she was good for nothing-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHE　WAS　GOOD　FOR　NOTHING

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THE　mayor　stood　at　the　open　window。　He　looked　smart；　for　his

shirt…frill；　in　which　he　had　stuck　a　breast…pin；　and　his　ruffles；　were

very　fine。　He　had　shaved　his　chin　uncommonly　smooth；　although　he　had

cut　himself　slightly；　and　had　stuck　a　piece　of　newspaper　over　the

place。　〃Hark　'ee；　youngster！〃　cried　he。

　　　　The　boy　to　whom　he　spoke　was　no　other　than　the　son　of　a　poor

washer…woman；　who　was　just　going　past　the　house。　He　stopped；　and

respectfully　took　off　his　cap。　The　peak　of　this　cap　was　broken　in

the　middle；　so　that　he　could　easily　roll　it　up　and　put　it　in　his

pocket。　He　stood　before　the　mayor　in　his　poor　but　clean　and

well…mended　clothes；　with　heavy　wooden　shoes　on　his　feet；　looking　as

humble　as　if　it　had　been　the　king　himself。

　　　　〃You　are　a　good　and　civil　boy；〃　said　the　mayor。　〃I　suppose　your

mother　is　busy　washing　the　clothes　down　by　the　river；　and　you　are

going　to　carry　that　thing　to　her　that　you　have　in　your　pocket。　It　is

very　bad　for　your　mother。　How　much　have　you　got　in　it？〃

　　　　〃Only　half　a　quartern；〃　stammered　the　boy　in　a　frightened　voice。

　　　　〃And　she　has　had　just　as　much　this　morning　already？〃

　　　　〃No；　it　was　yesterday；〃　replied　the　boy。

　　　　〃Two　halves　make　a　whole；〃　said　the　mayor。　〃She's　good　for

nothing。　What　a　sad　thing　it　is　with　these　people。　Tell　your　mother

she　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　herself。　Don't　you　become　a　drunkard；　but　I

expect　you　will　though。　Poor　child！　there；　go　now。〃

　　　　The　boy　went　on　his　way　with　his　cap　in　his　hand；　while　the　wind

fluttered　his　golden　hair　till　the　locks　stood　up　straight。　He

turned　round　the　corner　of　the　street　into　the　little　lane　that　led　to

the　river；　where　his　mother　stood　in　the　water　by　her　washing　bench；

beating　the　linen　with　a　heavy　wooden　bar。　The　floodgates　at　the

mill　had　been　drawn　up；　and　as　the　water　rolled　rapidly　on；　the　sheets

were　dragged　along　by　the　stream；　and　nearly　overturned　the　bench；

so　that　the　washer…woman　was　obliged　to　lean　against　it　to　keep　it

steady。　〃I　have　been　very　nearly　carried　away；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　a

good　thing　that　you　are　come；　for　I　want　something　to　strengthen　me。

It　is　cold　in　the　water；　and　I　have　stood　here　six　hours。　Have　you

brought　anything　for　me？〃

　　　　The　boy　drew　the　bottle　from　his　pocket；　and　the　mother　put　it

to　her　lips；　and　drank　a　little。

　　　　〃Ah；　how　much　good　that　does；　and　how　it　warms　me；〃　she　said；

〃it　is　as　good　as　a　hot　meal；　and　not　so　dear。　Drink　a　little；　my　boy；

you　look　quite　pale；　you　are　shivering　in　your　thin　clothes；　and

autumn　has　really　come。　Oh；　how　cold　the　water　is！　I　hope　I　shall

not　be　ill。　But　no；　I　must　not　be　afraid　of　that。　Give　me　a　little

more；　and　you　may　have　a　sip　too；　but　only　a　sip；　you　must　not　get

used　to　it；　my　poor；　dear　child。〃　She　stepped　up　to　the　bridge　on

which　the　boy　stood　as　she　spoke；　and　came　on　shore。　The　water　dripped

from　the　straw　mat　which　she　had　bound　round　her　body；　and　from　her

gown。　〃I　work　hard　and　suffer　pain　with　my　poor　hands；〃　said　she；　〃but

I　do　it　willingly；　that　I　may　be　able　to　bring　you　up　honestly　and

truthfully；　my　dear　boy。〃

　　　　At　the　same　moment；　a　woman；　rather　older　than　herself；　came

towards　them。　She　was　a　miserable…looking　object；　lame　of　one　leg；　and

with　a　large　false　curl　hanging　down　over　one　of　her　eyes；　which　was

blind。　This　curl　was　intended　to　conceal　the　blind　eye；　but　it　made

the　defect　only　more　visible。　She　was　a　friend　of　the　laundress；　and

was　called；　among　the　neighbors；　〃Lame　Martha；　with　the　curl。〃　〃Oh；

you　poor　thing；　how　you　do　work；　standing　there　in　the　water！〃　she

exclaimed。　〃You　really　do　need　something　to　give　you　a　little

warmth；　and　yet　spiteful　people　cry　out　about　the　few　drops　you　take。〃

And　then　Martha　repeated　to　the　laundress；　in　a　very　few　minutes；

all　that　the　mayor　had　said　to　her　boy；　which　she　had　overheard；　and

she　felt　very　angry　that　any　man　could　speak；　as　he　had　done；　of　a

mother　to　her　own　child；　about　the　few　drops　she　had　taken；　and　she

was　still　more　angry　because；　on　that　very　day；　the　mayor　was　going　to

have　a　dinner…party；　at　which　there　would　be　wine；　strong；　rich

wine；　drunk　by　the　bottle。　〃Many　will　take　more　than　they　ought；　but

they　don't　call　that　drinking！　They　are　all　right；　you　are　good　for

nothing　indeed！〃　cried　Martha　indignantly。

　　　　〃And　so　he　spoke　to　you　in　that　way；　did　he；　my　child？〃　said　the

washer…woman；　and　her　lips　trembled　as　she　spoke。　〃He　says　you　have

a　mother　who　is　good　for　nothing。　Well；　perhaps　he　is　right；　but　he

should　not　have　said　it　to　my　child。　How　much　has　happened　to　me

from　that　house！〃

　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Martha；　〃I　remember　you　were　in　service　there；　and

lived　in　the　house　when　the　mayor's　parents　were　alive；　how　many　years

ago　that　is。　Bushels　of　salt　have　been　eaten　since　then；　and　people

may　well　be　thirsty；〃　and　Martha　smiled。　〃The　mayor's　great

dinner…party　to…day　ought　to　have　been　put　off；　but　the　news　came

too　late。　The　footman　told　me　the　dinner　was　already　cooked；　when　a

letter　came　to　say　that　the　mayor's　younger　brother　in　Copenhagen　is

dead。〃

　　　　〃Dead！〃　cried　the　laundress；　turning　pale　as　death。

　　　　〃Yes；　certainly；〃　replied　Martha；　〃but　why　do　you　take　it　so

much　to　heart？　I　suppose　you　knew　him　years　ago；　when　you　were　in

service　there？〃

　　　　〃Is　he　dead？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Oh；　he　was　such　a　kind；　good…hearted

man；　there　are　not　many　like　him；〃　and　the　tears　rolled　down　her

cheeks　as　she　spoke。　Then　she　cried；　〃Oh；　dear　me；　I　feel　quite　ill：

everything　is　going　round　me；　I　cannot　bear　it。　Is　the　bottle

empty？〃　and　she　leaned　against　the　plank。

　　　　〃Dear　me；　you　are　ill　indeed；〃　said　the　other　woman。　〃Come；

cheer　up；　perhaps　it　will　pass　off。　No；　indeed；　I　see　you　are　really

ill；　the　best　thing　for　me　to　do　is　to　lead　you　home。〃

　　　　〃But　my　washing　yonder？〃

　　　　〃I　will　take　care　of　that。　Come；　give　me　your　arm。　The　boy　can

stay　here　and　take　care　of　the　linen；　and　I'll　come　back　and　finish

the　washing；　it　is　but　a　trifle。〃

　　　　The　limbs　of　the　laundress　shook　under　her；　and　she　said；　〃I

have　stood　too　long　in　the　cold　water；　and　I　have　had　nothing　to　eat

the　whole　day　since　the　morning。　O　kind　Heaven；　help　me　to　get　home；　I

am　in　a　burning　fever。　Oh；　my　poor　child；〃　and　she　burst　into　tears。

And　he；　poor　boy；　wept　also；　as　he　sat　alone　by　the　river；　near　to　and

watching　the　damp　linen。

　　　　The　two　women　walked　very　slowly。　The　laundress　slipped　and

tottered　through　the　lane；　and　round　the　corner；　into　the　street　where

the　mayor　lived；　and　just　as　she　reached　the　front　of　his　house；　she

sank　down　upon　the　pavement。　Many　persons　came　round　her；　and　Lame

Martha　ran　into　the　house　for　help。　The　mayor　and　his　guests　came　to

the　window。

　　　　〃Oh；　it　is　the　laundress；〃　said　he；　〃she　has　had　a　little　drop　too

much。　She　is　good　for　nothing。　It　is　a　sad　thing　for　her　pretty　little

son。　I　like　the　boy　very　well；　but　the　mother　is　good　for　nothing。〃

　　　　After　a　while　the　laundress　recovered　herself；　and　they　led　her　to

her　poor　dwelling；　and　put　her　to　bed。　Kind　Martha　warmed　a　mug　of

beer　for　her；　with　butter　and　sugar…　she　considered　this　the　best

medicine…　and　then　hastened　to　the　river；　washed　and　rinsed；　badly

enough；　to　be　sure；　but　she　did　her　best。　Then　she　drew　the　linen

ashore；　wet　as　it　was；　and　laid　it　in　a　basket。　Before　evening；　she

was　sitting　in　the　poor　little　room　with　the　laundress。　The　mayor's

cook　had　given　her　some　roasted　potatoes　and　a　beautiful　piece　of

fat　for　the　sick　woman。　Martha　and　the　boy　enjoyed　these　good　things

very　much；　but　the　sick　woman　could　only　say　that　the　smell　was　very

nourishing；　she　thought。　By…and…by　the　boy　was　put　to　bed；　in　the　same

bed　as　the　one　in　which　his　mother　lay；　but　he　slept　at　her　feet；

covered　with　an　old　quilt　made　of　blue　and　white　patchwork。　The

laundress　felt　a　little　better　by　this　time。　The　warm　beer　had

strengthened　her；　and　the　smell　of　the　good　food　had　been　pleasant

to　her。

　　　　〃Many　thanks；　you　good　soul；〃　she　said　to　Martha。　〃Now　the　boy

is　asleep；　I　will　tell　you　all。　He　is　soon　asleep。　How　gentle　and

sweet　he　looks　as　he　lies　there　with　his　eyes　closed！　He　does　not　know

how　his　mother　has　suffered；　and　Heaven　grant　he　never　may　know　it。

I　was　in　service　at　the　counsellor's；　the　father　of　the　mayor；　and

it　happened　that　the　youngest　of　his　sons；　the　student；　came　home。　I

was　a　young　wild　girl　then；　but　honest；　that　I　can　declare　in　the

sight　of　Heaven。　The　student　was　merry　and　gay；　brave　and

affectionate；　every　drop　of　blood　in　him　was　good　and　honorable；　a

better　man　never　lived　on　earth。　He　was　the　son　of　the　house；　and　I

was　only　a　maid；　but　he　loved　me　truly　and　honorably；　and　he　told

his　mother　of　it。　She　was　to　him　as　an　angel　upon　earth；　she　was　so

wise　and　loving。　He　went　to　travel；　and　before　he　started　he　placed

a　gold　ring　on　my　finger；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　out　of　the　house；　my

mistress　sent　for　me。　Gently　and　earnestly　she　drew　me　to　her；　and

spake　as　if　an　angel　were　speaking。　She　showed　me　clearly；　in　spirit

and　in　truth；　the　difference　there　was　between　him　and　me。　'He　is

pleased　now；'　she　said；　'with　your　pretty　face；　but　good　looks　do

not　last　long。　You　have　not　been　educated　like　he　has。　You　are　not

equals　in　mind　and　rank；　and　therein　lies　the　misfortune。　I　esteem　the

poor；'　she　added。　'In　the　sight　of　God；　they　may　occupy　a　higher　place

than　many　of　the　rich；　but　here　upon　earth　we　must　beware　of

entering　upon　a　false　track；　lest　we　are　overturned　in　our　plans；　like

a　carriage　that　travels　by　a　dangerous　road。　I　know　a　worthy　man；　an

artisan；　who　wishes　to　marry　you。　I　mean　Eric；　the　glovemaker。　He　is　a

widower；　without　children；　and　in　a　good　position。　Will　you　think　it

over？'　Every　word　she　said　pierced　my　heart　like　a　knife；　but　I　knew

she　was　right；　and　the　thought　pressed　heavily　upon　me。　I　kissed　her

hand；　and　wept　bitter　tears；　and　I　wept　still　more　when　I　went　to　my

room；　and　thre