演木偶戏的人 轮船上有一个年纪相当大的演木偶戏的人。他有一副愉快的面孔。如果他这个面孔的表 情是代表实际情况的话，那么他就要算是人世间一个最幸福的人了。他说他正是这样的一个 人，而且是我听他亲口这样说的。他是我的同胞——一个丹麦人；他同时也是一个旅行剧团 的导演。他的整个班子装在一个大匣子里，因为他是一个演木偶戏的人。他说他有一种天生 的愉快心情，而且这种心情还被一个工艺学校的学生“洗涤”过一次。这次实验的结果使他 成为一个完全幸福的人。我起初并没有马上就听懂其中的道理，不过他把整个的经过都解释 给我听。下面是全部的经过： “事情发生在斯拉格尔斯，”他说。“我正在一个邮局的院子里演木偶戏。观众非常拥 挤——除了两个老太婆以外，全是小孩子。这时有一个学生模样的人，穿着一身黑衣服，走 了进来。他坐下来，在适当的时候发笑，在适当的时候鼓掌。他是一个很不平常的看客！我 倒很想知道，他究竟是一个什么人。我听说他是工艺学校的一个学生。这次特别被派到乡下 来教育老百姓的。 “我的演出在８点钟就结束了，因为孩子们须得早点上床去睡觉——我不能不考虑观众 的习惯。在９点钟的时候，这个学生开始演讲和实验。这时我也成为他的听众之一。又听又 看，这真是一桩痛苦的事情。像俗话所说的，大部分的东西在我的头上滑过而钻进牧师的脑 袋里去了。不过我还是不免起了一点感想：如果我们凡人能够想出这么多东西，我们一定是 打算活得很久——比我们在人世间的这点生命总归要久一点。他所实验的这些东西可算是一 些小小的奇迹，都做得恰到好处，非常自然。像这样的一个工艺学校学生，在摩西和预言家 的时代，一定可以成为国家的一个圣人①；但是假如在中世纪，他无疑地会被烧死②。 ①摩西和预言家都是基督教《圣经·旧约》里的人物，生活在大约纪元前１２００年 间。在这时代希伯来人因为迁居不定，须得经常想出许多办法来解决生活上的问题。因此有 新思想的人都受到尊崇。 ②在欧洲中世纪教会统治之下，凡是有新奇思想的人都被视为异端，当做魔鬼的使者烧 死。 “我一整夜都没有睡。第二天晚上，当我做第二次演出的时候，这位学生又来了；这时 我的心情变得非常好。我曾经从一个演戏的人听到一个故事：据说当他演一个情人的角色的 时候，他头脑中总是想看观众中的一个女客。他只是为她而表演；其余的人他都忘得干干净 净。现在这位工艺学校的学生就是我的‘她’，我的唯一看客，我真是为‘她’而演戏。等 这场戏演完了、所有的木偶都出来谢了幕以后，这位工艺学校的学生就请我到他的房里去喝 一杯酒。他谈起我的戏，我谈起他的科学。我相信我们两方面都感到非常满意。不过我还得 有些保留，因为他虽然实验了许多东西，但是却说不出一个道理。比如说吧，有一片铁一溜 出螺旋形的器具就有了磁性。这是什么道理呢？铁忽然获得了一种精气，但这种精气是从什 么地方来的呢？我想这和现实世界里的人差不多：上帝让人在时间的螺旋器具里乱撞，于是 精气附在人身上，于是我们便有了一个拿破仑，一个路德，或者类似的人物。 “‘整个的世界是一系列的奇迹，’学生说，‘不过我们已经非常习惯于这些东西，所 以我们只是把它们叫做日常事件。’ “于是他侃侃而谈，作了许多解释，直到后来我忽然觉得好像我的头盖骨一下子被揭开 了。老实说，要不是现在我已经老了，我马上就要到工艺学校去学习研究这个世界的办法， 虽然我现在已经是一个最幸福的人了。 “‘一个最幸福的人！’他说；他似乎对我的这句话颇感兴味。‘你是幸福的吗？’ “‘是，’我说，‘我和我的班子无论到什么城市里去，都受到欢迎。当然，我也有一 个希望。这个希望常常像一个妖精——一个恶梦——似的来到我心里，把我的好心境打乱。 这个希望是：我希望能成为一个真正戏班子的老板，一个真正男演员和女演员的导演。’ “‘你希望你的木偶都有生命；你希望它们都变成活生生的演员，’他说。‘你真的相 信，你一旦成了他们的导演，你就会变得绝对幸福吗？’ “他不相信有这个可能，但是我却相信。我们把这个问题从各个方面畅谈了一通，谈来 谈去总得不到一致的意见。虽然如此，我们仍然碰了杯——酒真是好极了。酒里一定有某种 魔力，否则我就应该醉了。但事实不是这样；我的脑筋非常清楚。房间里好像有太阳光—— 而这太阳光是从这位工艺学校学生的脸上射出来的。这使我想起了古时候的一些神仙，他们 永远年轻，周游世界。我把这个意思告诉他，他微笑了一下。我可以发誓，他一定是一个古 代的神仙下凡，或者神仙一类的人物。他一定是这样的一个人物：我最高的希望将会得到满 足，木偶们将会获得生命，我将成为真正演员的导演。 “我们为这事而干杯。他把我的木偶都装进一个木匣子，把这匣子绑在我的背上，然后 让我钻进一个螺旋形的器具里去。我现在还可以听得见，我是怎样滚出来、躺在地板上的。 这是千真万确的事情；全班的戏子从匣子里跳出来。我们身上全有精气附体了。所有的木偶 现在都成了有名的艺术家——这是他们自己讲的；而我自己则成了导演。现在一切都齐备， 可以登台表演了。整个的班子都想和我谈谈。

人工造的钟乳石洞里有淡水湖和咸水湖，展示了鱼的王国；人们站在海底，置身在鱼和水螅之间。 他们说，马尔斯广场上陈列着这一切。在这个丰盛的宴席桌周围，人群像蚂蚁似地挤在一起，推推搡搡；有的步行，有的乘坐小马车，所有人的腿都支撑不了如此疲劳的参观。从清早到天黑，人们不断地拥向那里。载满了人的汽船一艘又一艘地驶过塞纳河，车子的数量在不停地增加。步行和乘车的人越来越多，有轨车和公共马车上挤满了人。所有的人都在朝一个目标汇集：
巴黎
博览会！所有的入口处都挂着法国的国旗，各国展室的外面则悬挂着各自的国旗。机器厅里机器发出轰鸣声；教堂钟楼的钟奏着音乐，教堂里传出了风琴声；粗犷、沙哑的歌声混在一起从东方国家的咖啡厅里传出。这就好像是一个巴别的国度，巴别的语言，一个世界奇迹。 看来的确如此，关于博览会的报道就是这么说的，谁没有听到过？树精知道一切关于城市中之城市的“新奇迹”。“飞啊，你们这些鸟儿！飞到那边去看看，再回来讲讲！”这是树精的请求。 这种向往变为愿望，成为生命的渴望——于是在安宁、寂静的夜里，当圆圆的月亮正闪耀着明亮的光时，树精看见从月亮里飞出一颗火星，它往下坠落，就像一颗流星那样明亮。树叶好像被一阵狂风吹动似地抖起来，树的前面出现了一个明亮的形体。它用一种柔和但强烈如世界末日来临的巴松管的声音说话，唤醒生命，召唤去接受判决。 “你将到那个魔术般的都城去，你将在那里生根，去体会那里喃喃细语的流水、空气和阳光。但是你的寿命将会缩短，在这个自由自在的天地里能享受的寿命将缩短成几年。可怜的树精，这将是你的灾难！你的向往将增长，你的追求、你的渴望会越来越强烈！树将变成你的监牢。你将离开你的居所，脱离你的本性，飞了出去，和人类在一起。于是你的生命便会缩短到只有蜉蝣生命的一半，只有短短的一夜。你的生命要熄灭，树叶枯萎脱落，再也不会回来。” 这声音在空中这样说，这样唱。光亮消逝，可是树精的渴望和向往没有破灭。她在渴望中颤抖，像发高烧。 “我要去城中之城！”她高兴地喊道。“生命开始了，像云一样膨胀，谁也不知道它会飞向何方。” 黎明时分，月光淡下去，彤云升起。愿望实现的时候来了，允诺的语言变成了现实。 来了一些手拿铁锹和棍棒的人。他们围着树根挖，挖得很深，一直挖到根底下。又来了一辆马车，这树连根带土一起被挖了出来，被芦席包上，简直是一个保暖袋；然后它被搬到车上，捆得很结实，它将被运走，运到巴黎去，在法国的骄傲的首都——城中之城生长生活。 在车子启动的一霎那，栗子树的叶子颤抖起来，树精在期待的幸福中颤抖起来。 “走了！走了！”这声音随着每一次脉搏跳动响着。“走了！走了！”这声音震荡着、颤抖着。树精忘记对她家乡的草坪说再见，忘记向摇曳着的小草和天真无邪的春黄菊道别；它们一直把她尊崇为上帝的花园中的一位贵妇人，一位在广阔自由的天地里装扮成牧羊女的年轻公主。 栗子树坐在车上，它用叶子点头表示，“好好过日子”或者“再见”。树精不知道这些，她只是梦想着眼前将展现出来的那些奇异新鲜而又十分熟悉的东西。没有任何一颗充满天真欢乐的孩子的心，没有任何一滴沸腾的血液会像她去巴黎旅行时那样浮想联翩了。 “好好过日子！”变成“走了！走了！” 车轮转着，远处变近了，落在后面。眼前的情景在变，像云块变幻。新葡萄园、树林、乡镇、别墅和花园出现了，来到眼前，又消失了。栗子树向前去，树精随着它前去。一辆接一辆的火车疾驶而过或相对开过去。火车吐着的云雾变成各种形状。这些形状在讲述火车从哪里开、树精要去巴黎。周围的一切知道、也应该懂得她是要去哪里的。她觉得，她经过的每一棵树都向她伸出枝子，央求着：“把我带上吧！带上我吧！”你知道，每棵树里都住着一个充满渴望的树精呢。多大的变化哟！奔驰得多么迅速哟！房屋好像是从土里冒出来一样，越来越多，越来越密。烟囱像许多花盆，一座挨着一座，在屋顶上排成一排。由巨大的字母拼写成的字、各种各样形状的图，从墙角一直画到屋檐下面，正闪闪发光。“什么地方是巴黎的开头？我什么时候才算到了巴黎？”树精问自己。人群越挤越大，车子一辆接着一辆，步行的人和骑马的人挤在一起；铺子挨着铺子；到处是音乐声、歌声、叫喊声、说话声。

他画了一幢中国房子，十六层里每层都有钟琴。他画了两张希腊的庙宇，四周有细长的大理石柱子和台阶。他画了一幅挪威教堂，可以看出全是木质结构的，有雕刻出的花饰，搭配得很别致，每一层好像都有摇杆。但是最美丽的一幅却是一座他把它叫做“小爱米莉的宫”的宫殿。她就应该如此居住生活。乔治作了精心的构思，他把其他建筑物中最美好的东西都搬到这座宫殿里来了。它像那个挪威教堂，有雕梁画栋；像希腊庙宇，有大理石柱子；每一层楼都有钟琴，最上面是绿色镀金的圆顶；像沙皇的克里姆林宫顶。这是地地道道的孩 子宫！在每个窗户下面都写着里面厅、室的用处：“爱米莉睡在这里，爱米莉在这里跳舞”，或者“在这里玩‘客来到’的游戏。”看起来很逗人喜爱，也真有人来看它。“Ｃｈａｒｍａｎｔ！”将军说道。可是那位老伯爵，就是那位比将军还要尊贵，拥有爵府和大庄园的老伯爵，却什么话也没有说。他听说这是看门人的儿子构思出来的。不过他现在已经不小了，已经参加过向上帝表示坚信的仪式了。老伯爵看着画，他暗自对画有些想法。一天，天气非常阴晦、潮湿、可怕，可是对小乔治来说却是最光明、最好的一天。艺术学院的教授把乔治叫到他那里去了。“听着，我的朋友，”他说道，“让我们一起谈一谈！上帝仁慈地赐给你天赋，他也让你仁慈地结交了好人。街角的那位老伯爵跟我谈到你。我也看过了你的画，那些画我们就不提了，画有许多要改正的地方。现在你一个星期可以到我的绘画学校来两次，这样你以后便会画得更好一些。我觉得比起做画家来，你更有做建筑师的才华。你还有时间自己好好地考虑！不过今天你去街角的老伯爵那里，为那个人向上帝致谢！”街角上有一座巨大的庄院，窗户上雕刻着大象和单峰骆驼，都很古老。但老伯爵最喜欢的是新时代以及新时代带来的好事物，不论它们是来自一层楼，来自地下室还是阁楼。“我觉得，”看门人的妻子说道，“越是真正高贵的人越是平易近人。那老伯爵多可爱多直率！他说话就像你和我一样。将军一家就做不到这一点！昨天乔治受到伯爵美好的接待，高兴得不知所措。今天我和这位伟大的人物谈过话后也是这种感觉。我们不用让乔治去当学徒学手艺，真好！他有能力！”“不过还得靠外来的帮助！”父亲说道。“现在他得到了，”母亲说道。“伯爵已经讲得很明确很清楚了！”“然而这件事首先是从将军家传出去的！”父亲说道。“我们也应该感谢他！”“那当然！”母亲说道。“不过我觉得没有多少好谢的。我要感谢上帝，我还要感谢他，因为小爱米莉活下来了！”她在进步，乔治在进步。这一年里他获得了那枚小银质奖章，后来又得了那枚大的。“还不如他去当学徒学门手艺呢！”看门人的妻子说道，她哭了。“那样我们还能把他留在身边。他跑到罗马去干什么？就算他还会回家来，我再也见不到他了。可是他不会回来了，可爱的孩子！”“但这是他的幸运和荣誉啊！”父亲说道。“是啊，多谢你了，我的朋友！”母亲说道。“你言不由衷！你和我一样难过。”实际上的确如此。悲伤是如此，别离也是如此。对这个年轻人是很大的幸运，人们都这么说。乔治和人们一一道别，也去了将军家。但是夫人没有露面，她又闹起了严重的头痛病。分别时将军讲了他唯一的故事，他对王子说的那些和王子对他说的：“您是独一无二的！”接着他懒懒散散地把手伸给了乔治。 爱米莉也把手伸给了乔治，她看上去很难过，但最难过的是乔治。有事情做，时间便过去了，没有事情做，时间也过去了。时间的长度是一样的，但是用处却大有不同。对乔治来说，它很有用，而且除非在他想念家乡的人时，否则也不算长。家 里，住在楼上或楼下的人都怎么样了？是的，信中都写到了。一封信可以写进去的东西是很多的，明媚的阳光或黑暗沉重的日子，这在信里都写着。信上讲，父亲去世了，只剩下母亲一个人了，爱米莉成了能慰藉人的天使，她到地下室去看母亲。是啊，母亲是这么写的；还附写了关于她自己的事，说她得到允许，保留看门的差事。

她和乔治站在阳台上的花间，玫瑰花篱笆遮住别人的视线。乔治又说话了，是先讲的。“感谢您对我老母的盛情厚意！”他说道；“我知道我父亲去世的那天晚上，您下楼来 去了她那里，陪着她直到我父亲合上眼。谢谢！”他握住她的手，吻了它。在这样的场合，他是可以这样做的。她的脸红了，不过又
捏
了一下他的手，用柔和的蓝眼睛望着他。“您的母亲是很善良的人！她多么喜欢您啊！她让我读了您所有的信，我可以说是熟识您的了！您对我多么好啊！我很小的时候，您给我许多画——！”“您把它们都撕碎了！”乔治说道。“没有，我还留着我的宫殿呢，那张画！”“现在我该建筑一座真的了！”乔治说道。听到自己能这么说，感到很激动。将军和将军夫人，在他们的屋子里谈论看门人的儿子。“他很懂得自己应有的行为举止，他善于把知识和学问表达清楚，他可以成为一个家庭教师。”将军说道。“有才气！”将军夫人说道。然后她再没有话说了。那个美好的夏天里，乔治先生常到伯爵府里来。若是他不来，府里的人便会想念他。“上帝赐给您的比赐给我们这些可怜人的要多得多！”爱米莉对他说道。“您是不是感觉到了？”乔治心中很舒畅，这位漂亮的小姐瞧得起他，他感到她也有非凡的天赋。将军越来越确信，乔治不可能是一个地下室的孩子。“何况他母亲也是极忠诚的妇女！”他说道，“我很尊敬她的名声！”夏去冬来，人们又谈到了乔治先生。甚至在最高层的场合中他也很受人器重，受人欢迎，将军在宫廷舞会上遇见过他。现在将军家要为爱米莉举行舞会了。可不可以请乔治先生呢？“国王可以请的人将军也可以请！”将军说道，挺直了身子，一下子高了整整一寸。乔治先生得到邀请，他来了。王子们和爵爷们来了。他们跳舞一个比一个跳得好，不过爱米莉只跳完了第一个舞。跳舞的时候她的脚扭了一下，不太严重，但是感到疼痛。碰到这样的事就得小心，不能再跳，只能看着别人跳。她坐那里看着，建筑师站在她的身旁。 “您大概把整座圣彼得教堂都给了她了！”将军走过去的时候说道，他慈祥地微笑着。几天之后，他又以同样慈祥的微笑接待了乔治先生。年轻人显然是来感谢那次邀请他参加舞会，他还会为了什么别的事呢？会的。最使人惊讶、最使人震惊的事：他讲了一些狂言乱语，将军简直不相信自己的耳朵，这是不知天高地厚的宣言，不可思议的请求：乔治先生请求娶小爱米莉为妻。“我说你这个人！”将军说道，脑袋像炸开一样。“我简直不明白你！你说些什么？你要干什么？我不认识你，先生！你这个人！你梦想着掺入到我的家里来！我还住在这里呢，还是我不住在这里了？”他退到自己的寝室里去了，把门锁上，让乔治先生单独站在那里。乔治站了几分钟，然后转过了身，爱米莉站在走廊里。“我父亲回答——”她问道，声音有些颤抖。乔治捏了捏她的手：“他躲开我了！——还会有更好的时机的！”爱米莉的眼睛里有泪，年轻男子的眼里充满了信心和勇气。阳光照在他俩身上，为他们祝福。在自己的屋子里，将军怒不可遏。是啊，他的怒气还在上升，于是这样一句话冲出口来：“疯了，看门人的疯狂症！”——不到一小时，将军夫人就从将军口中听说了。她把爱米莉叫来，单独和她坐在一起。“你这可怜的孩子！这样侮辱你！侮辱我们！你的眼里也有眼泪。不过眼泪和你很相称！流泪的时候，你很可爱！你的样子和我结婚的那天很相像。哭吧，小爱米莉！”“是的，我要哭！”爱米莉说，“要是你和父亲不答应的话！”“孩子！”将军夫人喊道；“你病了！说起胡话来了。我严重的头痛病又发作了！怎么会有那么多的不幸降临到我们家里！别叫你母亲死，爱米莉，那样一来，你便没有母亲了！”将军夫人的眼睛湿了，她想到自己的死，她受不了。报纸上任命的栏目里有这样一条：乔治先生被任命为教授，五等八级。

“可惜他的父母躺进了坟墓，不能读到这个消息了！”现在住在将军家地下室里的新看门人说道，他们知道这位教授就是出生在这四壁之内，在里面长大的。“现在他可得纳等级税了！”男人说道。“是啊，这对一个贫苦孩子来说不是太过分了吗！”妻子说道。“一年十八块银币！”男人说；“是啊，不少钱呢！”“不是，我是说他的高位！”妇人说道。“你以为他会在乎那点钱，他能挣比它多好多倍的钱呢！再说，他可以娶到一位富有的妻子了。如果生孩子，你啊，我们的孩子也要当建筑师，当教授！”住在地下室的人诗了乔治一番，一层楼的人也夸奖了他一番；老伯爵也赞扬了他。这都是儿童时代他的那些图画引起的。不过为什么要谈到这些呢？人们谈论俄罗斯，谈论莫斯科，于是人们当然也谈到小乔治画了送给爱米莉小姐的克里姆林宫。他画了许多画，伯爵特别记得其中的一幅“小爱米莉的宫殿”，她住在那里面，在里面跳舞，在里面玩“客来到”游戏。教授很能干，他一定会当上老枢密参事才终结一生。这并非不可能，先前他说要为现在这位十分年轻的小姐建造一座宫殿；为什么不呢？“这是一种奇特的嘲弄。”伯爵走后将军夫人评论道。将军沉思地摇了摇头，带着马夫 骑马走了。马夫离开他一段距离，他骑在高头大马上看去比往日要更加不可一世。小爱米莉的生日到了，人们送来了许多花、书信和名片。将军夫人吻着她的嘴，将军吻着她的前额。他们是慈爱的父母，她和他们都有高贵的人来访——两位王子来访过。他们谈起了舞会，谈起了戏剧，谈起了派遣外交使节，谈到了国家和国土的治理。谈到了勤奋的人，谈到了国内勤奋的人，这样便自然谈到了那位年轻的教授，建筑师先生。“他在为自己名垂千古而建房筑屋！”有人这么说，“他也为进入一个显赫的家庭而建房筑屋！”“一个显赫的家庭！”后来将军对将军夫人重复了一遍。“最显赫的家族是哪一家？”“我知道这暗示的是谁家！”将军夫人说道。“可是我不说！我不想它！由上帝决定吧！不过我要吃惊的。”“让我也吃惊吧！”将军说道，“我脑子里一点概念都没有！”于是他陷入了沉思。仁慈的源泉里，宫廷和上帝的恩赐里，都有一股力量，一股不可名状的力量。一切恩赐小乔治都有了。但是我们忘记生日了。爱米莉的屋子里洋溢着男友和女友送来的花的香气，桌子上摆着许多纪念品，但没有一件是乔治送的。他送不进来，但也不必要，因为整座屋子都是对他的纪念，甚至楼梯下面的沙洞也都绽开了回忆的花朵；窗帘燃起来的时候，小爱米莉曾在那里哇哇叫过，乔治作为第一个灭火器水龙头到了那里。从窗子往外一看，金合欢树让人想起了童年时代。花和叶子都凋落了，但是树挂满白霜，像根珊瑚枝。月亮悬在树枝间，又亮又大，多年来它都不停地移动，却又没有变样，还像当年乔治把黄油面包分给小爱米莉的时候一样。她从抽屉里拿出那些画着沙皇宫殿的画，有她自己的宫殿的画——乔治的纪念品。她看着这些画，沉思着，涌起了许多回忆。她记得有一天，趁父亲母亲没有注意，她来到地下室 正在弥留之际的看门人的妻子那里。她坐着陪她，握着她的手，听她说最后的话：“祝福——乔治！”母亲想着自己的儿子。——现在，爱米莉赋予它自己的意义。是的，乔治在她的生日这天是到场了的，真的是这样！第二天发生了这样的事，这家人又有一个人过生日，是将军的生日。他比女儿晚一天出生，当然早于她许多年。这天人们又送来了许多礼品，其中有一副马鞍，它的外表十分美丽，很舒服、很昂贵，只有一位王子的可以与它相比。这是谁送的呢？将军很高兴。马鞍上附有一个小纸条。如果上面写着“谢谢昨日的邀请”，我们也许可以猜到是谁送的了。但是上面写的是：“一个将军不认识的人敬赠。”“世界上有谁我还不认识呢？”将军说道。“谁我都认识！”他想到许多大的社交活动，每个人他都认识。“这是我的妻子送的！”最后他说道；“她在和我开玩笑！Ｃｈａｒｍａｎｔ！”

但是她没有开玩笑，那样的日子过去了。后来举行了一个宴会。但不是在将军家。这是一位王子开的化装舞会；允许戴假面具。将军化装成鲁本斯⑦，他穿着有小绉领子的西班牙式衣服，腰上挂着短剑，仪态端庄。将军夫人扮成鲁本斯夫人，身穿黑色丝绒、很闷热的高领礼服；脖子四周有一个磨盘，这自然指的是大绉领，完全像将军的那幅荷兰画；画里的一双手特别受人称赞，这双手和将军夫人的手一模一样。爱米莉扮成普赛克⑧，身穿带花边的长裙。她就像一片飘动的天鹅羽绒。她根本不需要翅膀。她装上翅膀只是为了表示她是普赛克。这里富丽堂皇而又明亮，到处都是鲜花，人人珠光宝气，优雅得体。这里可欣赏的东西太多了，人们丝毫没有注意到鲁本斯夫人那双美丽的手。一个身穿黑衣戴了面具的翩翩杜米诺⑨，他的帽子上插了一朵金合欢花，他和普赛克跳舞。“他是谁？”将军夫人问道。“是王子殿下！”将军说道，“我非常肯定，和他一握手我便认出他来了！”将军夫人有些怀疑。鲁本斯将军一点儿也不怀疑，他走近那位穿黑衣的翩翩少年，在手上写下了王子殿下的名字。虽被否定了，却给了他一点儿暗示：“马鞍上的那句话：一个将军不认识的人。”“那么我就算认识您了！”将军说道，“您送给了我马鞍！”那翩翩少年把手一抬，在人群中消失了。“和你跳舞的那个杜米诺是谁，爱米莉？”将军夫人问道。“我没有问他的姓名！”她回答道。“因为你是知道的！那是教授！您的宠友，伯爵先生，他在这里！”将军夫人继续说着，转向了就站在她身边的伯爵。“黑色的杜米诺，带着一朵金合欢花。”“很可能，我尊敬的夫人！”他回答道。“可是有一位王子也是这样的化装！”“我知道他握手的姿势！”将军说道。“王子送给了我马鞍！我的事我很肯定，我可以邀请他参加我的家宴！”“去请吧！若是是王子，他肯定会来的——！”伯爵说道。“若是别的人，他便不会来的！”将军说道，他走近了那化了装身着黑色衣服的杜米诺，他正在那里同国王谈话。为了彼此结识，将军特别谦恭地发出了邀请。将军微笑着，十分肯定在邀请什么人。他的声音很大而且很清楚。杜米诺揭开他的面具：是乔治。“请将军先生重复一遍邀请好吗？”他问道。将军一下子高了一小截，显出更坚决的神气，往后退了两步，再往前走了一步，就像在跳小步舞一样。他满脸严肃，能在一位将军高贵的脸上表现出来的种种表情，都摆出来了。“我从不反悔。教授受到了邀请！”他鞠了个躬，向显然听到了这一切的国王瞥了一眼。于是在将军家举行了晚宴，只邀请了伯爵和他的宠友。“脚一伸到桌子下，”乔治认为，“基石便已奠定！”在将军和将军夫人那里，最庄严地奠定了基石。客人来了。客人自然是将军认识和知道的。客人的谈吐完全像上流社会的人，十分风趣，将军不得不多次说他“Ｃｈａｒ－ｍａｎｔ”。将军夫人讲起她的晚餐，谈到她甚至还把这次晚餐告诉了一个宫廷女侍宫。这位女侍宫，是一个最有灵性的人，要求下次教授再来的时候也邀请上她。于是自然还得邀请他，也真的再次邀请了他，他又来了，又是Ｃｈａｒｍａｎｔ，而且还会下象棋。“他不是出生于地下室！”将军说道，“他肯定是一个望族的少爷！出自名门的少爷的儿子很多，这完全不是这个年轻人的过错。”可以进出皇宫的教授，当然也完全可以进出将军的家。但要在那里生下根则完全谈不到，尽管全城的人都接受了这个事实。他在那里生了根，仁慈的露珠从上面降了下来！因此在教授荣升为国政参事的时候，爱米莉成了国政参事夫人，这便一点儿也不令人惊讶了。“生活是喜剧，要不然就是悲剧，”将军说道，“在悲剧中主角都死亡，在喜剧中他们缔结良缘。”在这儿他们结了良缘。他们生了三个可爱的男孩，当然并不是一下子生下来的。这些甜蜜的孩子来看外公外婆的时候，他们便骑着木马在厅堂里跑。将军也骑上木马，跟在他们的身后：“就像是这些小国政参事的马夫！”将军夫人坐在沙发里微笑着，尽管她犯着她那严重的头痛病。乔治发达到了这个地步，还在大大地发展着，否则便不必费神来讲看门人的儿子了。①丹麦人的楼房分层次的方法是，地面上的那一层叫厅室（层），上第一道楼梯后才是一层。②法文“好极了啊，妙极了”的意思。③楼梯下那个三角形的空隙，有的装上了门，里面放些铺地的沙子。④黄油面包是丹麦流行的食品。通常是一片面包上先涂上黄油，再加上一些别的美食，例如一片干酪，一片香肠，一片烤牛肉，一两片西红柿，花样可达数十种。⑤法语，这里指会讲外语的小保姆。⑥指“提防他说话骗人”。参见《守塔人奥勒》注１６和《狂风吹走了招牌》注１。⑦佛兰芒画家（１５７７—１６４０）。⑧见《普赛克》注。⑨一种身穿白袖长大氅、头戴布帽的化装舞会中的角色。

我也很喜欢《影子〉只是找不着...

谢谢

白雪皇后，hayatochlrl请问有没有？有的话回我

白雪皇后 （丹麦）安徒生 第一个故事 镜子和碎片 注意！我们这就开始讲故事。故事听到头，我们就会比现在知道更多的事情。我们讲的是一个邪恶的地精．他是一个很坏的家伙，事实上他就是一个妖魔。 有一天他心情很好，制造了一面镜子，这面镜子有一个特点，凡是好的美的东西往里一照，就会消失得无影无踪；凡是不好的丑恶的东西放在它面前，看上去就会更加不堪入目。在那面镜子里，美丽如画的风景好比煮栏的菠菜，最美最俏的人立时变得丑陋不堪或头足倒置，面孔完全变了形，让人无法认得出来，要是有人脸上有个雀斑，你看吧，它准会扩大开来，布满整个鼻子和嘴巴。 要是一个人心里出现虔诚善良的念头，镜于里照到的却是一副怪相，足以让妖魔对自己巧妙的发明捧腹大笑好一阵子。 妖魔开了一个地精学校，所有进过这所学校的人到处宣传，声称出现了一个奇迹，说现在人们终于能看到世界和人类的本来面目了。他们拿着镜子到处乱跑，到后来竟找不到没有被镜子歪曲过的一片土地和一个人。 如今他们只好飞到天堂去捉弄天使了。他们带着镜子越飞越高。镜子也随着越笑越龇牙咧嘴。事实上，他们都快要拿不住它。他们飞得更高，几乎快接近太阳了，这时镜子笑得浑身发抖，令人毛骨悚然，竟从他们手中飞了出去，跌到地上，摔成了成千上万块碎片。 这下它做出了比以前更不像话的事。因为某些碎片不比沙粒更大，它们满世界飞来飞去，—旦进入人的眼睛，便在里边落脚，于是人们看出来的东西全变得奇形怪状。这种眼睛不看别的，专看事物坏的一面，因为任何细小的颊粒都具有整面镜子相同的魔力。有的镜子碎片甚至进入人的心脏，后果更是令人可怕，那颗心就此变成一团冰块。 有的碎片还很大，可以用来镶嵌窗格，可你要透过这些窗格去看自己的朋友，立刻就会上当。有些碎片被制成眼镜片，谁戴上这样的眼镜谁就倒楣。你本来想看得清楚一点，能正确公正判断事物，那根本办不到，它们只会造成极大的混乱。妖魔肚子都笑痛了，整个事情很合他的胃口，逗得他开心极了。不过还有些小小的碎片飞到天上去了，现在就让我们听听它们的下落。 第二个故事 小男孩和小女孩 在一座大城市里，房屋鳞次栉比，人口密密麻麻，哪儿允许人人都有一个小花园？大多数人在泥盆里种上几朵花就心满意足。这里要说到两个穷苦的孩子，他们总算有一个比花盆稍微大一点的小小花园。他们并不是兄妹，但他们的父母住的两间小屋紧紧挨在一起，两家的屋顶几乎是相连的。两家的小屋各有一扇相对的小窗，从一扇小窗只要一步跨过两家小屋间的檐槽，便能钻进另一扇小窗。 他们两家外面都有一个很大的木头箱子，他们在里边种了一些盆栽的香草，供自家使用。另外还各种了一株玫瑰。玫瑰还长得相当不错。两家不约而同想到一个办法，把箱子横放在檐槽上。这样一来，两口箱子差不多都一头顶住一扇窗子，看上去跟两个花坛一模一样。植物的卷须垂在箱子上，玫瑰长出长长的枝条，盘在窗子上，又相互交错，真像一个绿叶和花朵的凯旋拱门。因为两口箱子放得那么高，两个孩子都知道不能随便爬上去。只在得到允许的储况下，才爬到玫瑰树下，坐在各自的小板凳上，一起开开心心地玩个痛快。 一到冬天这种乐趣便没有了。窗子经常结冰，他们便把铜板放在炉子上加热，然后放在结冰的窗扇上，让它化出一个滴溜滚圆的洞孔来。于是一家一扇窗子的洞孔里便各有一只美丽温柔的眼睛在张望，不用问那是小男孩和小女孩在互相偷看。男孩叫凯依，女孩叫杰尔达。 夏天他们只要跨一步使能到对方身边；但在冬天他们很先下许多级楼梯，然后又登上许多级楼梯，才能见面。 外面正纷纷扬扬下着雪花。 “那是成群结队的白蜜蜂在飞！”老奶奶说。 “它们中间也有蜂王吗?”小男孩问，他知道真正的蜜蜂群中必定有一个

长的柳条已经变黄，雾气在它们上面变成水滴淌下来，叶子纷纷往下落；只有黑刺李还缀满果子挺立着，看上去那么僵直，足以让人嘴巴都气歪。啊，整个茫茫的世界显得灰不溜秋，阴阴沉沉！ 第四个故事 王子和公主 杰尔达不得不又坐下来休息，坐下的地方正对面有一只大乌鸦在雪上跳过来，它在杰尔达前面蹲了好久，一边摇头晃脑，一边盯着她看。这时它开口说道：“呱，呱！你好，你好！”它不大善于表达自己的意思，不过它对小姑娘很有好感，问她想到哪里去，为什么孤孤单单来到这个荒凉的地方。杰尔达对“孤孤单单”这几个字深有体会，十分清楚它们的分量，因此把自己的遭遇一五一十讲给乌鸦听，还问它有没有见过凯依。 乌鸦像是在想什么．点点头说： “有这个可能！有这个可能！” “什么？你真的这么想？”小姑娘叫了起来，欢天喜地抱住乌鸦亲吻，差点没把它挤死。 “别急，别急！”乌鸦说，“我认为那可能是小凯依！不过这时他肯定光想着公主，把你忘了。” “他跟一位公主生活在一起吗2”杰尔达问。 “是的。你听着，”乌鸦说，“我发现讲你的语言很因难。要是你懂乌鸦的语言，我就能讲得更清楚了。” “不行，我没有学过!”杰尔达说，“要是学过就好啦。” “那没有关系，”乌鸦说，“虽然我说人话说得很糟糕，但是我尽量把故事讲清楚就是了。” 于是乌鸦把它所知道的事情告诉杰尔达。 “我们现在居住的王国里，有一个非常聪明的公主。她读过世界上所有的报纸，然后又把它们忘个精光，她这样做很聪明。几天前她坐在宝座上，哼起了一首歌，开头有一句‘为什么我到现在还不结婚’。她这样一唱，人们就说宫里一向很沉闷，这下要热闹了。 “‘歌里的词很有意思！’她说，因此她决定要结婚，不过她要的这个丈夫，在别人跟他说话时他必须对答如流，而不只是一言不发站着做出一日傲慢的样子．因为那是最令她讨厌的。然后她下令敲鼓，把所有宫廷的侍女都召来。她们听到公主宣布的话，都非常高兴。 “这真是妙极啦！’她们说，’前几天我们也正在想同一件事！‘我向你保证，我讲的字字句句都是实话，”乌鸦说，“我有一个心上人，让人驯养了，可以在宫里自由自在跳来跳去，就是它把这一切告诉了我！” 它的心上人当然也是一只乌鸦．因为乌鸦的配偶只能是乌鸦。 “所有的报纸马上发布这条消息，还加上一颗颗心和一个个公主名字缩写组成的花边，里边还引用了公主的话，主要意思说：凡是外貌端正的年轻男子都可以自由前来王宫与公主谈话，只要谁让大家看出来他能无拘无束对答如流超群出众，公主便愿意愿他结婚！ “是啊，是啊！”乌鸦说，“请你相信，这完全是事实，就像我在跟你说话一样真切。人们蜂拥而来，难免争先恐后挤成一团。不过头一天和第二天都毫无结果。在大街上他们一个个都能说会道；但当他们经过王宫大门，登上台阶，进入一个个灯火辉煌的大厅，一路上都有穿着银色制服的警卫和穿着金色制服的侍从站立两旁，他们全都局促不安，不知道怎么才好了。等到他们往端坐王座上的公主面前一站，想说的话顿时一句也说不出来，只会重复公主说过的最后一句话。可是公主并不想听自己说过的话呀！这些人就好像把鼻烟吸进了肚子，弄得昏昏沉沉，直到重新回到街上，他们才一下于又变得叽里呱啦说个没完没了。这些人从城门口一直排队到王宫。我亲自到过他们中间，因此详细情形都看在眼里！他们又饿又渴，到宫里连一杯水都得不到。有些最最聪明的人随身带了黄油和面包，但是他们说什么也不肯分给旁边的人吃，因为他们都想；‘让他露出一副饿鬼的样子，公主便不会要他了！” “但是凯依，小凯依呢？”杰尔达问，“你是什么时候遇见他的？他是不是也在这群人中?” “别着急，别着急！我们马上要谈到他了。那是第三天，有一个年纪很

小的人，既不骑马，也不坐车，却得意洋洋走到王宫里来；他的眼睛跟你的一样炯炯发光，他的头发又长又好看。不过老实说他的衣服很破烂。” “那正是凯依！”杰尔达满心喜欢地叫道，‘哎哟，我总算找到他了！”她高兴得拍起手来。 “他背上背着个背包！”乌鸦说。 “不，那一定是他的小雪橇！”杰尔达说，“因为他是带着小雪橇离开家的！” “有这个可能，”乌鸦说，“我并没有仔细看。不过我听驯养在宫里的心上人说，他走进王宫大门，看见台阶两旁一路都站着穿银色制服的警卫和穿着金色制服的侍从，他也一点不心慌，反而无拘无束对他们点点头说：站在台阶上一定很腻烦，要我宁可到里边去逛逛！’大厅里灯火辉煌，枢密顾问官和大臣们不穿鞋光穿袜子定来走去，身上一律是金色的朝服，光是这点就足以给人一种庄严的感觉，使人肃然起敬。可他的皮靴却放肆地格吱格吱作响，他一点也不害怕！” “那是小凯依，一点也没错！”杰尔达说，“我知道他穿着新靴子；我听到过它们在奶奶房里格吱格吱作响！” “是的，它们确实格吱格吱发出很大的响声！”乌鸦说，“但是他勇敢地朝公主走去。公主坐在一颗像纺车轮一样大的珍珠上，所有侍女和她们的女仆以及女仆的女仆，所有的侍臣和他们的仆人以及仆人的仆人，仆人的仆人也都人人有个小厮，全部毕恭毕敬站在周围。谁离门越近谁就越显得神气活现。那些小贩都穿着施鞋走来走去，要是能站在门口，更是不可一世，让人看都不敢看他！” “那一定很可怕！”小杰尔达说，“小凯依究竟得到公主没有？” “我要不是一只乌鸦，尽管我已经订婚，我也会自己去得到公主的。据说他讲得很好，跟我说起乌鸦语言来一样流利。那是我那个驯养在宫里的心上人说的。他又勇敢又讨人喜欢，他原来根本不是为了求婚来的，只是想看看公主究竟有多聪明。他对公主很有好感，公主对他也有很好的印象。”“对，我敢肯定那是凯依！”杰尔达说，“他很聪明，能做心算，还会做分数。哦，你能带我到宫里去吗？” “啊，说说容易！”乌鸦说，“可我们怎么安排呢?我跟驯养在宫里的心上人商量商量。它可能会给我们出出主意。不过我跟你说，像你这样的小姑娘，他们是决不会让你进去的！” “会的，我会进去的！”杰尔达说，“凯依一听说我在这儿，他马上会来找我，带我进去的！” “你就在铁栅旁等我！”乌鸦说．它摆摆头就飞走了。 直到傍晚天已经快黑了，乌鸦才回来。“呱！呱！”它说，“我已经替你向它求了不知多少次情。这里有个小小的面包卷，那是它从厨房里叼来的，那里有的是面包，而你肚子一定饿了!你不可能进宫去．你瞧，你光着脚丫子，穿银色衣服的警卫和穿金色衣服的侍从不会让你进去的。不过你别哭，反正你还是可以进去的。我的心上人知道后面有部小楼梯通到卧室，它知道哪儿可以弄到钥匙!” 于是他们走进了花园．那儿有一条长长的上面枝叶交叠的林间小径。当王宫里灯火熄灭时，乌鸦带领小杰尔达走到一扇半开半闭的后门前。 啊！杰尔达又着急又不安，心跳得多么厉害！她似乎觉得自己正要做一件错事，其实她的一切希望不过想证实一下究竟他是不是小凯依。是的，那一定是他，她清清楚楚记得他那对聪明的眼睛和长头发，当初他们一起坐在玫瑰下，他那笑容如今还历历在目。他一定很高兴见到她，听她说她如何路途遥遥来找他，听她说他没有回家，家里所有的人有多么伤心。哦，她是多么快活，同时却又是多么担心啊！ 一会儿他们走上了楼梯。一口小小的碗橱里点着一盏灯。屋子中央站着那只驯养了的乌鸦，它扭头东张西望一阵，这才眼睛看着杰尔达。杰尔达按照老奶奶教的那样行了个屈膝礼。 “小姑娘，我的未婚夫讲了你许多好话，”驯养了的乌鸦说，“你的故事很感人。请你拿着灯，我走在前头。我们一直向前走，不会碰到什么人的！”

“我觉得后面好像有人在朝我们走来！”杰尔达说。有什么东西在她身边闪了过去。它像是墙上的影子，一匹匹马，细细的腿．飞舞的鬃毛，还有猎人和骑在马上的老爷太大。 “那些都只是梦罢了．”乌鸦说，“它们只是来把这些贵人和贵妇人的思想带出去游历一番。那是一件好事情，因为他们在床上就更安全一些。不过你千万记住，将来你荣华富贵的时候．要有一颗感恩图报的心I” “你们谈这些于什么?”树林里的乌鸦说。 他们走进第一个房间，墙上贴着玫瑰色的绣花锦缎；这时，“梦”一下子又在他们身旁闪过去，快得杰尔达都无法看清贵人和贵妇人。接下来的房间一个比一个华丽。最后他们到了那间要去的卧室。卧室的天花板像是一裸巨大的棕榈树，树叶都是贵重的水晶制成的。房间中央有一个粗重的金杆，挂着两张形状像百合花的床，一张是白色的．里边躺着公主，另一张是红色的，杰尔达走过去寻找小凯依。她掰开一片红色的花瓣，看到了一个棕色的脖子。啊，那是凯依。她大声呼喊他的名字，把灯举到他面前。那些马背上的“梦”又闪回到房间里来。他醒了掉过头来．可他不是小凯依。 王子只有脖子上的茸毛跟凯依相像，不过他也很年轻很漂亮。这时公主也在白色的百合花床上探头张望，问发生了什么事。杰尔达哭哭啼啼告诉她一切，还说了两只乌鸦帮她的忙， “你这可怜的小东西！”王子和公主说。 他们称赞了乌鸦，说他们一点也不生气，不过下次可不能再做这种事情了。尽管这样，它们还是应该得到奖赏。 “你们愿意自由自在飞出去呢，”公主问，“还是愿意做宫廷乌鸦，有一个固定的位子，享有吃宫廷厨房剩饭剩菜的权利?” 两只乌鸦都深深地鞠躬，请求得到一个固定的位子，因为它们考虑到了自己的老年。它们在表明自己的意思时还说：“上了年纪不用为了吃饭操心，总是好的。” 于是王子下了床让杰尔达睡上去，除了这一点，他还真不知道怎么办才好。杰尔达交叠着小手想道：“这些人，这些动物，个个都是那么善良！”她闭起了服睛．幸福地睡着了。所有的“梦”又重新飞了进来，这会儿它们看上去都像天使，还拉着一架小雪橇，上面坐着正在点头的小凯依。但这一切不过是个梦罢了，她一醒来，梦也就消失了。 第二天人家给她全身穿上丝绸和天鹅绒的衣服，人家还要他留在宫里快快活活过日子。她却只求给她一辆马拉的小车和一双小皮靴，这样她就又可以到外面去寻找凯依了。 她不仅得到了一双靴子，而且得到了一个暖手筒，她的一身衣服也很漂亮。准备出发的时候．一辆纯金做的马车驶到了门前。马车前有马夫，后有脚夫，左右两旁还有身穿皇家金色制服的侍从骑马护卫。王子和公丰亲自扶她上马车，祝她一路平安。 那只树林里的乌鸦这时已经结了婚，它送了杰尔达三英里，一直坐在杰尔达的旁边，因为它受不了背对着马坐着。那只宫里驯养的乌鸦站在大门口扑扇着翅膀告别杰尔达，它不跟他们一起同行，因为它头痛，很难受，自从她获得固定位子以后，它也实在吃得太多了。车厢里贮存了许多糖块，坐位底下还有水果和姜饼。 “再见！再见！”王子和公主高声叫喊。小杰尔达哭了，乌鸦也哭了。马车走了三英里，乌鸦也跟她告别，这比宫门口的告别更加难受。乌鸦飞上一棵树，久久扑扇着黑翅膀，一直到马车在耀眼的阳光下消失为止。 第五个故事 小小的强盗姑娘 他们驶进了一座十分黑暗的森林，马车却依然像一团火焰闪闪发光。它照在一些强盗的眼睛里，强盗们再也克制不住诱感。 “金子！金子！”他们大叫大嚷冲上前来，抓住马匹，打死侍从、马夫和脚夫．还把小杰尔达从马车上拖下来。 “她很肥很嫩，是吃核桃肉长大的．”老强盗婆说。她明明是女的，却长着又粗又长的胡子，浓密的眉毛垂落下来差点盖住眼睛。“可以做一道好

还有英文版的白雪皇后

The Snow Queen In Seven Stories by Hans Christian Andersen (1845) Story the First, Which Describes a Looking-Glass and the Broken Fragments. ＹOU must attend to the commencement of this story, for when we get to the end we shall know more than we do now about a very wicked hobgoblin; he was one of the very worst, for he was a real demon. One day, when he was in a merry mood, he made a looking-glass which had the power of making everything good or beautiful that was reflected in it almost shrink to nothing, while everything that was worthless and bad looked increased in size and worse than ever. The most lovely landscapes appeared like boiled spinach, and the people became hideous, and looked as if they stood on their heads and had no bodies. Their countenances were so distorted that no one could recognize them, and even one freckle on the face appeared to spread over the whole of the nose and mouth. The demon said this was very amusing. When a good or pious thought passed through the mind of any one it was misrepresented in the glass; and then how the demon laughed at his cunning invention. All who went to the demon’s school—for he kept a school—talked everywhere of the wonders they had seen, and declared that people could now, for the first time, see what the world and mankind were really like. They carried the glass about everywhere, till at last there was not a land nor a people who had not been looked at through this distorted mirror. They wanted even to fly with it up to heaven to see the angels, but the higher they flew the more slippery the glass became, and they could scarcely hold it, till at last it slipped from their hands, fell to the earth, and was broken into millions of pieces. But now the looking-glass caused more unhappiness than ever, for some of the fragments were not so large as a grain of sand, and they flew about the world into every country. When one of these tiny atoms flew into a person’s eye, it stuck there unknown to him, and from that moment he saw everything through a distorted medium, or could see only the worst side of what he looked at, for even the smallest fragment retained the same power which had belonged to the whole mirror. Some few persons even got a fragment of the looking-glass in their hearts, and this was very terrible, for their hearts became cold like a lump of ice. A few of the pieces were so large that they could be used as window-panes; it would have been a sad thing to look at our friends through them. Other pieces were made into spectacles; this was dreadful for those who wore them, for they could see nothing either rightly or justly. At all this the wicked demon laughed till his sides shook—it tickled him so to see the mischief he had done. There were still a number of these little fragments of glass floating about in the air, and now you shall hear what happened with one of them. Second Story: A Little Boy and a Little Girl N a large town, full of houses and people, there is not room for everybody to have even a little garden, therefore they are obliged to be satisfied with a few flowers in flower-pots. In one of these large towns lived two poor children who had a garden something larger and better than a few flower-pots. They were not brother and sister, but they loved each other almost as much as if they had been. Their parents lived opposite to each other in two garrets, where the roofs of neighboring houses projected out towards each other and the water-pipe ran between them. In each house was a little window, so that any one could step across the gutter from one window to the other. The parents of these children had each a large wooden box in which they cultivated kitchen herbs for their own use, and a little rose-bush in each box, which grew splendidly. Now after a while the parents decided to place these two boxes across the water-pipe, so that they reached from one window to the other and looked like two banks of flowers. Sweet-peas drooped over the boxes, and the rose-bushes shot forth long branches, which were trained round the windows and clustered together almost like a triumphal arch of leaves and flowers. The boxes were very high, and the children knew they must not climb upon them, without permission, but they were often, however, allowed to step out together and sit upon their little stools under the rose-bushes, or play quietly. In winter all this pleasure came to an end, for the windows were sometimes quite frozen over. But then they would warm copper pennies on the stove, and hold the warm pennies against the 

frozen pane; there would be very soon a little round hole through which they could peep, and the soft bright eyes of the little boy and girl would beam through the hole at each window 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 in winter they had to go up and down the long staircase, and out through the snow before they could meet. “See there are the white bees swarming,” said Kay’s old grandmother one day when it was snowing. “Have they a queen bee?” asked the little boy, for he knew that the real bees had a queen. “To be sure they have,” said the grandmother. “She is flying there where the swarm is thickest. She is the largest of them all, and never remains on the earth, but flies up to the dark clouds. Often at midnight she flies through the streets of the town, and looks in at the windows, then the ice freezes on the panes into wonderful shapes, that look like flowers and castles.” “Yes, I have seen them,” said both the children, and they knew it must be true. “Can the Snow Queen come in here?” asked the little girl. “Only let her come,” said the boy, “I’ll set her on the stove and then she’ll melt.” Then the grandmother smoothed his hair and told him some more tales. One evening, when little Kay was at home, half undressed, he climbed on a chair by the window and peeped out through the little hole. A few flakes of snow were falling, and one of them, rather larger 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 the figure of a woman, dressed in garments of white gauze, which looked like millions of starry snow-flakes linked together. She was fair and beautiful, but made of ice—shining and glittering ice. Still she was alive and her eyes sparkled like bright stars, but there was neither peace nor rest in their glance. She nodded towards the window and waved her hand. The little boy was frightened and sprang from the chair; at the same moment it seemed as if a large bird flew by the window. On the following day there was a clear frost, and very soon came the spring. The sun shone; the young green leaves burst forth; the swallows built their nests; windows were opened, and the children sat once more in the garden on the roof, high above all the other rooms. How beautiful the roses blossomed this summer. The little girl had learnt a hymn in which roses were spoken of, and then she thought 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 the roses, and looked at the bright sunshine, and spoke to it as if the Christ-child were there. Those were splendid summer days. How beautiful and fresh it was out among the rose-bushes, which seemed as if they would never leave off blooming. One day Kay and Gerda sat looking at a book full of pictures of animals and birds, and then just as the clock in the church tower struck twelve, Kay said, “Oh, something has struck my heart!” and soon after, “There is something in my eye.” 

The little girl put her arm round his neck, and looked into his eye, but she could see nothing. “I think it is gone,” he said. But it was not gone; it was one of those bits of the looking-glass—that magic mirror, of which we have spoken—the ugly glass which made everything great and good appear small and ugly, while all that was wicked and bad became more visible, and every little fault could be plainly seen. Poor little Kay had also received a small grain in his heart, which very quickly turned to a lump of ice. He felt no more pain, but the glass was there still. “Why do you cry?” said he at last; “it makes you look ugly. There is nothing the matter with me now. Oh, see!” he cried suddenly, “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 two roses. “Kay, what are you doing?” cried the little girl; and then, when he saw how frightened she was, he tore off another rose, and jumped through his own window away from little Gerda. When she afterwards brought out the picture book, he said, “It was only fit for babies in long clothes,” and when grandmother told any stories, he would interrupt her with “but;” or, when he could manage it, he would get behind her chair, put on a pair of spectacles, and imitate her very cleverly, to make people laugh. By-and-by he began to mimic the speech and gait of persons in the street. All that was peculiar or disagreeable in a person he would imitate directly, and people said, “That boy will be very clever; he has a remarkable genius.” But it was the piece of glass in his eye, and the coldness in his heart, that made him act like this. He would even tease little Gerda, who loved him with all her heart. His games, too, were quite different; they were not so childish. One winter’s day, when it snowed, he brought out a burning-glass, then he held out the tail of his blue coat, and let the snow-flakes fall upon it. “Look in this glass, Gerda,” said he; and she saw how every flake of snow was magnified, and looked like a beautiful flower or a glittering star. “Is it not clever?” said Kay, “and much more interesting than looking at real flowers. There is not a single fault in it, and the snow-flakes are quite perfect till they begin to melt.” Soon after Kay made his appearance in large thick gloves, and with his sledge at his back. He called up stairs to Gerda, “I’ve got to leave to go into the great square, where the other boys play and ride.” And away he went. In the great square, the boldest among the boys would often tie their sledges to the country people’s carts, and go with them a good way. This was capital. But while they were all amusing themselves, and Kay with them, a great sledge came by; it was painted white, and in it sat some one wrapped in a rough white fur, and wearing a white cap. The sledge drove twice round the square, and Kay fastened his own little sledge to it, so that when it went away, he followed with it. It went faster and faster right through the next street, and then the person who drove turned round and nodded pleasantly to Kay, just as if they were acquainted with each other, but whenever Kay wished to loosen his little sledge the driver nodded again, so Kay sat still, and they drove out through the town gate. Then the snow began to fall so heavily that the little boy could not see a hand’s breadth before him, but still they drove on; then he suddenly loosened the cord so that the large sled might go on without him, but it was of no use, his little carriage held fast, and away they went like the wind. Then he called out loudly, but nobody heard him, while the snow beat upon him, and the sledge flew onwards. Every now and then it gave a jump as if it were going over hedges and ditches. The boy was frightened, and tried to say a prayer, but he could remember nothing but the multiplication table. 

The snow-flakes became larger and larger, till they appeared like great white chickens. All at once they sprang on one side, the great sledge stopped, and the person who had driven it rose up. The fur and the cap, which were made entirely of snow, fell off, and he saw a lady, tall and white, it was the Snow Queen. “We have driven well,” said she, “but why do you tremble? here, creep into my warm fur.” Then she seated him beside her in the sledge, and as she wrapped the fur round him he felt as if he were sinking into a snow drift. “Are you still cold,” she asked, as she kissed him on the forehead. The kiss was colder than ice; it went quite through to his heart, which was already almost a lump of ice; he felt as if he were going to die, but only for a moment; he soon seemed quite well again, and did not notice the cold around him. “My sledge! don’t forget my sledge,” was his first thought, and then he looked and saw that it was bound fast to one of the white chickens, which flew behind him with the sledge at its back. The Snow Queen kissed little Kay again, and by this time he had forgotten little Gerda, his grandmother, and all at home. “Now you must have no more kisses,” she said, “or I should kiss you to death.” Kay looked at her, and saw that she was so beautiful, he could not imagine a more lovely and intelligent face; she did not now seem to be made of ice, as when he had seen her through his window, and she had nodded to him. In his eyes she was perfect, and she did not feel at all afraid. He told her he could do mental arithmetic, as far as fractions, and that he knew the number of square miles and the number of inhabitants in the country. And she always smiled so that he thought he did not know enough yet, and she looked round the vast expanse as she flew higher and higher with him upon a black cloud, while the storm blew and howled as if it were singing old songs. They flew over woods and lakes, over sea and land; below them roared the wild wind; the wolves howled and the snow crackled; over them flew the black screaming crows, and above all shone the moon, clear and bright,—and so Kay passed through the long winter’s night, and by day he slept at the feet of the Snow Queen. Third Story: The Flower Garden of the Woman Who Could ConjureUT how fared little Gerda during Kay’s absence? What had become of him, no one knew, nor could any one give the slightest information, excepting the boys, who said that he had tied his sledge to another very large one, which had driven through the street, and out at the town gate. Nobody knew where it went; many tears were shed for him, and little Gerda wept bitterly for a long time. She said she knew he must be dead; that he was drowned in the river which flowed close by the school. Oh, indeed those long winter days were very dreary. But at last spring came, with warm sunshine. “Kay is dead and gone,” said little Gerda. “I don’t believe it,” said the sunshine. “He is dead and gone,” she said to the sparrows. 

“We don’t believe it,” they replied; and at last little Gerda began to doubt it herself. “I will put on my new red shoes,” she said one morning, “those that Kay has never seen, and then I will go down to the river, and ask for him.” It was quite early when she kissed her old grandmother, who was still asleep; then she put on her red shoes, and went quite alone out of the town gates toward the river. “Is it true that you have taken my little playmate away from me?” said she to the river. “I will give you my red shoes if you will give him back to me.” And it seemed as if the waves nodded to her in a strange manner. Then she took off her red shoes, which she liked better than anything else, and threw them both into the river, but they fell near the bank, and the little waves carried them back to the land, just as if the river would not take from her what she loved best, because they could not give her back little Kay. But she thought the shoes had not been thrown out far enough. Then she crept into a boat that lay among the reeds, and threw the shoes again from the farther end of the boat into the water, but it was not fastened. And her movement sent it gliding away from the land. When she saw this she hastened to reach the end of the boat, but before she could so it was more than a yard from the bank, and drifting away faster than ever. Then little Gerda was very much frightened, and began to cry, but no one heard her except the sparrows, and they could not carry her to land, but they flew along by the shore, and sang, as if to comfort her, “Here we are! Here we are!” The boat floated with the stream; little Gerda sat quite still with only her stockings on her feet; the red shoes floated after her, but she could not reach them because the boat kept so much in advance. The banks on each side of the river were very pretty. There were beautiful flowers, old trees, sloping fields, in which cows and sheep were grazing, but not a man to be seen. Perhaps the river will carry me to little Kay, thought Gerda, and then she became more cheerful, and raised her head, and looked at the beautiful green banks; and so the boat sailed on for hours. At length she came to a large cherry orchard, in which stood a small red house with strange red and blue windows. It had also a thatched roof, and outside were two wooden soldiers, that presented arms to her as she sailed past. Gerda called out to them, for she thought they were alive, but of course they did not answer; and as the boat drifted nearer to the shore, she saw what they really were. Then Gerda called still louder, and there came a very old woman out of the house, leaning on a crutch. She wore a large hat to shade her from the sun, and on it were painted all sorts of pretty flowers. “You poor little child,” said the old woman, “how did you manage to come all this distance into the wide world on such a rapid rolling stream?” And then the old woman walked in the water, seized the boat with her crutch, drew it to land, and lifted Gerda out. And Gerda was glad to feel herself on dry ground, although she was rather afraid of the strange old woman. “Come and tell me who you are,” said she, “and how came you here.” 

Then Gerda told her everything, while the old woman shook her head, and said, “Hem-hem;” and when she had finished, Gerda asked if she had not seen little Kay, and the old woman told her he had not passed by that way, but he very likely would come. So she told Gerda not to be sorrowful, but to taste the cherries and look at the flowers; they were better than any picture-book, for each of them could tell a story. Then she took Gerda by the hand and led her into the little house, and the old woman closed the door. The windows were very high, and as the panes were red, blue, and yellow, the daylight shone through them in all sorts of singular colors. On the table stood beautiful cherries, and Gerda had permission to eat as many as she would. While she was eating them the old woman combed out her long flaxen ringlets with a golden comb, and the glossy curls hung down on each side of the little round pleasant face, which looked fresh and blooming as a rose. “I have long been wishing for a dear little maiden like you,” said the old woman, “and now you must stay with me, and see how happily we shall live together.” And while she went on combing little Gerda’s hair, she thought less and less about her adopted brother Kay, for the old woman could conjure, although she was not a wicked witch; she conjured only a little for her own amusement, and now, because she wanted to keep Gerda. Therefore she went into the garden, and stretched out her crutch towards all the rose-trees, beautiful though they were; and they immediately sunk into the dark earth, so that no one could tell where they had once stood. The old woman was afraid that if little Gerda saw roses she would think of those at home, and then remember little Kay, and run away. Then she took Gerda into the flower-garden. How fragrant and beautiful it was! Every flower that could be thought of for every season of the year was here in full bloom; no picture-book could have more beautiful colors. Gerda jumped for joy, and played till the sun went down behind the tall cherry-trees; then she slept in an elegant bed with red silk pillows, embroidered with colored violets; and then she dreamed as pleasantly as a queen on her wedding day. The next day, and for many days after, Gerda played with the flowers in the warm sunshine. She knew every flower, and yet, although there were so many of them, it seemed as if one were missing, but which it was she could not tell. One day, however, as she sat looking at the old woman’s hat with the painted flowers on it, she saw that the prettiest of them all was a rose. The old woman had forgotten to take it from her hat when she made all the roses sink into the earth. But it is difficult to keep the thoughts together in everything; one little mistake upsets all our arrangements. “What, are there no roses here?” cried Gerda; and she ran out into the garden, and examined all the beds, and searched and searched. There was not one to be found. Then she sat down and wept, and her tears fell just on the place where one of the rose-trees had sunk down. The warm tears moistened the earth, and the rose-tree sprouted up at once, as blooming as when it had sunk; and Gerda embraced it and kissed the roses, and thought of the beautiful roses at home, and, with them, of little Kay. “Oh, how I have been detained!” said the little maiden, “I wanted to seek for little Kay. Do you know where he is?” she asked the roses; “do you think he is dead?” And the roses answered, “No, he is not dead. We have been in the ground where all the dead lie; but Kay is not there.” “Thank you,” said little Gerda, and then she went to the other flowers, and looked into their little cups, and asked, “Do you know where little Kay is?” But each flower, as it stood in the sunshine, dreamed only of its own little fairy tale of history. Not one knew anything of Kay. Gerda heard many stories from the flowers, as she asked them one after another about him. And what, said the tiger-lily? “Hark, do you hear the drum?— ‘turn, turn,’—there are only two notes, always, ‘turn, turn.’ Listen to the women’s song of mourning! Hear the cry of the priest! In her long red robe stands the Hindoo widow by the funeral pile. The flames rise around her as she places herself on the dead body of her husband; but the Hindoo woman is thinking of the living one in that circle; of him, her son, who lighted those flames. Those shining eyes trouble her heart more painfully than the flames which will soon consume her body to ashes. Can the fire of the heart be extinguished in the flames of the funeral pile?”