安徒生童话-第192章

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ur　boots　and　the　mittens；　or　Gerdawould　have　been　unable　to　bear　the　heat；　and　then　she　placed　a　pieceof　ice　on　the　reindeer's　head；　and　read　what　was　written　on　thedried　fish。　After　she　had　read　it　three　times；　she　knew　it　by　heart；so　she　popped　the　fish　into　the　soup　saucepan；　as　she　knew　it　was　goodto　eat；　and　she　never　wasted　anything。　The　reindeer　told　his　own　storyfirst；　and　then　little　Gerda's；　and　the　Finlander　twinkled　with　herclever　eyes；　but　she　said　nothing。　〃You　are　so　clever；〃　said　thereindeer；　〃I　know　you　can　tie　all　the　winds　of　the　world　with　apiece　of　twine。　If　a　sailor　unties　one　knot；　he　has　a　fair　wind；when　he　unties　the　second；　it　blows　hard；　but　if　the　third　andfourth　are　loosened；　then　es　a　storm；　which　will　root　up　wholeforests。　Cannot　you　give　this　little　maiden　something　which　willmake　her　as　strong　as　twelve　men；　to　overe　the　Snow　Queen？〃

〃The　Power　of　twelve　men！〃　said　the　Finland　woman；　〃that　wouldbe　of　very　little　use。〃　But　she　went　to　a　shelf　and　took　down　andunrolled　a　large　skin；　on　which　were　inscribed　wonderful　characters；and　she　read　till　the　perspiration　ran　down　from　her　forehead。　But　thereindeer　begged　so　hard　for　little　Gerda；　and　Gerda　looked　at　theFinland　woman　with　such　beseeching　tearful　eyes；　that　her　own　eyesbegan　to　twinkle　again；　so　she　drew　the　reindeer　into　a　corner；　andwhispered　to　him　while　she　laid　a　fresh　piece　of　ice　on　his　head；〃Little　Kay　is　really　with　the　Snow　Queen；　but　he　finds　everythingthere　so　much　to　his　taste　and　his　liking；　that　he　believes　it　isthe　finest　place　in　the　world；　but　this　is　because　he　has　a　piece　ofbroken　glass　in　his　heart；　and　a　little　piece　of　glass　in　his　eye。These　must　be　taken　out；　or　he　will　never　be　a　human　being　again；and　the　Snow　Queen　will　retain　her　power　over　him。〃

〃But　can　you　not　give　little　Gerda　something　to　help　her　toconquer　this　power？〃

〃I　can　give　her　no　greater　power　than　she　has　already；〃　said　thewoman；　〃don't　you　see　how　strong　that　is？　How　men　and　animals　areobliged　to　serve　her；　and　how　well　she　has　got　through　the　world；barefooted　as　she　is。　She　cannot　receive　any　power　from　me　greaterthan　she　now　has；　which　consists　in　her　own　purity　and　innocence　ofheart。　If　she　cannot　herself　obtain　access　to　the　Snow　Queen；　andremove　the　glass　fragments　from　little　Kay；　we　can　do　nothing　tohelp　her。　Two　miles　from　here　the　Snow　Queen's　garden　begins；　youcan　carry　the　little　girl　so　far；　and　set　her　down　by　the　large　bushwhich　stands　in　the　snow；　covered　with　red　berries。　Do　not　staygossiping；　but　e　back　here　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃　Then　the　Finlandwoman　lifted　little　Gerda　upon　the　reindeer；　and　he　ran　away　withher　as　quickly　as　he　could。

〃Oh；　I　have　forgotten　my　boots　and　my　mittens；〃　cried　littleGerda；　as　soon　as　she　felt　the　cutting　cold；　but　the　reindeer　darednot　stop；　so　he　ran　on　till　he　reached　the　bush　with　the　redberries；　here　he　set　Gerda　down；　and　he　kissed　her；　and　the　greatbright　tears　trickled　over　the　animal's　cheeks；　then　he　left　her　andran　back　as　fast　as　he　could。

There　stood　poor　Gerda；　without　shoes；　without　gloves；　in　themidst　of　cold；　dreary；　ice…bound　Finland。　She　ran　forwards　asquickly　as　she　could；　when　a　whole　regiment　of　snow…flakes　cameround　her；　they　did　not；　however；　fall　from　the　sky；　which　was　quiteclear　and　glittering　with　the　northern　lights。　The　snow…flakes　ranalong　the　ground；　and　the　nearer　they　came　to　her；　the　larger　theyappeared。　Gerda　remembered　how　large　and　beautiful　they　looked　throughthe　burning…glass。　But　these　were　really　larger；　and　much　moreterrible；　for　they　were　alive；　and　were　the　guards　of　the　SnowQueen；　and　had　the　strangest　shapes。　Some　were　like　greatporcupines；　others　like　twisted　serpents　with　their　heads　stretchingout；　and　some　few　were　like　little　fat　bears　with　their　hair　bristled；but　all　were　dazzlingly　white；　and　all　were　living　snow…flakes。　Thenlittle　Gerda　repeated　the　Lord's　Prayer；　and　the　cold　was　so　greatthat　she　could　see　her　own　breath　e　out　of　her　mouth　like　steamas　she　uttered　the　words。　The　steam　appeared　to　increase；　as　shecontinued　her　prayer；　till　it　took　the　shape　of　little　angels　who　grewlarger　the　moment　they　touched　the　earth。　They　all　wore　helmets　ontheir　heads；　and　carried　spears　and　shields。　Their　number　continued　toincrease　more　and　more；　and　by　the　time　Gerda　had　finished　herprayers；　a　whole　legion　stood　round　her。　They　thrust　their　spears　intothe　terrible　snow…flakes；　so　that　they　shivered　into　a　hundred　pieces；and　little　Gerda　could　go　forward　with　courage　and　safety。　Theangels　stroked　her　hands　and　feet；　so　that　she　felt　the　cold　less；　andshe　hastened　on　to　the　Snow　Queen's　castle。

But　now　we　must　see　what　Kay　is　doing。　In　truth　he　thought　notof　little　Gerda；　and　never　supposed　she　could　be　standing　in　the　frontof　the　palace。

　SEVENTH　STORY

OF　THE　PALACE　OF　THE　SNOW　QUEEN

AND　WHAT　HAPPENED　THERE　AT　LAST

The　walls　of　the　palace　were　formed　of　drifted　snow；　and　thewindows　and　doors　of　the　cutting　winds。　There　were　more　than　a　hundredrooms　in　it；　all　as　if　they　had　been　formed　with　snow　blowntogether。　The　largest　of　them　extended　for　several　miles；　they　wereall　lighted　up　by　the　vivid　light　of　the　aurora；　and　they　were　solarge　and　empty；　so　icy　cold　and　glittering！　There　were　noamusements　here；　not　even　a　little　bear's　ball；　when　the　storm　mighthave　been　the　music；　and　the　bears　could　have　danced　on　their　hindlegs；　and　shown　their　good　manners。　There　were　no　pleasant　games　ofsnap…dragon；　or　touch；　or　even　a　gossip　over　the　tea…table；　for　theyoung…lady　foxes。　Empty；　vast；　and　cold　were　the　halls　of　the　SnowQueen。　The　flickering　flame　of　the　northern　lights　could　be　plainlyseen；　whether　they　rose　high　or　low　in　the　heavens；　from　every　part　ofthe　castle。　In　the　midst　of　its　empty；　endless　hall　of　snow　was　afrozen　lake；　broken　on　its　surface　into　a　thousand　forms；　each　pieceresembled　another；　from　being　in　itself　perfect　as　a　work　of　art；and　in　the　centre　of　this　lake　sat　the　Snow　Queen；　when　she　was　athome。　She　called　the　lake　〃The　Mirror　of　Reason；〃　and　said　that　it　wasthe　best；　and　indeed　the　only　one　in　the　world。

Little　Kay　was　quite　blue　with　cold；　indeed　almost　black；　but　hedid　not　feel　it；　for　the　Snow　Queen　had　kissed　away　the　icyshiverings；　and　his　heart　was　already　a　lump　of　ice。　He　dragged　somesharp；　flat　pieces　of　ice　to　and　fro；　and　placed　them　together　inall　kinds　of　positions；　as　if　he　wished　to　make　something　out　of　them；just　as　we　try　to　form　various　figures　with　little　tablets　of　woodwhich　we　call　〃a　Chinese　puzzle。〃　Kay's　fingers　were　very　artistic；　itwas　the　icy　game　of　reason　at　which　he　played；　and　in　his　eyes　thefigures　were　very　remarkable；　and　of　the　highest　importance；　thisopinion　was　owing　to　the　piece　of　glass　still　sticking　in　his　eye。He　posed　many　plete　figures；　forming　different　words；　butthere　was　one　word　he　never　could　manage　to　form；　although　he　wishedit　very　much。　It　was　the　word　〃Eternity。〃　The　Snow　Queen　had　said　tohim；　〃When　you　can　find　out　this；　you　shall　be　your　own　master；　andI　will　give　you　the　whole　world　and　a　new　pair　of　skates。〃　But　hecould　not　acplish　it。

〃Now　I　must　hasten　away　to　warmer　countries；〃　said　the　Snow　Queen。〃I　will　go　and　look　into　the　black　craters　of　the　tops　of　theburning　mountains；　Etna　and　Vesuvius；　as　they　are　called；…　I　shallmake　them　look　white；　which　will　be　good　for　them；　and　for　thelemons　and　the　grapes。〃　And　away　flew　the　Snow　Queen；　leaving　littleKay　quite　alone　in　the　great　hall　which　was　so　many　miles　in　length；so　he　sat　and　looked　at　his　pieces　of　ice；　and　was　thinking　so　deeply；and　sat　so　still；　that　any　one　might　have　supposed　he　was　frozen。

Just　at　this　moment　it　happened　that　little　Gerda　came　through　thegreat　door　of　the　castle。　Cutting　winds　were　raging　around　her；　butshe　offered　up　a　prayer　and　the　winds　sank　down　as　if　they　weregoing　to　sleep；　and　she　went　on　till　she　came　to　the　large　empty　hall；and　caught　sight　of　Kay；　she　knew　him　directly；　she　flew　to　him　andthrew　her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　held　him　fast；　while　she　exclaimed；〃Kay；　dear　little　Kay；　I　have　found　you　at　last。〃

But　he　sat　quite　still；　stiff　and　cold。

Then　little　Gerda　wept　hot　tears；　which　fell　on　his　breast；　andperated　into　his　heart；　and　thawed　the　lump　of　ice