安徒生童话-第51章

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g〃　too。

Now　we　e　to　the　architect；　the　third　brother；　who　had　beenfirst　a　carpenter's　apprentice；　had　worn　a　cap；　and　served　as　anerrand　boy；　but　afterwards　went　to　the　academy；　and　risen　to　be　anarchitect；　a　high　and　noble　gentleman。　Ah　yes；　the　houses　of　the　newstreet；　which　the　brother　who　was　a　master　builder　erected；　may　havebuilt　his　house　for　him；　but　the　street　received　its　name　from　thearchitect；　and　the　handsomest　house　in　the　street　became　his　property。That　was　something；　and　he　was　〃something；〃　for　he　had　a　list　oftitles　before　and　after　his　name。　His　children　were　called　〃wellborn；〃and　when　he　died；　his　widow　was　treated　as　a　lady　of　position；　andthat　was　〃something。〃　His　name　remained　always　written　at　the　cornerof　the　street；　and　lived　in　every　one's　mouth　as　its　name。　Yes；　thisalso　was　something。〃

And　what　about　the　genius　of　the　family…　the　fourth　brother…　whowanted　to　invent　something　new　and　original？　He　tried　to　build　a　loftystorey　himself；　but　it　fell　to　pieces；　and　he　fell　with　it　and　brokehis　neck。　However；　he　had　a　splendid　funeral；　with　the　city　flagsand　music　in　the　procession；　flowers　were　strewn　on　the　pavement；and　three　orations　were　spoken　over　his　grave；　each　one　longer　thanthe　other。　He　would　have　liked　this　very　much　during　his　life；　as　wellas　the　poems　about　him　in　the　papers；　for　he　liked　nothing　so　wellas　to　be　talked　of。　A　monument　was　also　erected　over　his　grave。　It　wasonly　another　storey　over　him；　but　that　was　〃something；〃　Now　he　wasdead；　like　the　three　other　brothers。

The　youngest…　the　critic…　outlived　them　all；　which　was　quite　rightfor　him。　It　gave　him　the　opportunity　of　having　the　last　word；　which　tohim　was　of　great　importance。　People　always　said　he　had　a　goodhead…piece。　At　last　his　hour　came；　and　he　died；　and　arrived　at　thegates　of　heaven。　Souls　always　enter　these　gates　in　pairs；　so　hefound　himself　standing　and　waiting　for　admission　with　another；　and　whoshould　it　be　but　old　dame　Margaret；　from　the　house　on　the　dyke！　〃It　isevidently　for　the　sake　of　contrast　that　I　and　this　wretched　soulshould　arrive　here　exactly　at　the　same　time；〃　said　the　critic。　〃Praywho　are　you；　my　good　woman？〃　said　he；　〃do　you　want　to　get　in　heretoo？〃

And　the　old　woman　curtsied　as　well　as　she　could；　she　thought　itmust　be　St。　Peter　himself　who　spoke　to　her。　〃I　am　a　poor　old　woman；〃she　said；　〃without　my　family。　I　am　old　Margaret；　that　lived　in　thehouse　on　the　dyke。〃

〃Well；　and　what　have　you　done…　what　great　deed　have　youperformed　down　below？〃

〃I　have　done　nothing　at　all　in　the　world　that　could　give　me　aclaim　to　have　these　doors　open　for　me；〃　she　said。　〃It　would　be　onlythrough　mercy　that　I　can　be　allowed　to　slip　in　through　the　gate。〃

〃In　what　manner　did　you　leave　the　world？〃　he　asked；　just　for　thesake　of　saying　something；　for　it　made　him　feel　very　weary　to　standthere　and　wait。

〃How　I　left　the　world？〃　she　replied；　〃why；　I　can　scarcely　tellyou。　During　the　last　years　of　my　life　I　was　sick　and　miserable；　andI　was　unable　to　bear　creeping　out　of　bed　suddenly　into　the　frost　andcold。　Last　winter　was　a　hard　winter；　but　I　have　got　over　it　all　now。There　were　a　few　mild　days；　as　your　honor；　no　doubt；　knows。　The　icelay　thickly　on　the　lake；　as　far　one　could　see。　The　people　came　fromthe　town；　and　walked　upon　it；　and　they　say　there　were　dancing　andskating　upon　it；　I　believe；　and　a　great　feasting。　The　sound　ofbeautiful　music　came　into　my　poor　little　room　where　I　lay。　Towardsevening；　when　the　moon　rose　beautifully；　though　not　yet　in　her　fullsplendor；　I　glanced　from　my　bed　over　the　wide　sea；　and　there；　justwhere　the　sea　and　sky　met；　rose　a　curious　white　cloud。　I　lay　lookingat　the　cloud　till　I　observed　a　little　black　spot　in　the　middle　ofit；　which　gradually　grew　larger　and　larger；　and　then　I　knew　what　itmeant…　I　am　old　and　experienced；　and　although　this　token　is　notoften　seen；　I　knew　it；　and　a　shuddering　seized　me。　Twice　in　my　lifehad　I　seen　this　same　thing；　and　I　knew　that　there　would　be　an　awfulstorm；　with　a　spring　tide；　which　would　overwhelm　the　poor　people　whowere　now　out　on　the　ice；　drinking；　dancing；　and　making　merry。　Youngand　old；　the　whole　city；　were　there；　who　was　to　warn　them；　if　no　onenoticed　the　sign；　or　knew　what　it　meant　as　I　did？　I　was　so　alarmed；that　I　felt　more　strength　and　life　than　I　had　done　for　some　time。　Igot　out　of　bed；　and　reached　the　window；　I　could　not　crawl　anyfarther　from　weakness　and　exhaustion；　but　I　managed　to　open　thewindow。　I　saw　the　people　outside　running　and　jumping　about　on　the　ice；I　saw　the　beautiful　flags　waving　in　the　wind；　I　heard　the　boysshouting；　'Hurrah！'　and　the　lads　and　lasses　singing；　and　everythingfull　of　merriment　and　joy。　But　there　was　the　white　cloud　with　theblack　spot　hanging　over　them。　I　cried　out　as　loudly　as　I　could；　but　noone　heard　me；　I　was　too　far　off　from　the　people。　Soon　would　thestorm　burst；　the　ice　break；　and　all　who　were　on　it　be　irretrievablylost。　They　could　not　hear　me；　and　to　go　to　them　was　quite　out　of　mypower。　Oh；　if　I　could　only　get　them　safe　on　land！　Then　came　thethought；　as　if　from　heaven；　that　I　would　rather　set　fire　to　my　bed；and　let　the　house　be　burnt　down；　than　that　so　many　people　shouldperish　miserably。　I　got　a　light；　and　in　a　few　moments　the　red　flamesleaped　up　as　a　beacon　to　them。　I　escaped　fortunately　as　far　as　thethreshold　of　the　door；　but　there　I　fell　down　and　remained：　I　couldgo　no　farther。　The　flames　rushed　out　towards　me；　flickered　on　thewindow；　and　rose　high　above　the　roof。　The　people　on　the　ice　becameaware　of　the　fire；　and　ran　as　fast　as　possible　to　help　a　poor　sickwoman；　who；　as　they　thought；　was　being　burnt　to　death。　There　was　notone　who　did　not　run。　I　heard　them　ing；　and　I　also　at　the　sametime　was　conscious　of　a　rush　of　air　and　a　sound　like　the　roar　of　heavyartillery。　The　spring　flood　was　lifting　the　ice　covering；　whichbrake　into　a　thousand　pieces。　But　the　people　had　reached　the　sea…wall；where　the　sparks　were　flying　round。　I　had　saved　them　all；　but　Isuppose　I　could　not　survive　the　cold　and　fright；　so　I　came　up　hereto　the　gates　of　paradise。　I　am　told　they　are　open　to　poor　creaturessuch　as　I　am；　and　I　have　now　no　house　left　on　earth；　but　I　do　notthink　that　will　give　me　a　claim　to　be　admitted　here。〃

Then　the　gates　were　opened；　and　an　angel　led　the　old　woman　in。　Shehad　dropped　one　little　straw　out　of　her　straw　bed；　when　she　set　iton　fire　to　save　the　lives　of　so　many。　It　had　been　changed　into　thepurest　gold…　into　gold　that　constantly　grew　and　expanded　intoflowers　and　fruit　of　immortal　beauty。

〃See；〃　said　the　angel；　pointing　to　the　wonderful　straw；　〃this　iswhat　the　poor　woman　has　brought。　What　dost　thou　bring？　I　know　thouhast　acplished　nothing；　not　even　made　a　single　brick。　Even　ifthou　couldst　return；　and　at　least　produce　so　much；　very　likely；　whenmade；　the　brick　would　be　useless；　unless　done　with　a　good　will；which　is　always　something。　But　thou　canst　not　return　to　earth；　and　Ican　do　nothing　for　thee。〃

Then　the　poor　soul；　the　old　mother　who　had　lived　in　the　house　onthe　dyke；　pleaded　for　him。　She　said；　〃His　brother　made　all　the　stoneand　bricks；　and　sent　them　to　me　to　build　my　poor　little　dwelling；which　was　a　great　deal　to　do　for　a　poor　woman　like　me。　Could　not　allthese　bricks　and　pieces　be　as　a　wall　of　stone　to　prevail　for　him？　Itis　an　act　of　mercy；　he　is　wanting　it　now；　and　here　is　the　veryfountain　of　mercy。〃

〃Then；〃　said　the　angel；　〃thy　brother；　he　who　has　been　lookedupon　as　the　meanest　of　you　all；　he　whose　honest　deeds　to　thee　appearedso　humble；…　it　is　he　who　has　sent　you　this　heavenly　gift。　Thou　shaltnot　be　turned　away。　Thou　shalt　have　permission　to　stand　without　thegate　and　reflect；　and　repent　of　thy　life　on　earth；　but　thou　shaltnot　be　admitted　here　until　thou　hast　performed　one　good　deed　ofrepentance；　which　will　indeed　for　thee　be　something。〃

〃I　could　have　expressed　that　better；〃　thought　the　critic；　but　hedid　not　say　it　aloud；　which　for　him　was　SOMETHING；　after　all。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　SOUP　FROM　A　SAUSAGE　SKEWER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

〃WE　had　such　an　excellent　dinner　yesterday；〃　said　an　old　mouseof　the　female　sex　to　another　who　had　not　been　present　at　the　feast。　〃Isat　number　twenty…one　below　the　mouse…king；　which　was　not　a　bad　place。Shall　I　tell　you　what　we　ha