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　RACES

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

A　PRIZE；　or　rather　two　prizes；　a　great　one　and　a　small　one；　hadbeen　awarded　for　the　greatest　swiftness　in　running；…　not　in　a　singlerace；　but　for　the　whole　year。

〃I　obtained　the　first　prize；〃　said　the　hare。　〃Justice　must　stillbe　carried　out；　even　when　one　has　relations　and　good　friends　among　theprize　mittee；　but　that　the　snail　should　have　received　the　secondprize；　I　consider　almost　an　insult　to　myself〃

〃No；〃　said　the　fence…rail；　who　had　been　a　witness　at　thedistribution　of　prizes；　〃there　should　be　some　consideration　forindustry　and　perseverance。　I　have　heard　many　respectable　people　sayso；　and　I　can　quite　understand　it。　The　snail　certainly　took　half　ayear　to　get　over　the　threshold　of　the　door；　but　he　injured　himself；and　broke　his　collar…bone　by　the　haste　he　made。　He　gave　himself　upentirely　to　the　race；　and　ran　with　his　house　on　his　back；　which　wasall；　of　course；　very　praiseworthy；　and　therefore　he　obtained　thesecond　prize。〃

〃I　think　I　ought　to　have　had　some　consideration　too；〃　said　theswallow。　〃I　should　imagine　no　one　can　be　swifter　in　soaring　and　flightthan　I　am；　and　how　far　I　have　been！　far；　far　away。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　your　misfortune；〃　said　the　fence…rail；　〃you　are　sofickle；　so　unsettled；　you　must　always　be　travelling　about　into　foreignlands　when　the　cold　mences　here。　You　have　no　love　of　fatherlandin　you。　There　can　be　no　consideration　for　you。〃

〃But　now；　if　I　have　been　lying　the　whole　winter　in　the　moor；〃　saidthe　swallow；　〃and　suppose　I　slept　the　whole　time；　would　that　betaken　into　account？〃

〃Bring　a　certificate　from　the　old　moor…hen；〃　said　he；　〃that　youhave　slept　away　half　your　time　in　fatherland；　then　you　will　be　treatedwith　some　consideration。〃

〃I　deserved　the　first　prize；　and　not　the　second；〃　said　thesnail。　〃I　know　so　much；　at　least；　that　the　hare　only　ran　fromcowardice；　and　because　he　thought　there　was　danger　in　delay。　I；　on　theother　hand；　made　running　the　business　of　my　life；　and　have　bee　acripple　in　the　service。　If　any　one　had　a　first　prize；　it　ought　to　havebeen　myself。　But　I　do　not　understand　chattering　and　boasting；　on　thecontrary；　I　despise　it。〃　And　the　snail　spat　at　them　with　contempt。

〃I　am　able　to　affirm　with　word