安徒生童话-第17章

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〃She　has　been　accustomed　to　that；〃　her　mother　said。　〃She　is　abeauty；　and　they　are　always　easily　tired。　She　does　sleep　ratherlate；　but　that　makes　her　eyes　so　clear。〃

What　power　seemed　to　lie　in　the　depths　of　those　dark　eyes！　Theyoung　man　felt　the　truth　of　the　proverb；　〃Still　waters　run　deep：〃and　his　heart　had　sunk　into　their　depths。　He　often　talked　of　hisadventures；　and　the　mamma　was　as　simple　and　eager　in　her　questionsas　on　the　first　evening　they　met。　It　was　a　pleasure　to　hear　Alfreddescribe　anything。　He　showed　them　colored　plates　of　Naples；　andspoke　of　excursions　to　Mount　Vesuvius；　and　the　eruptions　of　firefrom　it。　The　naval　officer's　widow　had　never　heard　of　them　before。

〃Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃So　that　is　a　burning　mountain；　butis　it　not　very　dangerous　to　the　people　who　live　near　it？〃

〃Whole　cities　have　been　destroyed；〃　he　replied；　〃for　instance；Herculaneum　and　Pompeii。〃

〃Oh；　the　poor　people！　And　you　saw　all　that　with　your　own　eyes？〃

〃No；　I　did　not　see　any　of　the　eruptions　which　are　represented　inthose　pictures；　but　I　will　show　you　a　sketch　of　my　own；　whichrepresents　an　eruption　I　once　saw。〃

He　placed　a　pencil　sketch　on　the　table；　and　mamma；　who　had　beenover…powered　with　the　appearance　of　the　colored　plates；　threw　a　glanceat　the　pale　drawing　and　cried　in　astonishment；　〃What；　did　you　see　itthrow　up　white　fire？〃

For　a　moment；　Alfred's　respect　for　Kaela's　mamma　underwent　asudden　shock；　and　lessened　considerably；　but；　dazzled　by　the　lightwhich　surrounded　Kaela；　he　soon　found　it　quite　natural　that　the　oldlady　should　have　no　eye　for　color。　After　all；　it　was　of　very　littleconsequence；　for　Kaela's　mamma　had　the　best　of　all　possessions；namely；　Kaela　herself。

Alfred　and　Kaela　were　betrothed；　which　was　a　very　naturalresult；　and　the　betrothal　was　announced　in　the　newspaper　of　the　littletown。　Mama　purchased　thirty　copies　of　the　paper；　that　she　might　cutout　the　paragraph　and　send　it　to　friends　and　acquaintances。　Thebetrothed　pair　were　very　happy；　and　the　mother　was　happy　too。　She　saidit　seemed　like　connecting　herself　with　Thorwalsden。

〃You　are　a　true　successor　of　Thorwalsden；〃　she　said　to　Alfred；　andit　seemed　to　him　as　if；　in　this　instance；　mamma　had　said　a　cleverthing。　Kaela　was　silent；　but　her　eyes　shone；　her　lips　smiled；　everymovement　was　graceful；…　in　fact；　she　was　beautiful；　that　cannot　berepeated　too　often。　Alfred　decided　to　take　a　bust　of　Kaela　as　wellas　of　her　mother。　They　sat　to　him　accordingly；　and　saw　how　hemoulded　and　formed　the　soft　clay　with　his　fingers。

〃I　suppose　it　is　only　on　our　account　that　you　perform　thismon…place　work　yourself；　instead　of　leaving　it　to　your　servant　todo　all　that　sticking　together。〃

〃It　is　really　necessary　that　I　should　mould　the　clay　myself；〃　hereplied。

〃Ah；　yes；　you　are　always　so　polite；〃　said　mamma；　with　a　smile；　andKaela　silently　pressed　his　hand；　all　soiled　as　it　was　with　the　clay。

Then　he　unfolded　to　them　both　the　beauties　of　Nature；　in　all　herworks；　he　pointed　out　to　them　how；　in　the　scale　of　creation；　inanimatematter　was　inferior　to　animate　nature；　the　plant　above　the　mineral；the　animal　above　the　plant；　and　man　above　them　all。　He　strove　toshow　them　how　the　beauty　of　the　mind　could　be　displayed　in　the　outwardform；　and　that　it　was　the　sculptor's　task　to　seize　upon　that　beauty　ofexpression；　and　produce　it　in　his　works。　Kaela　stood　silent；　butnodded　in　approbation　of　what　he　said；　while　mamma…in…law　made　thefollowing　confession：…

〃It　is　difficult　to　follow　you；　but　I　go　hobbling　along　afteryou　with　my　thoughts；　though　what　you　say　makes　my　head　whirl　roundand　round。　Still　I　contrive　to　lay　hold　on　some　of　it。〃

Kaela's　beauty　had　a　firm　hold　on　Alfred；　it　filled　his　soul；and　held　a　mastery　over　him。　Beauty　beamed　from　Kaela's　every　feature；glittered　in　her　eyes；　lurked　in　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　andpervaded　every　movement　of　her　agile　fingers。　Alfred；　the　sculptor；saw　this。　He　spoke　only　to　her；　thought　only　of　her；　and　the　twobecame　one；　and　so　it　may　be　said　she　spoke　much；　for　he　was　alwaystalking　to　her；　and　he　and　she　were　one。　Such　was　the　betrothal；　andthen　came　the　wedding；　with　bride's…maids　and　wedding　presents；　allduly　mentioned　in　the　wedding　speech。　Mamma…in…law　had　set　upThorwalsden's　bust　at　the　end　of　the　table；　attired　in　adressing…gown；　it　was　her　fancy　that　he　should　be　a　guest。　Songswere　sung；　and　cheers　given；　for　it　was　a　gay　wedding；　and　they　were　ahandsome　pair。　〃Pygmalion　loved　his　Galatea；〃　said　one　of　the　songs。

〃Ah；　that　is　some　of　your　mythologies；〃　said　mamma…in…law。

Next　day　the　youthful　pair　started　for　Copenhagen；　where　they　wereto　live；　mamma…in…law　acpanied　them；　to　attend　to　the　〃coarsework；〃　as　she　always　called　the　domestic　arrangements。　Kaela　lookedlike　a　doll　in　a　doll's　house；　for　everything　was　bright　and　new；and　so　fine。　There　they　sat；　all　three；　and　as　for　Alfred；　a　proverbmay　describe　his　position…　he　looked　like　a　swan　amongst　the　geese。The　magic　of　form　had　enchanted　him；　he　had　looked　at　the　casketwithout　caring　to　inquire　what　it　contained；　and　that　omission　oftenbrings　the　greatest　unhappiness　into　married　life。　The　casket　may　beinjured；　the　gilding　may　fall　off；　and　then　the　purchaser　regretshis　bargain。

In　a　large　party　it　is　very　disagreeable　to　find　a　button　givingway；　with　no　studs　at　hand　to　fall　back　upon；　but　it　is　worse　still　ina　large　pany　to　be　conscious　that　your　wife　and　mother…in…law　aretalking　nonsense；　and　that　you　cannot　depend　upon　yourself　toproduce　a　little　ready　wit　to　carry　off　the　stupidity　of　the　wholeaffair。

The　young　married　pair　often　sat　together　hand　in　hand；　he　wouldtalk；　but　she　could　only　now　and　then　let　fall　a　word　in　the　samemelodious　voice；　the　same　bell…like　tones。　It　was　a　mental　relief　whenSophy；　one　of　her　friends；　came　to　pay　them　a　visit。　Sophy　was　not；pretty。　She　was；　however；　quite　free　from　any　physical　deformity；although　Kaela　used　to　say　she　was　a　little　crooked；　but　no　eye；save　an　intimate　acquaintance；　would　have　noticed　it。　She　was　a　verysensible　girl；　yet　it　never　occurred　to　her　that　she　might　be　adangerous　person　in　such　a　house。　Her　appearance　created　a　newatmosphere　in　the　doll's　house；　and　air　was　really　required；　theyall　owned　that。　They　felt　the　want　of　a　change　of　air；　andconsequently　the　young　couple　and　their　mother　travelled　to　Italy。

〃Thank　heaven　we　are　at　home　again　within　our　own　four　walls；〃said　mamma…in…law　and　daughter　both；　on　their　return　after　a　year'sabsence。

〃There　is　no　real　pleasure　in　travelling；〃　said　mamma；　〃to　tellthe　truth；　it's　very　wearisome；　I　beg　pardon　for　saying　so。　I　was　soonvery　tired　of　it；　although　I　had　my　children　with　me；　and；　besides；it's　very　expensive　work　travelling；　very　expensive。　And　all　thosegalleries　one　is　expected　to　see；　and　the　quantity　of　things　you　areobliged　to　run　after！　It　must　be　done；　for　very　shame；　you　are　sure　tobe　asked　when　you　e　back　if　you　have　seen　everything；　and　will　mostlikely　be　told　that　you've　omitted　to　see　what　was　best　worth　seeingof　all。　I　got　tired　at　last　of　those　endless　Madonnas；　I　began　tothink　I　was　turning　into　a　Madonna　myself。〃

〃And　then　the　living；　mamma；〃　said　Kaela。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　she　replied；　〃no　such　a　thing　as　a　respectable　meatsoup…　their　cookery　is　miserable　stuff。〃

The　journey　had　also　tired　Kaela；　but　she　was　always　fatigued；that　was　the　worst　of　it。　So　they　sent　for　Sophy；　and　she　was　takeninto　the　house　to　reside　with　them；　and　her　presence　there　was　a　greatadvantage。　Mamma…in…law　acknowledged　that　Sophy　was　not　only　aclever　housewife；　but　well…informed　and　acplished；　though　thatcould　hardly　be　expected　in　a　person　of　her　limited　means。　She　wasalso　a　generous…hearted；　faithful　girl；　she　showed　that　thoroughlywhile　Kaela　lay　sick；　fading　away。　When　the　casket　is　everything；the　casket　should　be　strong；　or　else　all　is　over。　And　all　was　overwith　the　casket；　for　Kaela　died。

〃She　was　beautiful；〃　said　her　mother；　〃she　was　quite　differentfrom　the　beauties　they　call　'antiques；'　for　they　are　so　damaged。　Abeauty　ought　to　be　perfect；　and　Kaela　was　a　perfect　beauty。〃

Alfred　wept；　and　mamma　wept；　and　they　both　wore　mourning。　Theblack　dress　suited　mamma　very　well；　and　she　wore　mourning　the　longest。She　had　also　to　experience　another