安徒生童话-第150章

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ndingas　in　olden　times；　but　the　garden　had　been　greatly　altered；　apathway　led　through　a　portion　of　the　ground；　and　outside　the　garden；and　beyond　the　path；　stood　the　old　apple…tree；　which　he　had　not　brokendown；　although　he　talked　of　doing　so　in　his　trouble。　The　sun　stillthrew　its　rays　upon　the　tree；　and　the　refreshing　dew　fell　upon　it　asof　old；　and　it　was　so　overloaded　with　fruit　that　the　branches　benttowards　the　earth　with　the　weight。　〃That　flourishes　still；〃　said　he；as　he　gazed。　One　of　the　branches　of　the　tree　had；　however；　beenbroken：　mischievous　hands　must　have　done　this　in　passing；　for　the　treenow　stood　in　a　public　thoroughfare。　〃The　blossoms　are　oftenplucked；〃　said　Anthony；　〃the　fruit　is　stolen　and　the　branches　brokenwithout　a　thankful　thought　of　their　profusion　and　beauty。　It　mightbe　said　of　a　tree；　as　it　has　been　said　of　some　men…　it　was　notpredicted　at　his　cradle　that　he　should　e　to　this。　How　brightlybegan　the　history　of　this　tree；　and　what　is　it　now？　Forsaken　andforgotten；　in　a　garden　by　a　hedge　in　a　field；　and　close　to　a　publicroad。　There　it　stands；　unsheltered；　plundered；　and　broken。　Itcertainly　has　not　yet　withered；　but　in　the　course　of　years　thenumber　of　blossoms　from　time　to　time　will　grow　less；　and　at　last　itwas　cease　altogether　to　bear　fruit；　and　then　its　history　will　beover。〃

Such　were　Anthony's　thoughts　as　he　stood　under　the　tree；　andduring　many　a　long　night　as　he　lay　in　his　lonely　chamber　in　the　woodenhouse　in　Hauschen　Street；　Copenhagen；　in　the　foreign　land　to　which　therich　merchant　of　Bremen；　his　employer；　had　sent　him　on　conditionthat　he　should　never　marry。　〃Marry！　ha；　ha！〃　and　he　laughed　bitterlyto　himself　at　the　thought。

Winter　one　year　set　in　early；　and　it　was　freezing　hard。　Without；　asnowstorm　made　every　one　remain　at　home　who　could　do　so。　Thus　ithappened　that　Anthony's　neighbors；　who　lived　opposite　to　him；　didnot　notice　that　his　house　remained　unopened　for　two　days；　and　thathe　had　not　showed　himself　during　that　time；　for　who　would　go　out　insuch　weather　unless　he　were　obliged　to　do　so。　They　were　gray；　gloomydays；　and　in　the　house　whose　windows　were　not　glass；　twilight　and　darknights　reigned　in　turns。　During　these　two　days　old　Anthony　had　notleft　his　bed；　he　had　not　the　strength　to　do　so。　The　bitter　weather　hadfor　some　time　affected　his　limbs。　There　lay　the　old　bachelor；　forsakenby　all；　and　unable　to　help　himself。　He　could　scarcely　reach　thewater　jug　that　he　had　placed　by　his　bed；　and　the　last　drop　was　gone。It　was　not　fever；　nor　sickness；　but　old　age；　that　had　laid　him　low。　Inthe　little　corner；　where　his　bed　lay；　he　was　over…shadowed　as　itwere　by　perpetual　night。　A　little　spider；　which　he　could　however　notsee；　busily　and　cheerfully　spun　its　web　above　him；　so　that　thereshould　be　a　kind　of　little　banner　waving　over　the　old　man；　when　hiseyes　closed。　The　time　passed　slowly　and　painfully。　He　had　no　tearsto　shed；　and　he　felt　no　pain；　no　thought　of　Molly　came　into　hismind。　He　felt　as　if　the　world　was　now　nothing　to　him；　as　if　he　werelying　beyond　it；　with　no　one　to　think　of　him。　Now　and　then　he　feltslight　sensations　of　hunger　and　thirst；　but　no　one　came　to　him；　no　oended　him。　He　thought　of　all　those　who　had　once　suffered　fromstarvation；　of　Saint　Elizabeth；　who　once　wandered　on　the　earth；　thesaint　of　his　home　and　his　childhood；　the　noble　Duchess　of　Thuringia；that　highly　esteemed　lady　who　visited　the　poorest　villages；　bringinghope　and　relief　to　the　sick　inmates。　The　recollection　of　her　piousdeeds　was　as　light　to　the　soul　of　poor　Anthony。　He　thought　of　her　asshe　went　about　speaking　words　of　fort；　binding　up　the　wounds　of　theafflicted　and　feeding　the　hungry；　although　often　blamed　for　it　byher　stern　husband。　He　remembered　a　story　told　of　her；　that　on　oneoccasion；　when　she　was　carrying　a　basket　full　of　wine　andprovisions；　her　husband；　who　had　watched　her　footsteps；　steppedforward　and　asked　her　angrily　what　she　carried　in　her　basket；whereupon；　with　fear　and　trembling；　she　answered；　〃Roses；　which　I　haveplucked　from　the　garden。〃　Then　he　tore　away　the　cloth　which　coveredthe　basket；　and　what　could　equal　the　surprise　of　the　pious　woman；　tofind　that　by　a　miracle；　everything　in　her　basket…　the　wine；　the　bread…had　all　been　changed　into　roses。

In　this　way　the　memory　of　the　kind　lady　dwelt　in　the　calm　mindof　Anthony。　She　was　as　a　living　reality　in　his　little　dwelling　inthe　Danish　land。　He　uncovered　his　face　that　he　might　look　into　hergentle　eyes；　while　everything　around　him　changed　from　its　look　ofpoverty　and　want；　to　a　bright　rose　tint。　The　fragrance　of　roses　spreadthrough　the　room；　mingled　with　the　sweet　smell　of　apples。　He　saw　thebranches　of　an　apple…tree　spreading　above　him。　It　was　the　tree　whichhe　and　Molly　had　planted　together。　The　fragrant　leaves　of　the　treefell　upon　him　and　cooled　his　burning　brow；　upon　his　parched　lipsthey　seemed　like　refreshing　bread　and　wine；　and　as　they　rested　onhis　breast；　a　peaceful　calm　stole　over　him；　and　he　felt　inclined　tosleep。　〃I　shall　sleep　now；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃Sleep　will　do　megood。　In　the　morning　I　shall　be　upon　my　feet　again；　strong　and　well。Glorious！　wonderful！　That　apple…tree；　planted　in　love；　now　appearsbefore　me　in　heavenly　beauty。〃　And　he　slept。

The　following　day；　the　third　day　during　which　his　house　had　beenclosed；　the　snow…storm　ceased。　Then　his　opposite　neighbor　stepped　overto　the　house　in　which　old　Anthony　lived；　for　he　had　not　yet　showedhimself。　There　he　lay　stretched　on　his　bed；　dead；　with　his　oldnightcap　tightly　clasped　in　his　two　hands。　The　nightcap；　however；was　not　placed　on　his　head　in　his　coffin；　he　had　a　clean　white　oneon　then。　Where　now　were　the　tears　he　had　shed？　What　had　bee　ofthose　wonderful　pearls？　They　were　in　the　nightcap　still。　Such　tears　asthese　cannot　be　washed　out；　even　when　the　nightcap　is　forgotten。　Theold　thoughts　and　dreams　of　a　bachelor's　nightcap　still　remain。　Neverwish　for　such　a　nightcap。　It　would　make　your　forehead　hot；　causeyour　pulse　to　beat　with　agitation；　and　conjure　up　dreams　which　wouldappear　realities。

The　first　who　wore　old　Anthony's　cap　felt　the　truth　of　this；though　it　was　half　a　century　afterwards。　That　man　was　the　mayorhimself；　who　had　already　made　a　fortable　home　for　his　wife　andeleven　children；　by　his　industry。　The　moment　he　put　the　cap　on　hedreamed　of　unfortunate　love；　of　bankruptcy；　and　of　dark　days。〃Hallo！　how　the　nightcap　burns！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　tore　it　fromhis　bead。　Then　a　pearl　rolled　out；　and　then　another；　and　another；and　they　glittered　and　sounded　as　they　fell。　〃What　can　this　be？　Isit　paralysis；　or　something　dazzling　my　eyes？〃　They　were　the　tearswhich　old　Anthony　had　shed　half　a　century　before。

To　every　one　who　afterwards　put　this　cap　on　his　head；　came　visionsand　dreams　which　agitated　him　not　a　little。　His　own　history　waschanged　into　that　of　Anthony　till　it　became　quite　a　story；　and　manystories　might　be　made　by　others；　so　we　will　leave　them　to　relate　theirown。　We　have　told　the　first；　and　our　last　word　is；　don't　wish　for　a〃bachelor's　nightcap。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　OLD　CHURCH　BELL

（WRITTEN　FOR　THE　SCHILLER　ALBUM）

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　the　country　of　Wurtemburg；　in　Germany；　where　the　acacias　growby　the　public　road；　where　the　apple…trees　and　the　pear…trees　in　autumnbend　to　the　earth　with　the　weight　of　the　precious　fruit；　lies　thelittle　town　of　Marbach。　As　is　often　the　case　with　many　of　these　towns；it　is　charmingly　situated　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Neckar；　whichrushes　rapidly　by；　passing　villages；　old　knights'　castles；　and　greenvineyards；　till　its　waters　mingle　with　those　of　the　stately　Rhine。It　was　late　in　the　autumn；　the　vine…leaves　still　hung　upon　thebranches　of　the　vines；　but　they　were　already　tinted　with　red　and　gold；heavy　showers　fell　on　the　surrounding　country；　and　the　cold　autumnwind　blew　sharp　and　strong。　It　was　not　at　all　pleasant　weather　for　thepoor。　The　days　grew　shorter　and　more　gloomy；　and；　dark　as　it　was　outof　doors　in　the　open　air；　it　was　still　darker　within　the　small；old…fashioned　houses　of　the　village。　The　gable　end　of　one　of　thesehouses　faced　the　street；　and　with　its　small；　narrow　windows；　presenteda　very　mean　appearance。　The　family　who　dwelt　in　it　were　also　very　poorand　humble；　but　they　treasured　the　fear　of　God　in　th