安徒生童话-第74章

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　were　thrown　open；and　a　troop　of　children　rushed　in　as　if　they　intended　to　upset　thetree；　they　were　followed　more　silently　by　their　elders。　For　a　momentthe　little　ones　stood　silent　with　astonishment；　and　then　theyshouted　for　joy；　till　the　room　rang；　and　they　danced　merrily　round　thetree；　while　one　present　after　another　was　taken　from　it。

〃What　are　they　doing？　What　will　happen　next？〃　thought　the　fir。At　last　the　candles　burnt　down　to　the　branches　and　were　put　out。Then　the　children　received　permission　to　plunder　the　tree。

Oh；　how　they　rushed　upon　it；　till　the　branches　cracked；　and　had　itnot　been　fastened　with　the　glistening　star　to　the　ceiling；　it　musthave　been　thrown　down。　The　children　then　danced　about　with　theirpretty　toys；　and　no　one　noticed　the　tree；　except　the　children's　maidwho　came　and　peeped　among　the　branches　to　see　if　an　apple　or　a　fig　hadbeen　forgotten。

〃A　story；　a　story；〃　cried　the　children；　pulling　a　little　fat　mantowards　the　tree。

〃Now　we　shall　be　in　the　green　shade；〃　said　the　man；　as　he　seatedhimself　under　it；　〃and　the　tree　will　have　the　pleasure　of　hearingalso；　but　I　shall　only　relate　one　story；　what　shall　it　be？Ivede…Avede；　or　Humpty　Dumpty；　who　fell　down　stairs；　but　soon　got　upagain；　and　at　last　married　a　princess。〃

〃Ivede…Avede；〃　cried　some。　〃Humpty　Dumpty；〃　cried　others；　andthere　was　a　fine　shouting　and　crying　out。　But　the　fir…tree　remainedquite　still；　and　thought　to　himself；　〃Shall　I　have　anything　to　do　withall　this？〃　but　he　had　already　amused　them　as　much　as　they　wished。　Thenthe　old　man　told　them　the　story　of　Humpty　Dumpty；　how　he　fell　downstairs；　and　was　raised　up　again；　and　married　a　princess。　And　thechildren　clapped　their　hands　and　cried；　〃Tell　another；　tellanother；〃　for　they　wanted　to　hear　the　story　of　〃Ivede…Avede；〃　but　theyonly　had　〃Humpty　Dumpty。〃　After　this　the　fir…tree　became　quitesilent　and　thoughtful；　never　had　the　birds　in　the　forest　told　suchtales　as　〃Humpty　Dumpty；〃　who　fell　down　stairs；　and　yet　married　aprincess。

〃Ah！　yes；　so　it　happens　in　the　world；〃　thought　the　fir…tree；　hebelieved　it　all；　because　it　was　related　by　such　a　nice　man。　〃Ah！well；〃　he　thought；　〃who　knows？　perhaps　I　may　fall　down　too；　andmarry　a　princess；〃　and　he　looked　forward　joyfully　to　the　next　evening；expecting　to　be　again　decked　out　with　lights　and　playthings；　goldand　fruit。　〃To…morrow　I　will　not　tremble；〃　thought　he；　〃I　will　enjoyall　my　splendor；　and　I　shall　hear　the　story　of　Humpty　Dumpty　again；and　perhaps　Ivede…Avede。〃　And　the　tree　remained　quiet　and　thoughtfulall　night。　In　the　morning　the　servants　and　the　housemaid　came　in。〃Now；〃　thought　the　fir；　〃all　my　splendor　is　going　to　begin　again。〃　Butthey　dragged　him　out　of　the　room　and　up　stairs　to　the　garret；　andthrew　him　on　the　floor；　in　a　dark　corner；　where　no　daylight　shone；　andthere　they　left　him。　〃What　does　this　mean？〃　thought　the　tree；　〃what　amI　to　do　here？　I　can　hear　nothing　in　a　place　like　this；〃　and　he　hadtime　enough　to　think；　for　days　and　nights　passed　and　no　one　camenear　him；　and　when　at　last　somebody　did　e；　it　was　only　to　putaway　large　boxes　in　a　corner。　So　the　tree　was　pletely　hidden　fromsight　as　if　it　had　never　existed。　〃It　is　winter　now；〃　thought　thetree；　〃the　ground　is　hard　and　covered　with　snow；　so　that　people　cannotplant　me。　I　shall　be　sheltered　here；　I　dare　say；　until　spring　es。How　thoughtful　and　kind　everybody　is　to　me！　Still　I　wish　this　placewere　not　so　dark；　as　well　as　lonely；　with　not　even　a　little　hare　tolook　at。　How　pleasant　it　was　out　in　the　forest　while　the　snow　lay　onthe　ground；　when　the　hare　would　run　by；　yes；　and　jump　over　me　too；although　I　did　not　like　it　then。　Oh！　it　is　terrible　lonely　here。〃

〃Squeak；　squeak；〃　said　a　little　mouse；　creeping　cautiously　towardsthe　tree；　then　came　another；　and　they　both　sniffed　at　the　fir…tree　andcrept　between　the　branches。

〃Oh；　it　is　very　cold；〃　said　the　little　mouse；　〃or　else　we　shouldbe　so　fortable　here；　shouldn't　we；　you　old　fir…tree？〃

〃I　am　not　old；〃　said　the　fir…tree；　〃there　are　many　who　are　olderthan　I　am。〃

〃Where　do　you　e　from？　and　what　do　you　know？〃　asked　the　mice；who　were　full　of　curiosity。　〃Have　you　seen　the　most　beautiful　placesin　the　world；　and　can　you　tell　us　all　about　them？　and　have　you　been　inthe　storeroom；　where　cheeses　lie　on　the　shelf；　and　hams　hang　fromthe　ceiling？　One　can　run　about　on　tallow　candles　there；　and　go　in　thinand　e　out　fat。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　that　place；〃　said　the　fir…tree；　〃but　I　know　thewood　where　the　sun　shines　and　the　birds　sing。〃　And　then　the　treetold　the　little　mice　all　about　its　youth。　They　had　never　heard　such　anaccount　in　their　lives；　and　after　they　had　listened　to　it　attentively；they　said；　〃What　a　number　of　things　you　have　seen？　you　must　havebeen　very　happy。〃

〃Happy！〃　exclaimed　the　fir…tree；　and　then　as　he　reflected　uponwhat　he　had　been　telling　them；　he　said；　〃Ah；　yes！　after　all　those　werehappy　days。〃　But　when　he　went　on　and　related　all　aboutChristmas…eve；　and　how　he　had　been　dressed　up　with　cakes　and　lights；the　mice　said；　〃How　happy　you　must　have　been；　you　old　fir…tree。〃

〃I　am　not　old　at　all；〃　replied　the　tree；　〃I　only　came　from　theforest　this　winter；　I　am　now　checked　in　my　growth。〃

〃What　splendid　stories　you　can　relate；〃　said　the　little　mice。And　the　next　night　four　other　mice　came　with　them　to　hear　what　thetree　had　to　tell。　The　more　he　talked　the　more　he　remembered；　andthen　he　thought　to　himself；　〃Those　were　happy　days；　but　they　maye　again。　Humpty　Dumpty　fell　down　stairs；　and　yet　he　married　theprincess；　perhaps　I　may　marry　a　princess　too。〃　And　the　fir…treethought　of　the　pretty　little　birch…tree　that　grew　in　the　forest；　whichwas　to　him　a　real　beautiful　princess。

〃Who　is　Humpty　Dumpty？〃　asked　the　little　mice。　And　then　the　treerelated　the　whole　story；　he　could　remember　every　single　word；　andthe　little　mice　was　so　delighted　with　it；　that　they　were　ready　to　jumpto　the　top　of　the　tree。　The　next　night　a　great　many　more　mice　madetheir　appearance；　and　on　Sunday　two　rats　came　with　them；　but　theysaid；　it　was　not　a　pretty　story　at　all；　and　the　little　mice　werevery　sorry；　for　it　made　them　also　think　less　of　it。

〃Do　you　know　only　one　story？〃　asked　the　rats。

〃Only　one；〃　replied　the　fir…tree；　〃I　heard　it　on　the　happiestevening　of　my　life；　but　I　did　not　know　I　was　so　happy　at　the　time。〃

〃We　think　it　is　a　very　miserable　story；〃　said　the　rats。　〃Don't　youknow　any　story　about　bacon；　or　tallow　in　the　storeroom。〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　tree。

〃Many　thanks　to　you　then；〃　replied　the　rats；　and　they　marched　off。

The　little　mice　also　kept　away　after　this；　and　the　tree　sighed；and　said；　〃It　was　very　pleasant　when　the　merry　little　mice　sat　roundme　and　listened　while　I　talked。　Now　that　is　all　passed　too。　However；　Ishall　consider　myself　happy　when　some　one　es　to　take　me　out　of　thisplace。〃　But　would　this　ever　happen？　Yes；　one　morning　people　came　toclear　out　the　garret；　the　boxes　were　packed　away；　and　the　tree　waspulled　out　of　the　corner；　and　thrown　roughly　on　the　garret　floor；　thenthe　servant　dragged　it　out　upon　the　staircase　where　the　daylightshone。　〃Now　life　is　beginning　again；〃　said　the　tree；　rejoicing　inthe　sunshine　and　fresh　air。　Then　it　was　carried　down　stairs　andtaken　into　the　courtyard　so　quickly；　that　it　forgot　to　think　ofitself；　and　could　only　look　about；　there　was　so　much　to　be　seen。　Thecourt　was　close　to　a　garden；　where　everything　looked　blooming。　Freshand　fragrant　roses　hung　over　the　little　palings。　The　linden…trees　werein　blossom；　while　the　swallows　flew　here　and　there；　crying；　〃Twit；twit；　twit；　my　mate　is　ing；〃…　but　it　was　not　the　fir…tree　theymeant。　〃Now　I　shall　live；〃　cried　the　tree；　joyfully　spreading　outits　branches；　but　alas！　they　were　all　withered　and　yellow；　and　itlay　in　a　corner　amongst　weeds　and　tles。　The　star　of　gold　paperstill　stuck　in　the　top　of　the　tree　and　glittered　in　the　sunshine。　Inthe　same　courtyard　two　of　the　merry　children　were　playing　who　haddanced　round　the　tree　at　Christmas；　and　had　been　so　happy。　Theyoungest　saw　the　gilded　star；　and　ran　and　pulled　it　off　the　tree。〃Look　what　is　sticking　to　the　ugly　old　fir…tree；〃　said　the　child；treading　on　the　branches　till　they　crackled　under　his　boots。　And　thetree　saw　all　the　fresh　bright　flowers　in　the　garden；　and　then　lookedat　itself；　and　wished　it　had　remained　in　the　dark　corner　of　thegarret。　It　thought　of　its　fresh　youth　in　the　forest；　of　the　merryChristmas　evening；　and　of　the　little　mice　who　had　listened　to　thestory　of　〃Humpty　Dumpty。〃　〃Past！　past！〃　said　the　old　tree；　〃Oh；　hadI　but　enjoyed　myself　while　I　could　have　done　so！　but　now　it　is　toolate。〃　Then　a　lad　came　and　chopped　the　tree　into　small　pieces；　tilla　large　bundle　lay　in　a　heap　on　the　ground。　The　pieces　were　placedin　a　fire　under　the　copper；　and　they　quickly　blazed　up　brightly；　whilethe　tree　sighed　so　deeply　that　each　sigh　was　like　a　pistol…shot。Then　the　children；　who　were　at　play；　came　and　seated　themselves　infront　of　the　fire；　and　looked　at　it　and　cried；　〃Pop；　pop。〃　But　at　each〃pop；〃　which　was　a　deep　sigh；　the　tree　was　thinking　of　a　summer　day　inthe　forest；　and　of　Christmas　evening；　and　of　〃Humpty　Dumpty；〃　the　onlystory　it　had　ever　heard　or　knew　how　to　relate；　till　at　last　it　wasconsumed。　The　boys　still　played　in　the　garden；　and　the　youngest　worethe　golden　star　on　his　breast；　with　which　the　tree　had　been　adornedduring　the　hap