安徒生童话-第19章

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s；　from　the　manner　in　which　the　tutor　spoke　aboutthe　significance　of　being　noble；　it　seemed　almost　as　if　he　did　notbelong　to　a　moner's　family。

〃It　is　good　fortune　to　be　of　a　family　who　have　distinguishedthemselves；　and　to　possess　as　it　were　a　spur　in　oneself　to　advanceto　all　that　is　good。　It　is　a　splendid　thing　to　belong　to　a　noblefamily；　whose　name　serves　as　a　card　of　admission　to　the　highestcircles。　Nobility　is　a　distinction；　it　is　a　gold　coin　that　bears　thestamp　of　its　own　value。　It　is　the　fallacy　of　the　time；　and　manypoets　express　it；　to　say　that　all　that　is　noble　is　bad　and　stupid；　andthat；　on　the　contrary；　the　lower　one　goes　among　the　poor；　the　morebrilliant　virtues　one　finds。　I　do　not　share　this　opinion；　for　it　iswrong。　In　the　upper　classes　one　sees　many　touchingly　beautiful　traits；my　own　mother　has　told　me　of　such；　and　I　could　mention　several。　Oneday　she　was　visiting　a　nobleman's　house　in　town；　my　grandmother；　Ibelieve；　had　been　the　lady's　nurse　when　she　was　a　child。　My　mother　andthe　nobleman　were　alone　in　the　room；　when　he　suddenly　noticed　an　oldwoman　on　crutches　e　limping　into　the　courtyard；　she　came　everySunday　to　carry　a　gift　away　with　her。

〃'There　is　the　poor　old　woman；'　said　the　nobleman；　'it　is　sodifficult　for　her　to　walk。'

〃My　mother　had　hardly　understood　what　he　said　before　hedisappeared　from　the　room；　and　went　downstairs；　in　order　to　save　herthe　troublesome　walk　for　the　gift　she　came　to　fetch。　Of　course　this　isonly　a　little　incident；　but　it　has　its　good　sound　like　the　poorwidow's　two　mites　in　the　Bible；　the　sound　which　echoes　in　the　depth　ofevery　human　heart；　and　this　is　what　the　poet　ought　to　show　and　pointout…　more　especially　in　our　own　time　he　ought　to　sing　of　this；　it　doesgood；　it　mitigates　and　reconciles！　But　when　a　man；　simply　because　heis　of　noble　birth　and　possesses　a　genealogy；　stands　on　his　hind　legsand　neighs　in　the　street　like　an　Arabian　horse；　and　says　when　amoner　has　been　in　a　room：　'Some　people　from　the　street　have　beenhere；'　there　nobility　is　decaying；　it　has　bee　a　mask　of　the　kindthat　Thespis　created；　and　it　is　amusing　when　such　a　person　isexposed　in　satire。〃

Such　was　the　tutor's　speech；　it　was　a　little　long；　but　while　hedelivered　it　he　had　finished　cutting　the　flute。

There　was　a　large　party　at　the　mansion；　many　guests　from　theneighbourhood　and　from　the　capital　had　arrived。　There　were　ladies　withtasteful　and　with　tasteless　dresses；　the　big　hall　was　quite　crowdedwith　people。　The　clergymen　stood　humbly　together　in　a　corner；　andlooked　as　if　they　were　preparing　for　a　funeral；　but　it　was　a　festival…only　the　amusement　had　not　yet　begun。　A　great　concert　was　to　takeplace；　and　that　is　why　the　baron's　young　son　had　brought　his　willowflute　with　him；　but　he　could　not　make　it　sound；　nor　could　hisfather；　and　therefore　the　flute　was　good　for　nothing。

There　was　music　and　songs　of　the　kind　which　delight　most　thosethat　perform　them；　otherwise　quite　charming！

〃Are　you　an　artist？〃　said　a　cavalier；　the　son　of　his　father；〃you　play　on　the　flute；　you　have　made　it　yourself；　it　is　genius　thatrules…　the　place　of　honour　is　due　to　you。〃

〃Certainly　not！　I　only　advance　with　the　time；　and　that　of　courseone　can't　help。〃

〃I　hope　you　will　delight　us　all　with　the　little　instrument…　willyou　not？〃　Thus　saying　he　handed　to　the　tutor　the　flute　which　hadbeen　cut　from　the　willow　tree　by　the　pool；　and　then　announced　in　aloud　voice　that　the　tutor　wished　to　perform　a　solo　on　the　flute。They　wished　to　tease　him…　that　was　evident；　and　therefore　the　tutordeclined　to　play；　although　he　could　do　so　very　well。　They　urged　andrequested　him；　however；　so　long；　that　at　last　he　took　up　the　flute　andplaced　it　to　his　lips。

That　was　a　marvellous　flute！　Its　sound　was　as　thrilling　as　thewhistle　of　a　steam　engine；　in　fact　it　was　much　stronger；　for　itsounded　and　was　heard　in　the　yard；　in　the　garden；　in　the　wood；　andmany　miles　round　in　the　country；　at　the　same　time　a　storm　rose　androared；　〃Everything　in　the　right　place。〃　And　with　this　the　baron；　asif　carried　by　the　wind；　flew　out　of　the　hall　straight　into　theshepherd's　cottage；　and　the　shepherd　flew…　not　into　the　hall；thither　he　could　not　e…　but　into　the　servants'　hall；　among　thesmart　footmen　who　were　striding　about　in　silk　stockings；　these　haughtymenials　looked　horror…struck　that　such　a　person　ventured　to　sit　attable　with　them。　But　in　the　hall　the　baron's　daughter　flew　to　theplace　of　honour　at　the　end　of　the　table…　she　was　worthy　to　sitthere；　the　pastor's　son　had　the　seat　next　to　her；　the　two　sat　there　asif　they　were　a　bridal　pair。　An　old　Count；　belonging　to　one　of　theoldest　families　of　the　country；　remained　untouched　in　his　place　ofhonour；　the　flute　was　just；　and　it　is　one's　duty　to　be　so。　Thesharp…tongued　cavalier　who　had　caused　the　flute　to　be　played；　andwho　was　the　child　of　his　parents；　flew　headlong　into　the　fowl…house；but　not　he　alone。

The　flute　was　heard　at　the　distance　of　a　mile；　and　strangeevents　took　place。　A　rich　banker's　family；　who　were　driving　in　a　coachand　four；　were　blown　out　of　it；　and　could　not　even　find　room　behind　itwith　their　footmen。　Two　rich　farmers　who　had　in　our　days　shot　uphigher　than　their　own　corn…fields；　were　flung　into　the　ditch；　it　was　adangerous　flute。　Fortunately　it　burst　at　the　first　sound；　and　that　wasa　good　thing；　for　then　it　was　put　back　into　its　owner's　pocket…　〃itsright　place。〃

The　next　day；　nobody　spoke　a　word　about　what　had　taken　place；　thusoriginated　the　phrase；　〃to　pocket　the　flute。〃　Everything　was　againin　its　usual　order；　except　that　the　two　old　pictures　of　the　peddlarand　the　goose…girl　were　hanging　in　the　banqueting…hall。　There　theywere　on　the　wall　as　if　blown　up　there；　and　as　a　real　expert　saidthat　they　were　painted　by　a　master's　hand；　they　remained　there　andwere　restored。　〃Everything　in　the　right　place；〃　and　to　this　it　wille。　Eternity　is　long；　much　longer　indeed　than　this　story。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　GRANDMOTHER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　AndersenGRANDMOTHER

GRANDMOTHER　is　very　old；　her　face　is　wrinkled；　and　her　hair　isquite　white；　but　her　eyes　are　like　two　stars；　and　they　have　a　mild；gentle　expression　in　them　when　they　look　at　you；　which　does　yougood。　She　wears　a　dress　of　heavy；　rich　silk；　with　large　flowers　workedon　it；　and　it　rustles　when　she　moves。　And　then　she　can　tell　the　mostwonderful　stories。　Grandmother　knows　a　great　deal；　for　she　was　alivebefore　father　and　mother…　that's　quite　certain。　She　has　a　hymn…bookwith　large　silver　clasps；　in　which　she　often　reads；　and　in　the　book；between　the　leaves；　lies　a　rose；　quite　flat　and　dry；　it　is　not　sopretty　as　the　roses　which　are　standing　in　the　glass；　and　yet　shesmiles　at　it　most　pleasantly；　and　tears　even　e　into　her　eyes。　〃Iwonder　why　grandmother　looks　at　the　withered　flower　in　the　old　bookthat　way？　Do　you　know？〃　Why；　when　grandmother's　tears　fall　upon　therose；　and　she　is　looking　at　it；　the　rose　revives；　and　fills　the　roomwith　its　fragrance；　the　walls　vanish　as　in　a　mist；　and　all　aroundher　is　the　glorious　green　wood；　where　in　summer　the　sunlight　streamsthrough　thick　foliage；　and　grandmother；　why　she　is　young　again；　acharming　maiden；　fresh　as　a　rose；　with　round；　rosy　cheeks；　fair；bright　ringlets；　and　a　figure　pretty　and　graceful；　but　the　eyes；　thosemild；　saintly　eyes；　are　the　same；…　they　have　been　left　to　grandmother。At　her　side　sits　a　young　man；　tall　and　strong；　he　gives　her　a　rose　andshe　smiles。　Grandmother　cannot　smile　like　that　now。　Yes；　she　issmiling　at　the　memory　of　that　day；　and　many　thoughts　and　recollectionsof　the　past；　but　the　handsome　young　man　is　gone；　and　the　rose　haswithered　in　the　old　book；　and　grandmother　is　sitting　there；　again　anold　woman；　looking　down　upon　the　withered　rose　in　the　book。

Grandmother　is　dead　now。　She　had　been　sitting　in　her　arm…chair；telling　us　a　long；　beautiful　tale；　and　when　it　was　finished；　shesaid　she　was　tired；　and　leaned　her　head　back　to　sleep　awhile。　We　couldhear　her　gentle　breathing　as　she　slept；　gradually　it　became　quieterand　calmer；　and　on　her　countenance　beamed　happiness　and　peace。　Itwas　as　if　lighted　up　with　a　ray　of　sunshine。　She　smiled　once　more；　andthen　people　said　she　was　dead。　She　was　laid　in　a　black　coffin；　lookingmild　and　beautiful　in　the　white　folds　of　the　shrouded　linen；　thoughher　eyes　were　closed；　but　every　wrinkle　had　vanished；　her　hairlooked　white　and　silvery；　and　around　her　mouth　lingered　a　sweet　smile。We　did　not　feel　at　all　afraid　to　look　at　the　corpse　of　her　who　hadbeen　such　a　dear；　good　grandmother。　The　hymn…book；　in　which　the　rosestill　lay；　was　placed　under　her　head；　for　so　she　had　wished　it；　andthen　they　buried　grandmother。

On　the　grave；　close　by　the　churchyard　wall；　they　planted　arose…tree；　it　was　soon　full　of　roses；　and　the　nightingale　sat　amongthe　flowers；　and　sang　over　the　grave。　From　the　organ　in　the　churchsounded　the　music　and　the　words　of　the　beautiful　psalms；　which　werewritten　in　the　old　book　under　the　head　of　the　dead　one。

The　moon　shone　down　upon　the　grave；　but　the　dead　was　not　there；every　child　could　go　safely；　even　at　night；　and　pluck　a　rose　fromthe　tree　by　the　churchyard　wall。　The　dead　know　more　than　we　do　who　areliving。　They　know　what　a　terror　would　e　upon　us　if　such　a　strangething　were　to　happen；　as　the　appearance　of　a　dead　person　among　us。They　are　better　off