the snow queen in seven stories-第7部分

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and　in　the　centre　of　this　lake　sat　the　Snow　Queen；　when　she　was　at

home。　She　called　the　lake　〃The　Mirror　of　Reason；〃　and　said　that　it　was

the　best；　and　indeed　the　only　one　in　the　world。

　　　　Little　Kay　was　quite　blue　with　cold；　indeed　almost　black；　but　he

did　not　feel　it；　for　the　Snow　Queen　had　kissed　away　the　icy

shiverings；　and　his　heart　was　already　a　lump　of　ice。　He　dragged　some

sharp；　flat　pieces　of　ice　to　and　fro；　and　placed　them　together　in

all　kinds　of　positions；　as　if　he　wished　to　make　something　out　of　them；

just　as　we　try　to　form　various　figures　with　little　tablets　of　wood

which　we　call　〃a　Chinese　puzzle。〃　Kay's　fingers　were　very　artistic；　it

was　the　icy　game　of　reason　at　which　he　played；　and　in　his　eyes　the

figures　were　very　remarkable；　and　of　the　highest　importance；　this

opinion　was　owing　to　the　piece　of　glass　still　sticking　in　his　eye。

He　composed　many　complete　figures；　forming　different　words；　but

there　was　one　word　he　never　could　manage　to　form；　although　he　wished

it　very　much。　It　was　the　word　〃Eternity。〃　The　Snow　Queen　had　said　to

him；　〃When　you　can　find　out　this；　you　shall　be　your　own　master；　and

I　will　give　you　the　whole　world　and　a　new　pair　of　skates。〃　But　he

could　not　accomplish　it。

　　　　〃Now　I　must　hasten　away　to　warmer　countries；〃　said　the　Snow　Queen。

〃I　will　go　and　look　into　the　black　craters　of　the　tops　of　the

burning　mountains；　Etna　and　Vesuvius；　as　they　are　called；…　I　shall

make　them　look　white；　which　will　be　good　for　them；　and　for　the

lemons　and　the　grapes。〃　And　away　flew　the　Snow　Queen；　leaving　little

Kay　quite　alone　in　the　great　hall　which　was　so　many　miles　in　length；

so　he　sat　and　looked　at　his　pieces　of　ice；　and　was　thinking　so　deeply；

and　sat　so　still；　that　any　one　might　have　supposed　he　was　frozen。

　　　　Just　at　this　moment　it　happened　that　little　Gerda　came　through　the

great　door　of　the　castle。　Cutting　winds　were　raging　around　her；　but

she　offered　up　a　prayer　and　the　winds　sank　down　as　if　they　were

going　to　sleep；　and　she　went　on　till　she　came　to　the　large　empty　hall；

and　caught　sight　of　Kay；　she　knew　him　directly；　she　flew　to　him　and

threw　her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　held　him　fast；　while　she　exclaimed；

〃Kay；　dear　little　Kay；　I　have　found　you　at　last。〃

　　　　But　he　sat　quite　still；　stiff　and　cold。

　　　　Then　little　Gerda　wept　hot　tears；　which　fell　on　his　breast；　and

penetrated　into　his　heart；　and　thawed　the　lump　of　ice；　and　washed　away

the　little　piece　of　glass　which　had　stuck　there。　Then　he　looked　at

her；　and　she　sang…



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Roses　bloom　and　cease　to　be；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　But　we　shall　the　Christ…child　see。〃



　　　　Then　Kay　burst　into　tears；　and　he　wept　so　that　the　splinter　of

glass　swam　out　of　his　eye。　Then　he　recognized　Gerda；　and　said；

joyfully；　〃Gerda；　dear　little　Gerda；　where　have　you　been　all　this

time；　and　where　have　I　been？〃　And　he　looked　all　around　him；　and

said；　〃How　cold　it　is；　and　how　large　and　empty　it　all　looks；〃　and　he

clung　to　Gerda；　and　she　laughed　and　wept　for　joy。　It　was　so　pleasing

to　see　them　that　the　pieces　of　ice　even　danced　about；　and　when　they

were　tired　and　went　to　lie　down；　they　formed　themselves　into　the

letters　of　the　word　which　the　Snow　Queen　had　said　he　must　find　out

before　he　could　be　his　own　master；　and　have　the　whole　world　and　a　pair

of　new　skates。　Then　Gerda　kissed　his　cheeks；　and　they　became　blooming；

and　she　kissed　his　eyes；　and　they　shone　like　her　own；　she　kissed　his

hands　and　his　feet；　and　then　he　became　quite　healthy　and　cheerful。　The

Snow　Queen　might　come　home　now　when　she　pleased；　for　there　stood　his

certainty　of　freedom；　in　the　word　she　wanted；　written　in　shining

letters　of　ice。

　　　　Then　they　took　each　other　by　the　hand；　and　went　forth　from　the

great　palace　of　ice。　They　spoke　of　the　grandmother；　and　of　the　roses

on　the　roof；　and　as　they　went　on　the　winds　were　at　rest；　and　the　sun

burst　forth。　When　they　arrived　at　the　bush　with　red　berries；　there

stood　the　reindeer　waiting　for　them；　and　he　had　brought　another

young　reindeer　with　him；　whose　udders　were　full；　and　the　children

drank　her　warm　milk　and　kissed　her　on　the　mouth。　Then　they　carried　Kay

and　Gerda　first　to　the　Finland　woman；　where　they　warmed　themselves

thoroughly　in　the　hot　room；　and　she　gave　them　directions　about　their

journey　home。　Next　they　went　to　the　Lapland　woman；　who　had　made　some

new　clothes　for　them；　and　put　their　sleighs　in　order。　Both　the

reindeer　ran　by　their　side；　and　followed　them　as　far　as　the　boundaries

of　the　country；　where　the　first　green　leaves　were　budding。　And　here

they　took　leave　of　the　two　reindeer　and　the　Lapland　woman；　and　all

said…　Farewell。　Then　the　birds　began　to　twitter；　and　the　forest　too

was　full　of　green　young　leaves；　and　out　of　it　came　a　beautiful

horse；　which　Gerda　remembered；　for　it　was　one　which　had　drawn　the

golden　coach。　A　young　girl　was　riding　upon　it；　with　a　shining　red

cap　on　her　head；　and　pistols　in　her　belt。　It　was　the　little

robber…maiden；　who　had　got　tired　of　staying　at　home；　she　was　going

first　to　the　north；　and　if　that　did　not　suit　her；　she　meant　to　try

some　other　part　of　the　world。　She　knew　Gerda　directly；　and　Gerda

remembered　her：　it　was　a　joyful　meeting。

　　　　〃You　are　a　fine　fellow　to　go　gadding　about　in　this　way；〃　said

she　to　little　Kay；　〃I　should　like　to　know　whether　you　deserve　that　any

one　should　go　to　the　end　of　the　world　to　find　you。〃

　　　　But　Gerda　patted　her　cheeks；　and　asked　after　the　prince　and

princess。

　　　　〃They　are　gone　to　foreign　countries；〃　said　the　robber…girl。

　　　　〃And　the　crow？〃　asked　Gerda。

　　　　〃Oh；　the　crow　is　dead；〃　she　replied；　〃his　tame　sweetheart　is　now　a

widow；　and　wears　a　bit　of　black　worsted　round　her　leg。　She　mourns　very

pitifully；　but　it　is　all　stuff。　But　now　tell　me　how　you　managed　to　get

him　back。〃

　　　　Then　Gerda　and　Kay　told　her　all　about　it。

　　　　〃Snip；　snap；　snare！　it's　all　right　at　last；〃　said　the　robber…girl。

　　　　Then　she　took　both　their　hands；　and　promised　that　if　ever　she

should　pass　through　the　town；　she　would　call　and　pay　them　a　visit。　And

then　she　rode　away　into　the　wide　world。　But　Gerda　and　Kay　went

hand…in…hand　towards　home；　and　as　they　advanced；　spring　appeared

more　lovely　with　its　green　verdure　and　its　beautiful　flowers。　Very

soon　they　recognized　the　large　town　where　they　lived；　and　the　tall

steeples　of　the　churches；　in　which　the　sweet　bells　were　ringing　a

merry　peal　as　they　entered　it；　and　found　their　way　to　their

grandmother's　door。　They　went　upstairs　into　the　little　room；　where　all

looked　just　as　it　used　to　do。　The　old　clock　was　going　〃tick；　tick；〃

and　the　hands　pointed　to　the　time　of　day；　but　as　they　passed　through

the　door　into　the　room　they　perceived　that　they　were　both　grown　up；

and　become　a　man　and　woman。　The　roses　out　on　the　roof　were　in　full

bloom；　and　peeped　in　at　the　window；　and　there　stood　the　little　chairs；

on　which　they　had　sat　when　children；　and　Kay　and　Gerda　seated

themselves　each　on　their　own　chair；　and　held　each　other　by　the　hand；

while　the　cold　empty　grandeur　of　the　Snow　Queen's　palace　vanished　from

their　memories　like　a　painful　dream。　The　grandmother　sat　in　God's

bright　sunshine；　and　she　read　aloud　from　the　Bible；　〃Except　ye

become　as　little　children；　ye　shall　in　no　wise　enter　into　the

kingdom　of　God。〃　And　Kay　and　Gerda　looked　into　each　other's　eyes；

and　all　at　once　understood　the　words　of　the　old　song；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Roses　bloom　and　cease　to　be；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　But　we　shall　the　Christ…child　see。〃



And　they　both　sat　there；　grown　up；　yet　children　at　heart；　and　it　was

summer；…　warm；　beautiful　summer。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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