the snow queen in seven stories-第4部分

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and　then　he　asked　her　where　she　was　going　all　alone　in　the　wide　world。

　　　　The　word　alone　Gerda　understood　very　well；　and　knew　how　much　it

expressed。　So　then　she　told　the　crow　the　whole　story　of　her　life　and

adventures；　and　asked　him　if　he　had　seen　little　Kay。

　　　　The　crow　nodded　his　head　very　gravely；　and　said；　〃Perhaps　I

have…　it　may　be。〃

　　　　〃No！　Do　you　think　you　have？〃　cried　little　Gerda；　and　she　kissed

the　crow；　and　hugged　him　almost　to　death　with　joy。

　　　　〃Gently；　gently；〃　said　the　crow。　〃I　believe　I　know。　I　think　it　may

be　little　Kay；　but　he　has　certainly　forgotten　you　by　this　time　for　the

princess。〃

　　　　〃Does　he　live　with　a　princess？〃　asked　Gerda。

　　　　〃Yes；　listen；〃　replied　the　crow；　〃but　it　is　so　difficult　to

speak　your　language。　If　you　understand　the　crows'　language　then　I

can　explain　it　better。　Do　you？〃

　　　　〃No；　I　have　never　learnt　it；〃　said　Gerda；　but　my　grandmother

understands　it；　and　used　to　speak　it　to　me。　I　wish　I　had　learnt　it。〃

　　　　〃It　does　not　matter；〃　answered　the　crow；　〃I　will　explain　as　well

as　I　can；　although　it　will　be　very　badly　done；〃　and　he　told　her　what

he　had　heard。　〃In　this　kingdom　where　we　now　are；〃　said　he；　〃there

lives　a　princess；　who　is　so　wonderfully　clever　that　she　has　read　all

the　newspapers　in　the　world；　and　forgotten　them　too；　although　she　is

so　clever。　A　short　time　ago；　as　she　was　sitting　on　her　throne；　which

people　say　is　not　such　an　agreeable　seat　as　is　often　supposed；　she

began　to　sing　a　song　which　commences　in　these　words：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Why　should　I　not　be　married？'



'Why　not　indeed？'　said　she；　and　so　she　determined　to　marry　if　she

could　find　a　husband　who　knew　what　to　say　when　he　was　spoken　to；　and

not　one　who　could　only　look　grand；　for　that　was　so　tiresome。　Then

she　assembled　all　her　court　ladies　together　at　the　beat　of　the　drum；

and　when　they　heard　of　her　intentions　they　were　very　much　pleased。　'We

are　so　glad　to　hear　it；'　said　they；　we　were　talking　about　it　ourselves

the　other　day。'　You　may　believe　that　every　word　I　tell　you　is　true；〃

said　the　crow；　〃for　I　have　a　tame　sweetheart　who　goes　freely　about　the

palace；　and　she　told　me　all　this。〃

　　　　Of　course　his　sweetheart　was　a　crow；　for　〃birds　of　a　feather　flock

together；〃　and　one　crow　always　chooses　another　crow。

　　　　〃Newspapers　were　published　immediately；　with　a　border　of　hearts；

and　the　initials　of　the　princess　among　them。　They　gave　notice　that

every　young　man　who　was　handsome　was　free　to　visit　the　castle　and

speak　with　the　princess；　and　those　who　could　reply　loud　enough　to　be

heard　when　spoken　to；　were　to　make　themselves　quite　at　home　at　the

palace；　but　the　one　who　spoke　best　would　be　chosen　as　a　husband　for

the　princess。　Yes；　yes；　you　may　believe　me；　it　is　all　as　true　as　I　sit

here；〃　said　the　crow。　〃The　people　came　in　crowds。　There　was　a　great

deal　of　crushing　and　running　about；　but　no　one　succeeded　either　on　the

first　or　second　day。　They　could　all　speak　very　well　while　they　were

outside　in　the　streets；　but　when　they　entered　the　palace　gates；　and

saw　the　guards　in　silver　uniforms；　and　the　footmen　in　their　golden

livery　on　the　staircase；　and　the　great　halls　lighted　up；　they　became

quite　confused。　And　when　they　stood　before　the　throne　on　which　the

princess　sat；　they　could　do　nothing　but　repeat　the　last　words　she

had　said；　and　she　had　no　particular　wish　to　hear　her　own　words　over

again。　It　was　just　as　if　they　had　all　taken　something　to　make　them

sleepy　while　they　were　in　the　palace；　for　they　did　not　recover

themselves　nor　speak　till　they　got　back　again　into　the　street。　There

was　quite　a　long　line　of　them　reaching　from　the　town…gate　to　the

palace。　I　went　myself　to　see　them；〃　said　the　crow。　〃They　were　hungry

and　thirsty；　for　at　the　palace　they　did　not　get　even　a　glass　of　water。

Some　of　the　wisest　had　taken　a　few　slices　of　bread　and　butter　with

them；　but　they　did　not　share　it　with　their　neighbors；　they　thought

if　they　went　in　to　the　princess　looking　hungry；　there　would　be　a

better　chance　for　themselves。〃

　　　　〃But　Kay！　tell　me　about　little　Kay！〃　said　Gerda；　〃was　he　amongst

the　crowd？〃

　　　　〃Stop　a　bit；　we　are　just　coming　to　him。　It　was　on　the　third　day；

there　came　marching　cheerfully　along　to　the　palace　a　little　personage；

without　horses　or　carriage；　his　eyes　sparkling　like　yours；　he　had

beautiful　long　hair；　but　his　clothes　were　very　poor。〃

　　　　〃That　was　Kay！〃　said　Gerda　joyfully。　〃Oh；　then　I　have　found

him；〃　and　she　clapped　her　hands。

　　　　〃He　had　a　little　knapsack　on　his　back；〃　added　the　crow。

　　　　〃No；　it　must　have　been　his　sledge；〃　said　Gerda；　〃for　he　went

away　with　it。〃

　　　　〃It　may　have　been　so；〃　said　the　crow；　〃I　did　not　look　at　it　very

closely。　But　I　know　from　my　tame　sweetheart　that　he　passed　through　the

palace　gates；　saw　the　guards　in　their　silver　uniform；　and　the　servants

in　their　liveries　of　gold　on　the　stairs；　but　he　was　not　in　the　least

embarrassed。　'It　must　be　very　tiresome　to　stand　on　the　stairs；'　he

said。　'I　prefer　to　go　in。〃　The　rooms　were　blazing　with　light。

Councillors　and　ambassadors　walked　about　with　bare　feet；　carrying

golden　vessels；　it　was　enough　to　make　any　one　feel　serious。　His

boots　creaked　loudly　as　he　walked；　and　yet　he　was　not　at　all　uneasy。〃

　　　　〃It　must　be　Kay；〃　said　Gerda；　〃I　know　he　had　new　boots　on；　I

have　heard　them　creak　in　grandmother's　room。〃

　　　　〃They　really　did　creak；〃　said　the　crow；　〃yet　he　went　boldly　up

to　the　princess　herself；　who　was　sitting　on　a　pearl　as　large　as　a

spinning　wheel；　and　all　the　ladies　of　the　court　were　present　with

their　maids；　and　all　the　cavaliers　with　their　servants；　and　each　of

the　maids　had　another　maid　to　wait　upon　her；　and　the　cavaliers'

servants　had　their　own　servants；　as　well　as　a　page　each。　They　all

stood　in　circles　round　the　princess；　and　the　nearer　they　stood　to

the　door；　the　prouder　they　looked。　The　servants'　pages；　who　always

wore　slippers；　could　hardly　be　looked　at；　they　held　themselves　up　so

proudly　by　the　door。〃

　　　　〃It　must　be　quite　awful；〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃but　did　Kay　win

the　princess？〃

　　　　〃If　I　had　not　been　a　crow；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　have　married　her

myself；　although　I　am　engaged。　He　spoke　just　as　well　as　I　do；　when　I

speak　the　crows'　language；　so　I　heard　from　my　tame　sweetheart。　He

was　quite　free　and　agreeable　and　said　he　had　not　come　to　woo　the

princess；　but　to　hear　her　wisdom；　and　he　was　as　pleased　with　her　as

she　was　with　him。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　certainly　that　was　Kay；〃　said　Gerda；　〃he　was　so　clever；　he

could　work　mental　arithmetic　and　fractions。　Oh；　will　you　take　me　to

the　palace？〃

　　　　〃It　is　very　easy　to　ask　that；〃　replied　the　crow；　〃but　how　are　we

to　manage　it？　However；　I　will　speak　about　it　to　my　tame　sweetheart；

and　ask　her　advice；　for　I　must　tell　you　it　will　be　very　difficult　to

gain　permission　for　a　little　girl　like　you　to　enter　the　palace。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　yes；　but　I　shall　gain　permission　easily；〃　said　Gerda；　〃for

when　Kay　hears　that　I　am　here；　he　will　come　out　and　fetch　me　in

immediately。〃

　　　　〃Wait　for　me　here　by　the　palings；〃　said　the　crow；　wagging　his　head

as　he　flew　away。

　　　　It　was　late　in　the　evening　before　the　crow　returned。　〃Caw；　caw；〃

he　said；　she　sends　you　greeting；　and　here　is　a　little　roll　which　she

took　from　the　kitchen　for　you；　there　is　plenty　of　bread　there；　and　she

thinks　you　must　be　hungry。　It　is　not　possible　for　you　to　enter　the

palace　by　the　front　entrance。　The　guards　in　silver　uniform　and　the

servants　in　gold　livery　would　not　allow　it。　But　do　not　cry；　we　will

manage　to　get　you　in；　my　sweetheart　knows　a　little　back…staircase　that

leads　to　the　sleeping　apartments；　and　she　knows　where　to　find　the

key。〃

　　　　Then　they　went　into　the　garden　through　the　great　avenue；　where　the

leaves　were　falling　one　after　another；　and　they　could　see　the　light　in

the　palace　being　put　out　in　the　same　manner。　And　the　crow　led　little

Gerda　to　the　back　door；　which　stood　ajar。　Oh！　how　little　Gerda's　heart

beat　with　anxiety　and　longing；　it　was　just　as　if　she　were　going　to

do　something　wrong；　and　yet　she　only　wanted　to　know　where　little　Kay

was。　〃It　must　be　he；〃　she　thought；　〃with　those　clear　eyes；　and　that

long　hair。〃　She　could　fancy　she　saw　him　smiling　at　her；　as　he　used

to　at　home；　when　they　sat　among　the　roses。　He　would　certainly　be

glad　to　see　her；　and　to　hear　what　a　long　distance　she　had　come　for　his

sake；　and　to　know　how　sorry　they　had　been　at　home　because　he　did　not

come　back。　Oh　what　joy　and　yet　fear　she　felt！　They　were　now　on　the

stairs；　and　in　a　small　closet　at　the　top　a　lamp　was　burning。　In　the

middle　of　the　floor　stood　the　tame　crow；　turning　her　head　from　side　to

side；　and　gazing　at　Gerda；　who　curtseyed　as　her　grandmother　had　taught

her　to　do。

　　　　〃My　betrothed　has　spoken　so　very　highly　of　you；　my　little　lady；〃

said　the　tame　crow；　〃your　life…history；　Vita；　as　it　may　be　called；

is　very　touching。　If　you　will　take　the　lamp　I　will　walk　before　you。　We

will　go　straight　along　this　way；　then　we　shall　meet　no　one。〃

　　　　〃It　seems　to　me　as　if　somebody　were　behind　us；〃　said　Gerda；　as

something　rushed　by　her　like　a　shadow　on　the　wall；　and　then　horses

with　flying　manes　and　thin　legs；　hunters；　ladies　and　gentlemen　on

horseback；　glided　by　her；　like　shadows　on　the　wall。

　　　　〃They　are　only　dreams；〃　said　the　crow；　〃they　are　coming　to　fetch

the　thoughts　of　the　great　people　out　hunting。〃

　　　　〃All　the　better；　for　we　shall　be　able　to　look　at　them　in　their

beds　more　safely。　I　hope　that　when　you　rise　to　honor　and　favor；　you

will　show　a　grateful　heart。〃

　　　　〃You　may　be　quite　sure　of　that；〃　said　the　crow　from　the　forest。

　　　　They　now　came　into　the　first　hall；　the　walls　of　which　were　hung

with　rose…colored　satin；　embroidered　with　artificial　flowers。　Here　the

dreams　again　flitted　by　them　but　so　quickly　that　Gerda　could　not

distinguish　the　royal　persons。　Each　hall　appeared　more　splendid　than

the　last；　it　was　enought　to　bewilder　any　one。　At　length　they　reached　a

bedroom。　The　ceiling　was　like　a　great　palm…tree；　with　glass　leaves

of　the　most　costly　crystal；　and　over　the　centre　of　the　floor　two　beds；

each　resembling　a　lily；　hung　from　a　stem　of　gold。　One；　in　which　the

princess