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第162章

安徒生童话-第162章

小说: 安徒生童话 字数: 每页4000字

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〃You must not speak to me;〃 said the garter; 〃I do not think Ihave given you any encouragement to do so。〃

〃Oh; when any one is as beautiful as you are;〃 said theshirt…collar; 〃is not that encouragement enough?〃

〃Get away; don't e so near me;〃 said the garter; 〃you appear tome quite like a man。〃

〃I am a fine gentleman certainly;〃 said the shirt…collar; 〃Ipossess a boot…jack and a hair…brush。〃 This was not true; for thesethings belonged to his master; but he was a boaster。

〃Don't e so near me;〃 said the garter; 〃I am not accustomedto it。〃

〃Affectation!〃 said the shirt…collar。

Then they were taken out of the wash…tub; starched; and hungover a chair in the sunshine; and then laid on the ironing…board。And now came the glowing iron。 〃Mistress widow;〃 said theshirt…collar; 〃little mistress widow; I feel quite warm。 I amchanging; I am losing all my creases。 You are burning a hole in me。Ugh! I propose to you。〃

〃You old rag;〃 said the flat…iron; driving proudly over thecollar; for she fancied herself a steam…engine; which rolls over therailway and draws carriages。 〃You old rag!〃 said she。

The edges of the shirt…collar were a little frayed; so thescissors were brought to cut them smooth。 〃Oh!〃 exclaimed theshirt…collar; 〃what a first…rate dancer you would make; you canstretch out your leg so well。 I never saw anything so charming; I amsure no human being could do the same。〃

〃I should think not;〃 replied the scissors。

〃You ought to be a countess;〃 said the shirt collar; 〃but all Ipossess consists of a fine gentleman; a boot…jack; and a b。 Iwish I had an estate for your sake。〃

〃What! is he going to propose to me?〃 said the scissors; and shebecame so angry that she cut too sharply into the shirt collar; and itwas obliged to be thrown by as useless。

〃I shall be obliged to propose to the hair…brush;〃 thought theshirt collar; so he remarked one day; 〃It is wonderful whatbeautiful hair you have; my little lady。 Have you never thought ofbeing engaged?〃

〃You might know I should think of it;〃 answered the hair brush; 〃Iam engaged to the boot…jack。〃

〃Engaged!〃 cried the shirt collar; 〃now there is no one left topropose to;〃 and then he pretended to despise all love…making。

A long time passed; and the shirt collar was taken in a bag to thepaper…mill。 Here was a large pany of rags; the fine ones lying bythemselves; separated from the coarser; as it ought to be。 They hadall many things to relate; especially the shirt collar; who was aterrible boaster。 〃I have had an immense number of love affairs;〃 saidthe shirt collar; 〃no one left me any peace。 It is true I was a veryfine gentleman; quite stuck up。 I had a boot…jack and a brush that Inever used。 You should have seen me then; when I was turned down。 Ishall never forget my first love; she was a girdle; so charming; andfine; and soft; and she threw herself into a washing tub for mysake。 There was a widow too; who was warmly in love with me; but Ileft her alone; and she became quite black。 The next was afirst…rate dancer; she gave me the wound from which I still suffer;she was so passionate。 Even my own hair…brush was in love with me; andlost all her hair through neglected love。 Yes; I have had greatexperience of this kind; but my greatest grief was for the garter… thegirdle I meant to say… that jumped into the wash…tub。 I have a greatdeal on my conscience; and it is really time I should be turned intowhite paper。〃

And the shirt collar came to this at last。 All the rags weremade into white paper; and the shirt collar became the veryidentical piece of paper which we now see; and on which this storyis printed。 It happened as a punishment to him; for having boastedso shockingly of things which were not true。 And this is a warningto us; to be careful how we act; for we may some day find ourselves inthe rag…bag; to be turned into white paper; on which our whole historymay be written; even its most secret actions。 And it would not bepleasant to have to run about the world in the form of a piece ofpaper; telling everything we have done; like the boasting shirtcollar。

THE END。

  1872

 FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

  THE SILVER SHILLING

   by Hans Christian Andersen

THERE was once a shilling; which came forth from the mintspringing and shouting; 〃Hurrah! now I am going out into the wideworld。〃 And truly it did go out into the wide world。 The children heldit with warm hands; the miser with a cold and convulsive grasp; andthe old people turned it about; goodness knows how many times; whilethe young people soon allowed it to roll away from them。 Theshilling was made of silver; it contained very little copper; andconsidered itself quite out in the world when it had been circulatedfor a year in the country in which it had been coined。 One day; itreally did go out into the world; for it belonged to a gentleman whowas about to travel in foreign lands。 This gentleman was not awarethat the shilling lay at the bottom of his purse when he started; tillhe one day found it between his fingers。 〃Why;〃 cried he; 〃here is ashilling from home; well; it must go on its travels with me now!〃and the shilling jumped and rattled for joy; when it was put backagain into the purse。

Here it lay among a number of foreign panions; who werealways ing and going; one taking the place of another; but theshilling from home was always put back; and had to remain in thepurse; which was certainly a mark of distinction。 Many weeks passed;during which the shilling had travelled a long distance in thepurse; without in the least knowing where he was。 He had found outthat the other coins were French and Italian; and one coin said theywere in this town; and another said they were in that; but theshilling was unable to make out or imagine what they meant。 A mancertainly cannot see much of the world if he is tied up in a bag;and this was really the shilling's fate。 But one day; as he waslying in the purse; he noticed that it was not quite closed; and so heslipped near to the opening to have a little peep into society。 Hecertainly had not the least idea of what would follow; but he wascurious; and curiosity often brings its own punishment。 In hiseagerness; he came so near the edge of the purse that he slipped outinto the pocket of the trousers; and when; in the evening; the pursewas taken out; the shilling was left behind in the corner to whichit had fallen。 As the clothes were being carried into the hall; theshilling fell out on the floor; unheard and unnoticed by any one。The next morning the clothes were taken back to the room; thegentleman put them on; and started on his journey again; but theshilling remained behind on the floor。 After a time it was found;and being considered a good coin; was placed with three other coins。〃Ah;〃 thought the shilling; 〃this is pleasant; I shall now see theworld; bee acquainted with other people; and learn other customs。〃

〃Do you call that a shilling?〃 said some one the next moment。〃That is not a genuine coin of the country;… it is false; it is goodfor nothing。〃

Now begins the story as it was afterwards related by theshilling himself。

〃'False! good for nothing!' said he。 That remark went throughand through me like a dagger。 I knew that I had a true ring; andthat mine was a genuine stamp。 These people must at all events bewrong; or they could not mean me。 But yes; I was the one they called'false; and good for nothing。'

〃'Then I must pay it away in the dark;' said the man who hadreceived me。 So I was to be got rid of in the darkness; and be againinsulted in broad daylight。

〃'False! good for nothing!' Oh; I must contrive to get lost;thought I。 And I trembled between the fingers of the people every timethey tried to pass me off slyly as a coin of the country。 Ah!unhappy shilling that I was! Of what use were my silver; my stamp; andmy real value here; where all these qualities were worthless。 In theeyes of the world; a man is valued just according to the opinionformed of him。 It must be a shocking thing to have a guiltyconscience; and to be sneaking about on account of wicked deeds。 Asfor me; innocent as I was; I could not help shuddering before theireyes whenever they brought me out; for I knew I should be thrownback again up the table as a false pretender。 At length I was paidaway to a poor old woman; who received me as wages for a hard day'swork。 But she could not again get rid of me; no one would take me。 Iwas to the woman a most unlucky shilling。 'I am positively obligedto pass this shilling to somebody;' said she; 'I cannot; with the bestintentions; lay by a bad shilling。 The rich baker shall have it;… hecan bear the loss better than I can。 But; after all; it is not a rightthing to do。'

〃'Ah!' sighed I to myself; 'am I also to be a burden on theconscience of this poor woman? Am I then in my old days sopletely changed?' The woman offered me to the rich baker; but heknew the current money too well; and as soon as he received me hethrew me almost in the woman's face。 She could get no bread for me;and I felt quite grieved to the heart that I should be cause of somuch trouble to another; and be treated as a cast…off coin。 I who;in my young days; felt so joyful in the certainty of my own value; andknew so well that I bore a genuine stamp。 I wa

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