安徒生童话-第4章

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They　quickly　went　away　and　came　before　the　beds　of　thecriminals；　these　unfortunate　people　slept　side　by　side；　in　longrows。　Like　a　ferocious　animal；　one　of　them　rose　out　of　his　sleep　anduttered　a　horrible　cry；　and　gave　his　rade　a　violent　dig　in　the　ribswith　his　pointed　elbow；　and　this　one　turned　round　in　his　sleep：

〃Be　quiet；　monster…　sleep！　This　happens　every　night！〃

〃Every　night！〃　repeated　the　other。　〃Yes；　every　night　he　esand　tortures　me！　In　my　violence　I　have　done　this　and　that。　I　wasborn　with　an　evil　mind；　which　has　brought　me　hither　for　the　secondtime；　but　if　I　have　done　wrong　I　suffer　punishment　for　it。　Ohing；　however；　I　have　not　yet　confessed。　When　I　came　out　a　littlewhile　ago；　and　passed　by　the　yard　of　my　former　master；　evil　thoughtsrose　within　me　when　I　remembered　this　and　that。　I　struck　a　match　alittle　bit　on　the　wall；　probably　it　came　a　little　too　close　to　thethatched　roof。　All　burnt　down…　a　great　heat　rose；　such　as　sometimesoveres　me。　I　myself　helped　to　rescue　cattle　and　things；　nothingalive　burnt；　except　a　flight　of　pigeons；　which　flew　into　the　fire；　andthe　yard　dog；　of　which　I　had　not　thought；　one　could　hear　him　howlout　of　the　fire；　and　this　howling　I　still　hear　when　I　wish　to　sleep；and　when　I　have　fallen　asleep；　the　great　rough　dog　es　and　placeshimself　upon　me；　and　howls；　presses；　and　tortures　me。　Now　listen　towhat　I　tell　you！　You　can　snore；　you　are　snoring　the　whole　night；　and　Ihardly　a　quarter　of　an　hour！〃　And　the　blood　rose　to　the　head　of　theexcited　criminal；　he　threw　himself　upon　his　rade；　and　beat　him　withhis　clenced　fist　in　the　face。

〃Wicked　Matz　has　bee　mad　again！〃　they　said　amongstthemselves。　The　other　criminals　seized　him；　wrestled　with　him；　andbent　him　double；　so　that　his　head　rested　between　his　knees；　and　theytied　him；　so　that　the　blood　almost　came　out　of　his　eyes　and　out　of　allhis　pores。

〃You　are　killing　the　unfortunate　man；〃　said　the　pastor；　and　ashe　stretched　out　his　hand　to　protect　him　who　already　suffered　toomuch；　the　scene　changed。　They　flew　through　rich　halls　and　wretchedhovels；　wantonness　and　envy；　all　the　deadly　sins；　passed　beforethem。　An　angel　of　justice　read　their　crimes　and　their　defence；　thelatter　was　not　a　brilliant　one；　but　it　was　read　before　God；　Whoreads　the　heart；　Who　knows　everything；　the　wickedness　that　esfrom　within　and　from　without；　Who　is　mercy　and　love　personified。　Thepastor's　hand　trembled；　he　dared　not　stretch　it　out；　he　did　notventure　to　pull　a　hair　out　of　the　sinner's　head。　And　tears　gushed　fromhis　eyes　like　a　stream　of　mercy　and　love；　the　cooling　waters　ofwhich　extinguished　the　eternal　fire　of　hell。

Just　then　the　cock　crowed。

〃Father　of　all　mercy；　grant　Thou　to　her　the　peace　that　I　wasunable　to　procure　for　her！〃

〃I　have　it　now！〃　said　the　dead　woman。　〃It　was　your　hard　words；your　despair　of　mankind；　your　gloomy　belief　in　God　and　His　creation；which　drove　me　to　you。　Learn　to　know　mankind！　Even　in　the　wicked　onelives　a　part　of　God…　and　this　extinguishes　and　conquers　the　flame　ofhell！〃

The　pastor　felt　a　kiss　on　his　lips；　a　gleam　of　light　surroundedhim…　God's　bright　sun　shone　into　the　room；　and　his　wife；　alive；sweet　and　full　of　love；　awoke　him　from　a　dream　which　God　had　sent　him！

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　A　STORY　FROM　THE　SAND…HILLS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THIS　story　is　from　the　sand…dunes　or　sand…hills　of　Jutland；　but　itdoes　not　begin　there　in　the　North；　but　far　away　in　the　South；　inSpain。　The　wide　sea　is　the　highroad　from　nation　to　nation；　journeyin　thought；　then；　to　sunny　Spain。　It　is　warm　and　beautiful　there；the　fiery　pomegranate　flowers　peep　from　among　dark　laurels；　a　coolrefreshing　breeze　from　the　mountains　blows　over　the　orange　gardens；over　the　Moorish　halls　with　their　golden　cupolas　and　coloured　walls。Children　go　through　the　streets　in　procession　with　candles　andwaving　banners；　and　the　sky；　lofty　and　clear　with　its　glitteringstars；　rises　above　them。　Sounds　of　singing　and　castas　can　be　heard；and　youths　and　maidens　dance　upon　the　flowering　acacia　trees；　whileeven　the　beggar　sits　upon　a　block　of　marble；　refreshing　himself　with　ajuicy　melon；　and　dreamily　enjoying　life。　It　all　seems　like　a　beautifuldream。

Here　dwelt　a　newly　married　couple　who　pletely　gave　themselvesup　to　the　charm　of　life；　indeed　they　possessed　every　good　thing　theycould　desire…　health　and　happiness；　riches　and　honour。

We　are　as　happy　as　human　beings　can　be；〃　said　the　young　couplefrom　the　depths　of　their　hearts。　They　had　indeed　only　one　stephigher　to　mount　on　the　ladder　of　happiness…　they　hoped　that　Godwould　give　them　a　child；　a　son　like　them　in　form　and　spirit。　The　happylittle　one　was　to　be　weled　with　rejoicing；　to　be　cared　for　withlove　and　tenderness；　and　enjoy　every　advantage　of　wealth　and　luxurythat　a　rich　and　influential　family　can　give。　So　the　days　went　bylike　a　joyous　festival。

〃Life　is　a　gracious　gift　from　God；　almost　too　great　a　gift　forus　to　appreciate！〃　said　the　young　wife。　〃Yet　they　say　that　fulnessof　joy　for　ever　and　ever　can　only　be　found　in　the　future　life。　Icannot　realise　it！〃

〃The　thought　arises；　perhaps；　from　the　arrogance　of　men；〃　said　thehusband。　〃It　seems　a　great　pride　to　believe　that　we　shall　live　forever；　that　we　shall　be　as　gods！　Were　not　these　the　words　of　theserpent；　the　father　of　lies？〃

〃Surely　you　do　not　doubt　the　existence　of　a　future　life？〃exclaimed　the　young　wife。　It　seemed　as　if　one　of　the　first　shadowspassed　over　her　sunny　thoughts。

〃Faith　realises　it；　and　the　priests　tell　us　so；〃　replied　herhusband；　〃but　amid　all　my　happiness　I　feel　that　it　is　arrogant　todemand　a　continuation　of　it…　another　life　after　this。　Has　not　somuch　been　given　us　in　this　world　that　we　ought　to　be；　we　must　be；contented　with　it？〃

〃Yes；　it　has　been　given　to　us；〃　said　the　young　wife；　〃but　thislife　is　nothing　more　than　one　long　scene　of　trial　and　hardship　to　manythousands。　How　many　have　been　cast　into　this　world　only　to　endurepoverty；　shame；　illness；　and　misfortune？　If　there　were　no　future　life；everything　here　would　be　too　unequally　divided；　and　God　would　not　bethe　personification　of　justice。〃

〃The　beggar　there；〃　said　her　husband；　〃has　joys　of　his　own　whichseem　to　him　great；　and　cause　him　as　much　pleasure　as　a　king　would　findin　the　magnificence　of　his　palace。　And　then　do　you　not　think　thatthe　beast　of　burden；　which　suffers　blows　and　hunger；　and　worksitself　to　death；　suffers　just　as　much　from　its　miserable　fate？　Thedumb　creature　might　demand　a　future　life　also；　and　declare　the　lawunjust　that　excludes　it　from　the　advantages　of　the　higher　creation。〃

〃Christ　said：　'In　my　father's　house　are　many　mansions；'〃　sheanswered。　〃Heaven　is　as　boundless　as　the　love　of　our　Creator；　the　dumbanimal　is　also　His　creature；　and　I　firmly　believe　that　no　life　will　belost；　but　each　will　receive　as　much　happiness　as　he　can　enjoy；　whichwill　be　sufficient　for　him。〃

〃This　world　is　sufficient　for　me；〃　said　the　husband；　throwinghis　arm　round　his　beautiful；　sweet…tempered　wife。　He　sat　by　her　sideon　the　open　balcony；　smoking　a　cigarette　in　the　cool　air；　which　wasloaded　with　the　sweet　scent　of　carnations　and　orange　blossoms。Sounds　of　music　and　the　clatter　of　castas　came　from　the　roadbeneath；　the　stars　shone　above　then；　and　two　eyes　full　of　affection…those　of　his　wife…　looked　upon　him　with　the　expression　of　undyinglove。　〃Such　a　moment；〃　he　said；　〃makes　it　worth　while　to　be　born；　todie；　and　to　be　annihilated！〃　He　smiled…　the　young　wife　raised　her　handin　gentle　reproof；　and　the　shadow　passed　away　from　her　mind；　andthey　were　happy…　quite　happy。

Everything　seemed　to　work　together　for　their　good。　They　advancedin　honour；　in　prosperity；　and　in　happiness。　A　change　came　certainly；but　it　was　only　a　change　of　place　and　not　of　circumstances。

The　young　man　was　sent　by　his　Sovereign　as　ambassador　to　theRussian　Court。　This　was　an　office　of　high　dignity；　but　his　birth　andhis　acquirements　entitled　him　to　the　honour。　He　possessed　a　largefortune；　and　his　wife　had　brought　him　wealth　equal　to　his　own；　for　shewas　the　daughter　of　a　rich　and　respected　merchant。　One　of　thismerchant's　largest　and　finest　ships　was　to　be　sent　that　year　toStockholm；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the　dear　young　couple；　thedaughter　and　the　son…in…law；　should　travel　in　it　to　St。　Petersburg。All　the　arrangements　on　board　were　princely　and　silk　and　luxury　onevery　side。

In　an　old　war　song；　called　〃The　King　of　England's　Son；〃　it　says：

　〃Farewell；　he　said；　and　sailed　away。

　　And　many　recollect　that　day。

　　The　ropes　were　of　silk；　the　anchor　of　gold；

　　And　everywhere　riches　and　wealth　untold。〃

These　words　would　aptly　describe　the　vessel　from　Spain；　for　herewas　the　same　luxury；　and　the　same　parting　thought　naturally　arose：

　〃God　grant　that　we　once　more　may　meet

　　In　sweet　unclouded　peace　and　joy。〃

There　was　a　favourable　wind　blowing　as　they　left　the　Spanishcoast；　and　it　would　be　but　a　short　journey；　for　they　hoped　to　reachtheir　destination　in　a　few　weeks；　but　when　they　came　out　upon　the　wideocean　the　wind　dropped；　the　sea　became　smooth　and　shining；　and　thestars　shone　brightly。　Many　festive　evenings　were　spent　on　board。　Atlast　the　travellers　began　to　wish　for　wind；　for　a　favourable　breeze；but　their　wish　was　useless…　not　a　breath　of　air　stirred；　or　if　itdid　arise　it　was　contr