安徒生童话-第186章

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　SECOND　STORY

A　LITTLE　BOY　AND　A　LITTLE　GIRL

In　a　large　town；　full　of　houses　and　people；　there　is　not　roomfor　everybody　to　have　even　a　little　garden；　therefore　they　are　obligedto　be　satisfied　with　a　few　flowers　in　flower…pots。　In　one　of　theselarge　towns　lived　two　poor　children　who　had　a　garden　somethinglarger　and　better　than　a　few　flower…pots。　They　were　not　brother　andsister；　but　they　loved　each　other　almost　as　much　as　if　they　hadbeen。　Their　parents　lived　opposite　to　each　other　in　two　garrets；　wherethe　roofs　of　neighboring　houses　projected　out　towards　each　other　andthe　water…pipe　ran　between　them。　In　each　house　was　a　little　window；　sothat　any　one　could　step　across　the　gutter　from　one　window　to　theother。　The　parents　of　these　children　had　each　a　large　wooden　box　inwhich　they　cultivated　kitchen　herbs　for　their　own　use；　and　a　littlerose…bush　in　each　box；　which　grew　splendidly。　Now　after　a　while　theparents　decided　to　place　these　two　boxes　across　the　water…pipe；　sothat　they　reached　from　one　window　to　the　other　and　looked　like　twobanks　of　flowers。　Sweet…peas　drooped　over　the　boxes；　and　therose…bushes　shot　forth　long　branches；　which　were　trained　round　thewindows　and　clustered　together　almost　like　a　triumphal　arch　ofleaves　and　flowers。　The　boxes　were　very　high；　and　the　children　knewthey　must　not　climb　upon　them；　without　permission；　but　they　wereoften；　however；　allowed　to　step　out　together　and　sit　upon　their　littlestools　under　the　rose…bushes；　or　play　quietly。　In　winter　all　thispleasure　came　to　an　end；　for　the　windows　were　sometimes　quite　frozenover。　But　then　they　would　warm　copper　pennies　on　the　stove；　and　holdthe　warm　pennies　against　the　frozen　pane；　there　would　be　very　soon　alittle　round　hole　through　which　they　could　peep；　and　the　soft　brighteyes　of　the　little　boy　and　girl　would　beam　through　the　hole　at　eachwindow　as　they　looked　at　each　other。　Their　names　were　Kay　and　Gerda。In　summer　they　could　be　together　with　one　jump　from　the　window；　but　inwinter　they　had　to　go　up　and　down　the　long　staircase；　and　outthrough　the　snow　before　they　could　meet。

〃See　there　are　the　white　bees　swarming；〃　said　Kay's　oldgrandmother　one　day　when　it　was　snowing。

〃Have　they　a　queen　bee？〃　asked　the　little　boy；　for　he　knew　thatthe　real　bees　had　a　queen。

〃To　be　sure　they　have；〃　said　the　grandmother。　〃She　is　flying　therewhere　the　swarm　is　thickest。　She　is　the　largest　of　them　all；　and　neverremains　on　the　earth；　but　flies　up　to　the　dark　clouds。　Often　atmidnight　she　flies　through　the　streets　of　the　town；　and　looks　in　atthe　windows；　then　the　ice　freezes　on　the　panes　into　wonderfulshapes；　that　look　like　flowers　and　castles。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　seen　them；〃　said　both　the　children；　and　they　knewit　must　be　true。

〃Can　the　Snow　Queen　e　in　here？〃　asked　the　little　girl。

〃Only　let　her　e；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I'll　set　her　on　the　stoveand　then　she'll　melt。〃

Then　the　grandmother　smoothed　his　hair　and　told　him　some　moretales。　One　evening；　when　little　Kay　was　at　home；　half　undressed；　heclimbed　on　a　chair　by　the　window　and　peeped　out　through　the　littlehole。　A　few　flakes　of　snow　were　falling；　and　one　of　them；　ratherlarger　than　the　rest；　alighted　on　the　edge　of　one　of　the　flower　boxes。This　snow…flake　grew　larger　and　larger；　till　at　last　it　became　thefigure　of　a　woman；　dressed　in　garments　of　white　gauze；　which　lookedlike　millions　of　starry　snow…flakes　linked　together。　She　was　fairand　beautiful；　but　made　of　ice…　shining　and　glittering　ice。　Stillshe　was　alive　and　her　eyes　sparkled　like　bright　stars；　but　there　wasneither　peace　nor　rest　in　their　glance。　She　nodded　towards　thewindow　and　waved　her　hand。　The　little　boy　was　frightened　and　sprangfrom　the　chair；　at　the　same　moment　it　seemed　as　if　a　large　bird　flewby　the　window。　On　the　following　day　there　was　a　clear　frost；　andvery　soon　came　the　spring。　The　sun　shone；　the　young　green　leaves　burstforth；　the　swallows　built　their　nests；　windows　were　opened；　and　thechildren　sat　once　more　in　the　garden　on　the　roof；　high　above　all　theother　rooms。　How　beautiful　the　roses　blossomed　this　summer。　The　littlegirl　had　learnt　a　hymn　in　which　roses　were　spoken　of；　and　then　shethought　of　their　own　roses；　and　she　sang　the　hymn　to　the　little　boy；and　he　sang　too：…

　　〃Roses　bloom　and　cease　to　be；

　　　But　we　shall　the　Christ…child　see。〃Then　the　little　ones　held　each　other　by　the　hand；　and　kissed　theroses；　and　looked　at　the　bright　sunshine；　and　spoke　to　it　as　if　theChrist…child　were　there。　Those　were　splendid　summer　days。　Howbeautiful　and　fresh　it　was　out　among　the　rose…bushes；　which　seemedas　if　they　would　never　leave　off　blooming。　One　day　Kay　and　Gerda　satlooking　at　a　book　full　of　pictures　of　animals　and　birds；　and　then　justas　the　clock　in　the　church　tower　struck　twelve；　Kay　said；　〃Oh；something　has　struck　my　heart！〃　and　soon　after；　〃There　is　something　inmy　eye。〃

The　little　girl　put　her　arm　round　his　neck；　and　looked　into　hiseye；　but　she　could　see　nothing。

〃I　think　it　is　gone；〃　he　said。　But　it　was　not　gone；　it　was　oneof　those　bits　of　the　looking…glass…　that　magic　mirror；　of　which　wehave　spoken…　the　ugly　glass　which　made　everything　great　and　goodappear　small　and　ugly；　while　all　that　was　wicked　and　bad　became　morevisible；　and　every　little　fault　could　be　plainly　seen。　Poor　little　Kayhad　also　received　a　small　grain　in　his　heart；　which　very　quicklyturned　to　a　lump　of　ice。　He　felt　no　more　pain；　but　the　glass　was　therestill。　〃Why　do　you　cry？〃　said　he　at　last；　〃it　makes　you　look　ugly。There　is　nothing　the　matter　with　me　now。　Oh；　see！〃　he　criedsuddenly；　〃that　rose　is　worm…eaten；　and　this　one　is　quite　crooked。After　all　they　are　ugly　roses；　just　like　the　box　in　which　they　stand；〃and　then　he　kicked　the　boxes　with　his　foot；　and　pulled　off　the　tworoses。

〃Kay；　what　are　you　doing？〃　cried　the　little　girl；　and　then；　whenhe　saw　how　frightened　she　was；　he　tore　off　another　rose；　and　jumpedthrough　his　own　window　away　from　little　Gerda。

When　she　afterwards　brought　out　the　picture　book；　he　said；　〃It　wasonly　fit　for　babies　in　long　clothes；〃　and　when　grandmother　told　anystories；　he　would　interrupt　her　with　〃but；〃　or；　when　he　could　manageit；　he　would　get　behind　her　chair；　put　on　a　pair　of　spectacles；　andimitate　her　very　cleverly；　to　make　people　laugh。　By…and…by　he　began　tomimic　the　speech　and　gait　of　persons　in　the　street。　All　that　waspeculiar　or　disagreeable　in　a　person　he　would　imitate　directly；　andpeople　said；　〃That　boy　will　be　very　clever；　he　has　a　remarkablegenius。〃　But　it　was　the　piece　of　glass　in　his　eye；　and　the　coldness　inhis　heart；　that　made　him　act　like　this。　He　would　even　tease　littleGerda；　who　loved　him　with　all　her　heart。　His　games；　too；　were　quitedifferent；　they　were　not　so　childish。　One　winter's　day；　when　itsnowed；　he　brought　out　a　burning…glass；　then　he　held　out　the　tail　ofhis　blue　coat；　and　let　the　snow…flakes　fall　upon　it。　〃Look　in　thisglass；　Gerda；〃　said　he；　and　she　saw　how　every　flake　of　snow　wasmagnified；　and　looked　like　a　beautiful　flower　or　a　glittering　star。〃Is　it　not　clever？〃　said　Kay；　〃and　much　more　interesting　thanlooking　at　real　flowers。　There　is　not　a　single　fault　in　it；　and　thesnow…flakes　are　quite　perfect　till　they　begin　to　melt。〃

Soon　after　Kay　made　his　appearance　in　large　thick　gloves；　and　withhis　sledge　at　his　back。　He　called　up　stairs　to　Gerda；　〃I've　got　toleave　to　go　into　the　great　square；　where　the　other　boys　play　andride。〃　And　away　he　went。

In　the　great　square；　the　boldest　among　the　boys　would　often　tietheir　sledges　to　the　country　people's　carts；　and　go　with　them　a　goodway。　This　was　capital。　But　while　they　were　all　amusing　themselves；　andKay　with　them；　a　great　sledge　came　by；　it　was　painted　white；　and　in　itsat　some　one　wrapped　in　a　rough　white　fur；　and　wearing　a　white　cap。The　sledge　drove　twice　round　the　square；　and　Kay　fastened　his　ownlittle　sledge　to　it；　so　that　when　it　went　away；　he　followed　with　it。It　went　faster　and　faster　right　through　the　next　street；　and　thenthe　person　who　drove　turned　round　and　nodded　pleasantly　to　Kay；　justas　if　they　were　acquainted　with　each　other；　but　whenever　Kay　wished　toloosen　his　little　sledge　the　driver　nodded　again；　so　Kay　sat　still；and　they　drove　out　through　the　town　gate。　Then　the　snow　began　tofall　so　heavily　that　the　little　boy　could　not　see　a　hand's　breadthbefore　him；　but　still　they　drov