beauty of form and beauty of mind-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BEAUTY　OF　FORM　AND　BEAUTY　OF　MIND

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THERE　was　once　a　sculptor；　named　Alfred；　who　having　won　the

large　gold　medal　and　obtained　a　travelling　scholarship；　went　to　Italy；

and　then　came　back　to　his　native　land。　He　was　young　at　that　time…

indeed；　he　is　young　still；　although　he　is　ten　years　older　than　he

was　then。　On　his　return；　he　went　to　visit　one　of　the　little　towns　in

the　island　of　Zealand。　The　whole　town　knew　who　the　stranger　was；　and

one　of　the　richest　men　in　the　place　gave　a　party　in　his　honor；　and　all

who　were　of　any　consequence；　or　who　possessed　some　property；　were

invited。　It　was　quite　an　event；　and　all　the　town　knew　of　it；　so　that

it　was　not　necessary　to　announce　it　by　beat　of　drum。

Apprentice…boys；　children　of　the　poor；　and　even　the　poor　people

themselves；　stood　before　the　house；　watching　the　lighted　windows；

and　the　watchman　might　easily　fancy　he　was　giving　a　party　also；

there　were　so　many　people　in　the　streets。　There　was　quite　an　air　of

festivity　about　it；　and　the　house　was　full　of　it；　for　Mr。　Alfred；

the　sculptor；　was　there。　He　talked　and　told　anecdotes；　and　every　one

listened　to　him　with　pleasure；　not　unmingled　with　awe；　but　none　felt

so　much　respect　for　him　as　did　the　elderly　widow　of　a　naval　officer。

She　seemed；　so　far　as　Mr。　Alfred　was　concerned；　to　be　like　a　piece

of　fresh　blotting…paper　that　absorbed　all　he　said　and　asked　for

more。　She　was　very　appreciative；　and　incredibly　ignorant…　a　kind　of

female　Gaspar　Hauser。

　　　　〃I　should　like　to　see　Rome；〃　she　said；　〃it　must　be　a　lovely

city；　or　so　many　foreigners　would　not　be　constantly　arriving　there。

Now；　do　give　me　a　description　of　Rome。　How　does　the　city　look　when　you

enter　in　at　the　gate？〃

　　　　〃I　cannot　very　well　describe　it；〃　said　the　sculptor；　〃but　you

enter　on　a　large　open　space；　in　the　centre　of　which　stands　an　obelisk；

which　is　a　thousand　years　old。〃

　　　　〃An　organist！〃　exclaimed　the　lady；　who　had　never　heard　the　word

'obelisk。'　Several　of　the　guests　could　scarcely　forbear　laughing；

and　the　sculptor　would　have　had　some　difficulty　in　keeping　his

countenance；　but　the　smile　on　his　lips　faded　away；　for　he　caught　sight

of　a　pair　of　dark…blue　eyes　close　by　the　side　of　the　inquisitive　lady。

They　belonged　to　her　daughter；　and　surely　no　one　who　had　such　a

daughter　could　be　silly。　The　mother　was　like　a　fountain　of

questions；　and　the　daughter；　who　listened　but　never　spoke；　might

have　passed　for　the　beautiful　maid　of　the　fountain。　How　charming　she

was！　She　was　a　study　for　the　sculptor　to　contemplate；　but　not　to

converse　with；　for　she　did　not　speak；　or；　at　least；　very　seldom。

　　　　〃Has　the　pope　a　great　family？〃　inquired　the　lady。

　　　　The　young　man　answered　considerately；　as　if　the　question　had

been　a　different　one；　〃No；　he　does　not　come　from　a　great　family。〃

　　　　〃That　is　not　what　I　asked；〃　persisted　the　widow；　〃I　mean；　has　he　a

wife　and　children？〃

　　　　〃The　pope　is　not　allowed　to　marry；〃　replied　the　gentleman。

　　　　〃I　don't　like　that；〃　was　the　lady's　remark。

　　　　She　certainly　might　have　asked　more　sensible　questions；　but　if　she

had　not　been　allowed　to　say　just　what　she　liked；　would　her　daughter

have　been　there；　leaning　so　gracefully　on　her　shoulder；　and　looking

straight　before　her；　with　a　smile　that　was　almost　mournful　on　her

face？

　　　　Mr。　Alfred　again　spoke　of　Italy；　and　of　the　glorious　colors　in

Italian　scenery；　the　purple　hills；　the　deep　blue　of　the　Mediterranean；

the　azure　of　southern　skies；　whose　brightness　and　glory　could　only

be　surpassed　in　the　north　by　the　deep…blue　eyes　of　a　maiden；　and　he

said　this　with　a　peculiar　intonation；　but　she　who　should　have

understood　his　meaning　looked　quite　unconscious　of　it；　which　also

was　charming。

　　　　〃Beautiful　Italy！〃　sighed　some　of　the　guests。

　　　　〃Oh；　to　travel　there！〃　exclaimed　others。

　　　　〃Charming！　Charming！〃　echoed　from　every　voice。

　　　　〃I　may　perhaps　win　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　the　lottery；〃

said　the　naval　officer's　widow；　〃and　if　I　do；　we　will　travel…　I　and　my

daughter；　and　you；　Mr。　Alfred；　must　be　our　guide。　We　can　all　three

travel　together；　with　one　or　two　more　of　our　good　friends。〃　And　she

nodded　in　such　a　friendly　way　at　the　company；　that　each　imagined

himself　to　be　the　favored　person　who　was　to　accompany　them　to　Italy。

〃Yes；　we　must　go；〃　she　continued；　〃but　not　to　those　parts　where

there　are　robbers。　We　will　keep　to　Rome。　In　the　public　roads　one　is

always　safe。〃

　　　　The　daughter　sighed　very　gently；　and　how　much　there　may　be　in　a

sigh；　or　attributed　to　it！　The　young　man　attributed　a　great　deal　of

meaning　to　this　sigh。　Those　deep…blue　eyes；　which　had　been　lit　up　this

evening　in　honor　of　him；　must　conceal　treasures；　treasures　of　heart

and　mind；　richer　than　all　the　glories　of　Rome；　and　so　when　he　left　the

party　that　night；　he　had　lost　it　completely　to　the　young　lady。　The

house　of　the　naval　officer's　widow　was　the　one　most　constantly　visited

by　Mr。　Alfred；　the　sculptor。　It　was　soon　understood　that　his　visits

were　not　intended　for　that　lady；　though　they　were　the　persons　who　kept

up　the　conversation。　He　came　for　the　sake　of　the　daughter。　They　called

her　Kaela。　Her　name　was　really　Karen　Malena；　and　these　two　names　had

been　contracted　into　the　one　name　Kaela。　She　was　really　beautiful；　but

some　said　she　was　rather　dull；　and　slept　late　of　a　morning。

　　　　〃She　has　been　accustomed　to　that；〃　her　mother　said。　〃She　is　a

beauty；　and　they　are　always　easily　tired。　She　does　sleep　rather

late；　but　that　makes　her　eyes　so　clear。〃

　　　　What　power　seemed　to　lie　in　the　depths　of　those　dark　eyes！　The

young　man　felt　the　truth　of　the　proverb；　〃Still　waters　run　deep：〃

and　his　heart　had　sunk　into　their　depths。　He　often　talked　of　his

adventures；　and　the　mamma　was　as　simple　and　eager　in　her　questions

as　on　the　first　evening　they　met。　It　was　a　pleasure　to　hear　Alfred

describe　anything。　He　showed　them　colored　plates　of　Naples；　and

spoke　of　excursions　to　Mount　Vesuvius；　and　the　eruptions　of　fire

from　it。　The　naval　officer's　widow　had　never　heard　of　them　before。

　　　　〃Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃So　that　is　a　burning　mountain；　but

is　it　not　very　dangerous　to　the　people　who　live　near　it？〃

　　　　〃Whole　cities　have　been　destroyed；〃　he　replied；　〃for　instance；

Herculaneum　and　Pompeii。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　the　poor　people！　And　you　saw　all　that　with　your　own　eyes？〃

　　　　〃No；　I　did　not　see　any　of　the　eruptions　which　are　represented　in

those　pictures；　but　I　will　show　you　a　sketch　of　my　own；　which

represents　an　eruption　I　once　saw。〃

　　　　He　placed　a　pencil　sketch　on　the　table；　and　mamma；　who　had　been

over…powered　with　the　appearance　of　the　colored　plates；　threw　a　glance

at　the　pale　drawing　and　cried　in　astonishment；　〃What；　did　you　see　it

throw　up　white　fire？〃

　　　　For　a　moment；　Alfred's　respect　for　Kaela's　mamma　underwent　a

sudden　shock；　and　lessened　considerably；　but；　dazzled　by　the　light

which　surrounded　Kaela；　he　soon　found　it　quite　natural　that　the　old

lady　should　have　no　eye　for　color。　After　all；　it　was　of　very　little

consequence；　for　Kaela's　mamma　had　the　best　of　all　possessions；

namely；　Kaela　herself。

　　　　Alfred　and　Kaela　were　betrothed；　which　was　a　very　natural

result；　and　the　betrothal　was　announced　in　the　newspaper　of　the　little

town。　Mama　purchased　thirty　copies　of　the　paper；　that　she　might　cut

out　the　paragraph　and　send　it　to　friends　and　acquaintances。　The

betrothed　pair　were　very　happy；　and　the　mother　was　happy　too。　She　said

it　seemed　like　connecting　herself　with　Thorwalsden。

　　　　〃You　are　a　true　successor　of　Thorwalsden；〃　she　said　to　Alfred；　and

it　seemed　to　him　as　if；　in　this　instance；　mamma　had　said　a　clever

thing。　Kaela　was　silent；　but　her　eyes　shone；　her　lips　smiled；　every

movement　was　graceful；…　in　fact；　she　was　beautiful；　that　cannot　be

repeated　too　often。　Alfred　decided　to　take　a　bust　of　Kaela　as　well

as　of　her　mother。　They　sat　to　him　accordingly；　and　saw　how　he

moulded　and　formed　the　soft　clay　with　his　fingers。

　　　　〃I　suppose　it　is　only　on　our　account　that　you　perform　this

common…place　work　yourself；　instead　of　leaving　it　to　your　servant　to

do　all　that　sticking　together。〃

　　　　〃It　is　really　necessary　that　I　should　mould　the　clay　myself；〃　he

replied。

　　　　〃Ah；　yes；　you　are　always　so　polite；〃　said　mamma；　with　a　smile；　and

Kaela　silently　pressed　his　hand；　all　soiled　as　it　was　with　the　clay。

　　　　Then　he　unfolded　to　them　both　the　beauties　of　Nature；　in　all　her

works；　he　pointed　out　to　them　how；　in　the　scale　of　creation；　inanimate

matter　was　inferior　to　animate　nature；　the　plant　above　the　mineral；

the　animal　above　the　plant；　and　man　above　them　all。　He　strove　to

show　them　how　the　beauty　of　the　mind　could　be　displayed　in　the　outward

form；　and　that　it　was　the　sculptor's　task　to　seize　upon　that　beauty　of

expression；　and　produce　it　in　his　works。　Kaela　stood　silent；　but

nodded　in　approbation　of　what　he　said；　while　mamma…in…law　made　the

following　confession：…

　　　　〃It　is　difficult　to　follow　you；　but　I　go　hobbling　along　after

you　with　my　thoughts；　though　what　you　say　makes　my　head　whirl　round

and　round。　Still　I　contrive　to　lay　hold　on　some　of　it。〃

　　　　Kaela's　beauty　had　a　firm　hold　on　Alfred；　it　filled　his　soul；

and　held　a　mastery　over　him。　Beauty　beamed　from　Kaela's　every　feature；

glittered　in　her　eyes；　lurked　in　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　and

pervaded　every　movement　of　her　agile　fingers。　Alfred；　the　sculptor；

saw　this。　He　spoke　only　to　her；　thought　only　of　her；　and　the　two

became　one；　and　so　it　may　be　said　she　spoke　much；　for　he　was　always

talking　to　her；　and　he　and　she　were　one。　Such　was　the　betrothal；　and

then　came　the　wedding；　with　bride's…maids　and　wedding　presents；　all

duly　mentioned　in　the　wedding　speech。　Mamma…in…law　had　set　up

Thorwalsden's　bust　at　the　end　of　the　table；　attired　in　a

dressing…gown；　it　was　her　fancy　that　he　should　be　a　guest。　Songs

were　sung；　and　cheers　given；　for　it　was　a　gay　wedding；　and　they　were　a

handsome　pair。　〃Pygmalion　loved　his　Galatea；〃　said　one　of　the　songs。

　　　　〃Ah；　that　is　some　of　your　mythologies；〃