安徒生童话-第95章

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nd　his　family　expecting；no　doubt；　to　receive　invitations　in　return。　One　half　of　the　panywere　already　seated　at　the　card…tables；　the　other　half　seemed　to　bewaiting　the　result　of　their　hostess's　question；　〃Well；　how　shall　weamuse　ourselves？〃

Conversation　followed；　which；　after　a　while；　began　to　prove　veryentertaining。　Among　other　subjects；　it　turned　upon　the　events　of　themiddle　ages；　which　some　persons　maintained　were　more　full　ofinterest　than　our　own　times。　Counsellor　Knapp　defended　this　opinion　sowarmly　that　the　lady　of　the　house　immediately　went　over　to　his　side；and　both　exclaimed　against　Oersted's　Essays　on　Ancient　and　ModernTimes；　in　which　the　preference　is　given　to　our　own。　The　counsellorconsidered　the　times　of　the　Danish　king；　Hans；　as　the　noblest　andhappiest。

The　conversation　on　this　topic　was　only　interrupted　for　a　momentby　the　arrival　of　a　newspaper；　which　did　not；　however；　contain　muchworth　reading；　and　while　it　is　still　going　on　we　will　pay　a　visit　tothe　ante…room；　in　which　cloaks；　sticks；　and　goloshes　were　carefullyplaced。　Here　sat　two　maidens；　one　young；　and　the　other　old；　as　if　theyhad　e　and　were　waiting　to　acpany　their　mistresses　home；　but　onlooking　at　them　more　closely；　it　could　easily　be　seen　that　they　wereno　mon　servants。　Their　shapes　were　too　graceful；　theirplexions　too　delicate；　and　the　cut　of　their　dresses　much　tooelegant。　They　were　two　fairies。　The　younger　was　not　Fortune　herself；but　the　chambermaid　of　one　of　Fortune's　attendants；　who　carriesabout　her　more　trifling　gifts。　The　elder　one；　who　was　named　Care；looked　rather　gloomy；　she　always　goes　about　to　perform　her　ownbusiness　in　person；　for　then　she　knows　it　is　properly　done。　Theywere　telling　each　other　where　they　had　been　during　the　day。　Themessenger　of　Fortune　had　only　transacted　a　few　unimportant　matters；for　instance；　she　had　preserved　a　new　bon　from　a　shower　of　rain；and　obtained　for　an　honest　man　a　bow　from　a　titled　nobody；　and　soon；　but　she　had　something　extraordinary　to　relate；　after　all。

〃I　must　tell　you；〃　said　she；　〃that　to…day　is　my　birthday；　and　inhonor　of　it　I　have　been　intrusted　with　a　pair　of　goloshes；　tointroduce　amongst　mankind。　These　goloshes　have　the　property　ofmaking　every　one　who　puts　them　on　imagine　himself　in　any　place　hewishes；　or　that　he　exists　at　any　period。　Every　wish　is　fulfilled　atthe　moment　it　is　expressed；　so　that　for　once　mankind　have　the　chanceof　being　happy。〃

No；〃　replied　Care；　〃you　may　depend　upon　it　that　whoever　puts　onthose　goloshes　will　be　very　unhappy；　and　bless　the　moment　in　whichhe　can　get　rid　of　them。〃

〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　replied　the　other。　〃Now　see；　I　willplace　them　by　the　door；　some　one　will　take　them　instead　of　his　own；and　he　will　be　the　happy　man。〃

This　was　the　end　of　their　conversation。COUNSELLOR

　　WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　THE　COUNSELLOR

IT　was　late　when　Counsellor　Knapp；　lost　in　thought　about　the　timesof　King　Hans；　desired　to　return　home；　and　fate　so　ordered　it　that　heput　on　the　goloshes　of　Fortune　instead　of　his　own；　and　walked　out　intothe　East　Street。　Through　the　magic　power　of　the　goloshes；　he　was　atonce　carried　back　three　hundred　years；　to　the　times　of　King　Hans；for　which　he　had　been　longing　when　he　put　them　on。　Therefore　heimmediately　set　his　foot　into　the　mud　and　mire　of　the　street；　which　inthose　days　possessed　no　pavement。

〃Why；　this　is　horrible；　how　dreadfully　dirty　it　is！〃　said　thecounsellor；　and　the　whole　pavement　has　vanished；　and　the　lamps　are　allout。〃

The　moon　had　not　yet　risen　high　enough　to　perate　the　thickfoggy　air；　and　all　the　objects　around　him　were　confused　together　inthe　darkness。　At　the　nearest　corner；　a　lamp　hung　before　a　picture　ofthe　Madonna；　but　the　light　it　gave　was　almost　useless；　for　he　onlyperceived　it　when　he　came　quite　close　and　his　eyes　fell　on　the　paintedfigures　of　the　Mother　and　Child。

〃That　is　most　likely　a　museum　of　art；〃　thought　he；　〃and　theyhave　forgotten　to　take　down　the　sign。〃

Two　men；　in　the　dress　of　olden　times；　passed　by　him。

〃What　odd　figures！〃　thought　he；　〃they　must　be　returning　fromsome　masquerade。〃

Suddenly　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　drum　and　fifes；　and　then　ablazing　light　from　torches　shone　upon　him。　The　counsellor　staredwith　astonishment　as　he　beheld　a　most　strange　procession　pass　beforehim。　First　came　a　whole　troop　of　drummers；　beating　their　drums　verycleverly；　they　were　followed　by　life…guards；　with　longbows　andcrossbows。　The　principal　person　in　the　procession　was　aclerical…looking　gentleman。　The　astonished　counsellor　asked　what　itall　meant；　and　who　the　gentleman　might　be。

〃That　is　the　bishop　of　Zealand。〃

〃Good　gracious！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　in　the　world　has　happenedto　the　bishop？　what　can　he　be　thinking　about？〃　Then　he　shook　hishead　and　said；　〃It　cannot　possibly　be　the　bishop　himself。〃

While　musing　on　this　strange　affair；　and　without　looking　to　theright　or　left；　he　walked　on　through　East　Street　and　over　HighbridgePlace。　The　bridge；　which　he　supposed　led　to　Palace　Square；　was　nowhereto　be　found；　but　instead；　he　saw　a　bank　and　some　shallow　water；　andtwo　people；　who　sat　in　a　boat。

〃Does　the　gentleman　wish　to　be　ferried　over　the　Holm？〃　asked　one。

〃To　the　Holm！〃　exclaimed　the　counsellor；　not　knowing　in　what　agehe　was　now　existing；　〃I　want　to　go　to　Christian's　Haven；　in　LittleTurf　Street。〃　The　men　stared　at　him。　〃Pray　tell　me　where　the　bridgeis！〃　said　he。　〃It　is　shameful　that　the　lamps　are　not　lighted　here；　andit　is　as　muddy　as　if　one　were　walking　in　a　marsh。〃　But　the　more　hetalked　with　the　boatmen　the　less　they　could　understand　each　other。

〃I　don't　understand　your　outlandish　talk；〃　he　cried　at　last；angrily　turning　his　back　upon　them。　He　could　not；　however；　find　thebridge　nor　any　railings。

〃What　a　scandalous　condition　this　place　is　in；〃　said　he；　never；certainly；　had　he　found　his　own　times　so　miserable　as　on　this　evening。〃I　think　it　will　be　better　for　me　to　take　a　coach；　but　where　arethey？〃　There　was　not　one　to　be　seen！　〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　go　back　tothe　king's　new　market；〃　said　he；　〃where　there　are　plenty　ofcarriages　standing；　or　I　shall　never　reach　Christian's　Haven。〃　Then　hewent　towards　East　Street；　and　had　nearly　passed　through　it；　when　themoon　burst　forth　from　a　cloud。

〃Dear　me；　what　have　they　been　erecting　here？〃　he　cried；　as　hecaught　sight　of　the　East　gate；　which　in　olden　times　used　to　stand　atthe　end　of　East　Street。　However；　he　found　an　opening　through　whichhe　passed；　and　came　out　upon　where　he　expected　to　find　the　new　market。Nothing　was　to　be　seen　but　an　open　meadow；　surrounded　by　a　few　bushes；through　which　ran　a　broad　canal　or　stream。　A　few　miserable…lookingwooden　booths；　for　the　acmodation　of　Dutch　watermen；　stood　on　theopposite　shore。

〃Either　I　behold　a　fata　morgana；　or　I　must　be　tipsy；〃　groanedthe　counsellor。　〃What　can　it　be？　What　is　the　matter　with　me？〃　Heturned　back　in　the　full　conviction　that　he　must　be　ill。　In　walkingthrough　the　street　this　time；　he　examined　the　houses　more　closely；he　found　that　most　of　them　were　built　of　lath　and　plaster；　and　manyhad　only　a　thatched　roof。

〃I　am　certainly　all　wrong；〃　said　he；　with　a　sigh；　and　yet　I　onlydrank　one　glass　of　punch。　But　I　cannot　bear　even　that；　and　it　was　veryfoolish　to　give　us　punch　and　hot　salmon；　I　shall　speak　about　it　to　ourhostess；　the　agent's　lady。　Suppose　I　were　to　go　back　now　and　say　howill　I　feel；　I　fear　it　would　look　so　ridiculous；　and　it　is　not　verylikely　that　I　should　find　any　one　up。〃　Then　he　looked　for　the　house；but　it　was　not　in　existence。

〃This　is　really　frightful；　I　cannot　even　recognize　East　Street。Not　a　shop　to　be　seen；　nothing　but　old；　wretched；　tumble…downhouses；　just　as　if　I　were　at　Roeskilde　or　Ringstedt。　Oh；　I　really　mustbe　ill！　It　is　no　use　to　stand　upon　ceremony。　But　where　in　the　world　isthe　agent's　house。　There　is　a　house；　but　it　is　not　his；　and　peoplestill　up　in　it；　I　can　hear。　Oh　dear！　I　certainly　am　very　queer。〃　As　hereached　the　half…open　door；　he　saw　a　light　and　went　in。　It　was　atavern　of　the　olden　times；　and　seemed　a　kind　of　beershop。　The　room　hadthe　appearance　of　a　Dutch　interior。　A　number　of　people；　consistingof　seamen；　Copenhagen　citizens；　and　a　few　scholars；　sat　in　deepconversation　over　their　mugs；　and　took　very　little　notice　of　the　newer。

〃Pardon　me；〃　said　the　counsellor；　addressing　the　landlady；　〃I　do