安徒生童话-第178章
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d！ found！ Gold！gold！' he shouted； again holding the glass aloft； that it mightflash in the sunshine； but his hand trembled； and the alchymic glassfell from it； clattering to the ground； and brake in a thousandpieces。 The last bubble of his happiness had burst； with a whiz anda whir； and I rushed away from the gold…maker's house。
〃Late in the autumn； when the days were short； and the mistsprinkled cold drops on the berries and the leafless branches； Icame back in fresh spirits； rushed through the air； swept the skyclear； and snapped off the dry twigs； which is certainly no greatlabor to do； yet it must be done。 There was another kind of sweepingtaking place at Waldemar Daa's； in the castle of Borreby。 His enemy；Owe Ramel； of Basnas； was there； with the mortgage of the house andeverything it contained； in his pocket。 I rattled the brokenwindows； beat against the old rotten doors； and whistled throughcracks and crevices； so that Mr。 Owe Ramel did not much like to remainthere。 Ida and Anna Dorothea wept bitterly； Joanna stood； pale andproud； biting her lips till the blood came； but what could that avail？Owe Ramel offered Waldemar Daa permission to remain in the housetill the end of his life。 No one thanked him for the offer； and Isaw the ruined old gentleman lift his head； and throw it back moreproudly than ever。 Then I rushed against the house and the oldlime…trees with such force； that one of the thickest branches； adecayed one； was broken off； and the branch fell at the entrance；and remained there。 It might have been used as a broom； if any one hadwanted to sweep the place out； and a grand sweeping…out there reallywas； I thought it would be so。 It was hard for any one to preserveposure on such a day； but these people had strong wills； asunbending as their hard fortune。 There was nothing they could calltheir own； excepting the clothes they wore。 Yes； there was one thingmore； an alchymist's glass； a new one； which had been lately bought；and filled with what could be gathered from the ground of the treasurewhich had promised so much but failed in keeping its promise。 WaldemarDaa hid the glass in his bosom； and； taking his stick in his hand； theonce rich gentleman passed with his daughters out of the house ofBorreby。 I blew coldly upon his flustered cheeks； I stroked his graybeard and his long white hair； and I sang as well as I was able；'Whir…r…r； whir…r…r。 Gone away！ Gone away！' Ida walked on one sideof the old man； and Anna Dorothea on the other； Joanna turned round；as they left the entrance。 Why？ Fortune would not turn because sheturned。 She looked at the stone in the walls which had once formedpart of the castle of Marck Stig； and perhaps she thought of hisdaughters and of the old song；…
〃The eldest and youngest； hand…in…hand；
Went forth alone to a distant land。〃These were only two； here there were three； and their father with themalso。 They walked along the high…road； where once they had driven intheir splendid carriage； they went forth with their father as beggars。They wandered across an open field to a mud hut； which they rented fora dollar and a half a year； a new home； with bare walls and emptycupboards。 Crows and magpies fluttered about them； and cried； as if incontempt； 'Caw； caw； turned out of our nest… caw； caw；' as they haddone in the wood at Borreby； when the trees were felled。 Daa and hisdaughters could not help hearing it； so I blew about their ears todrown the noise； what use was it that they should listen？ So they wentto live in the mud hut in the open field； and I wandered away； overmoor and meadow； through bare bushes and leafless forests； to the opensea； to the broad shores in other lands； 'Whir…r…r； whir…r…r！ Away；away！' year after year。〃
And what became of Waldemar Daa and his daughters？ Listen； theWind will tell us：
〃The last I saw of them was the pale hyacinth； Anna Dorothea。 Shewas old and bent then； for fifty years had passed and she had outlivedthem all。 She could relate the history。 Yonder； on the heath； near thetown of Wiborg； in Jutland； stood the fine new house of the canon。 Itwas built of red brick； with projecting gables。 It was inhabited； forthe smoke curled up thickly from the chimneys。 The canon's gentle ladyand her beautiful daughters sat in the bay…window； and looked over thehawthorn hedge of the garden towards the brown heath。 What were theylooking at？ Their glances fell upon a stork's nest； which was builtupon an old tumbledown hut。 The roof； as far as one existed at all；was covered with moss and lichen。 The stork's nest covered the greaterpart of it； and that alone was in a good condition； for it was kept inorder by the stork himself。 That is a house to be looked at； and notto be touched；〃 said the Wind。 〃For the sake of the stork's nest ithad been allowed to remain； although it is a blot on the landscape。They did not like to drive the stork away； therefore the old shed wasleft standing； and the poor woman who dwelt in it allowed to stay。 Shehad the Egyptian bird to thank for that； or was it perchance herreward for having once interceded for the preservation of the nest ofits black brother in the forest of Borreby？ At that time she； thepoor woman； was a young child； a white hyacinth in a rich garden。 Sheremembered that time well； for it was Anna Dorothea。
〃'O…h； o…h；' she sighed； for people can sigh like the moaning ofthe wind among the reeds and rushes。 'O…h； o…h；' she would say； 'nobell sounded at thy burial； Waldemar Daa。 The poor school…boys did noteven sing a psalm when the former lord of Borreby was laid in theearth to rest。 O…h； everything has an end； even misery。 Sister Idabecame the wife of a peasant； that was the hardest trial whichbefell our father； that the husband of his own daughter should be amiserable serf； whom his owner could place for punishment on thewooden horse。 I suppose he is under the ground now； and Ida… alas！alas！ it is not ended yet； miserable that I am！ Kind Heaven； grantme that I may die。'
〃That was Anna Dorothea's prayer in the wretched hut that was leftstanding for the sake of the stork。 I took pity on the proudest of thesisters；〃 said the Wind。 〃Her courage was like that of a man； and inman's clothes she served as a sailor on board ship。 She was of fewwords； and of a dark countenance； but she did not know how to climb；so I blew her overboard before any one found out that she was a woman；and； in my opinion； that was well done；〃 said the Wind。
On such another Easter morning as that on which Waldemar Daaimagined he had discovered the art of making gold； I heard the tonesof a psalm under the stork's nest； and within the crumbling walls。It was Anna Dorothea's last song。 There was no window in the hut； onlya hole in the wall； and the sun rose like a globe of burnished gold；and looked through。 With what splendor he filled that dismal dwelling！Her eyes were glazing； and her heart breaking； but so it would havebeen； even had the sun not shone that morning on Anna Dorothea。 Thestork's nest had secured her a home till her death。 I sung over hergrave； I sung at her father's grave。 I know where it lies； and whereher grave is too； but nobody else knows it。
〃New times now； all is changed。 The old high…road is lost amidcultivated fields； the new one now winds along over covered graves；and soon the railway will e； with its train of carriages； andrush over graves where lie those whose very names are forgoten。 Allpassed away； passed away！
〃This is the story of Waldemar Daa and his daughters。 Tell itbetter； any of you； if you know how；〃 said the Wind； and he rushedaway； and was gone。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE STORY OF THE YEAR
by Hans Christian Andersen
IT was near the end of January； and a terrible fall of snow waspelting down； and whirling through the streets and lanes； thewindows were plastered with snow on the outside； snow fell in massesfrom the roofs。 Every one seemed in a great hurry； they ran； theyflew； fell into each other's arms； holding fast for a moment as longas they could stand safely。 Coaches and horses looked as if they hadbeen frosted with sugar。 The footmen stood with their backs againstthe carriages； so as to turn their faces from the wind。 The footpassengers kept within the shelter of the carriages； which couldonly move slowly on in the deep snow。 At last the storm abated； anda narrow path was swept clean in front of the houses； when two personsmet in this path they stood still； for neither liked to take the firststep on one side into the deep snow to let the other pass him。 Therethey stood silent and motionless； till at last； as if by tacitconsent； they each sacrificed a leg and buried it in the deep snow。Towards evening； the weather became calm。 The sky； cleared from thesnow； looked more lofty and transparent； while the stars shone withnew brightness and purity。 The frozen snow crackled under foot； andwas quite firm enough to bear the sparrows； who hopped upon it inthe morning dawn。 They searched for food in the path which had beenswept； but there was very little for them； and they were terriblycold。 〃Tweet； tweet；〃 said one to another； they call this a newyear； but I think it is worse than the last。 We might just as wellhave kept the old year； I'm quite unhappy； and I have a ri
