the wild swans-第3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！


pray。　Then　it　appeared　to　her　as　if　she　were　flying　high　in　the　air；

towards　the　cloudy　palace　of　the　〃Fata　Morgana；〃　and　a　fairy　came

out　to　meet　her；　radiant　and　beautiful　in　appearance；　and　yet　very

much　like　the　old　woman　who　had　given　her　berries　in　the　wood；　and　who

had　told　her　of　the　swans　with　golden　crowns　on　their　heads。　〃Your

brothers　can　be　released；〃　said　she；　〃if　you　have　only　courage　and

perseverance。　True；　water　is　softer　than　your　own　delicate　hands；

and　yet　it　polishes　stones　into　shapes；　it　feels　no　pain　as　your

fingers　would　feel；　it　has　no　soul；　and　cannot　suffer　such　agony　and

torment　as　you　will　have　to　endure。　Do　you　see　the　stinging　nettle

which　I　hold　in　my　hand？　Quantities　of　the　same　sort　grow　round　the

cave　in　which　you　sleep；　but　none　will　be　of　any　use　to　you　unless

they　grow　upon　the　graves　in　a　churchyard。　These　you　must　gather

even　while　they　burn　blisters　on　your　hands。　Break　them　to　pieces　with

your　hands　and　feet；　and　they　will　become　flax；　from　which　you　must

spin　and　weave　eleven　coats　with　long　sleeves；　if　these　are　then

thrown　over　the　eleven　swans；　the　spell　will　be　broken。　But

remember；　that　from　the　moment　you　commence　your　task　until　it　is

finished；　even　should　it　occupy　years　of　your　life；　you　must　not

speak。　The　first　word　you　utter　will　pierce　through　the　hearts　of　your

brothers　like　a　deadly　dagger。　Their　lives　hang　upon　your　tongue。

Remember　all　I　have　told　you。〃　And　as　she　finished　speaking；　she

touched　her　hand　lightly　with　the　nettle；　and　a　pain；　as　of　burning

fire；　awoke　Eliza。

　　　　It　was　broad　daylight；　and　close　by　where　she　had　been　sleeping

lay　a　nettle　like　the　one　she　had　seen　in　her　dream。　She　fell　on　her

knees　and　offered　her　thanks　to　God。　Then　she　went　forth　from　the　cave

to　begin　her　work　with　her　delicate　hands。　She　groped　in　amongst　the

ugly　nettles；　which　burnt　great　blisters　on　her　hands　and　arms；　but

she　determined　to　bear　it　gladly　if　she　could　only　release　her　dear

brothers。　So　she　bruised　the　nettles　with　her　bare　feet　and　spun　the

flax。　At　sunset　her　brothers　returned　and　were　very　much　frightened

when　they　found　her　dumb。　They　believed　it　to　be　some　new　sorcery　of

their　wicked　step…mother。　But　when　they　saw　her　hands　they

understood　what　she　was　doing　on　their　behalf；　and　the　youngest

brother　wept；　and　where　his　tears　fell　the　pain　ceased；　and　the

burning　blisters　vanished。　She　kept　to　her　work　all　night；　for　she

could　not　rest　till　she　had　released　her　dear　brothers。　During　the

whole　of　the　following　day；　while　her　brothers　were　absent；　she　sat　in

solitude；　but　never　before　had　the　time　flown　so　quickly。　One　coat　was

already　finished　and　she　had　begun　the　second；　when　she　heard　the

huntsman's　horn；　and　was　struck　with　fear。　The　sound　came　nearer　and

nearer；　she　heard　the　dogs　barking；　and　fled　with　terror　into　the

cave。　She　hastily　bound　together　the　nettles　she　had　gathered　into　a

bundle　and　sat　upon　them。　Immediately　a　great　dog　came　bounding

towards　her　out　of　the　ravine；　and　then　another　and　another；　they

barked　loudly；　ran　back；　and　then　came　again。　In　a　very　few　minutes

all　the　huntsmen　stood　before　the　cave；　and　the　handsomest　of　them　was

the　king　of　the　country。　He　advanced　towards　her；　for　he　had　never

seen　a　more　beautiful　maiden。

　　　　〃How　did　you　come　here；　my　sweet　child？〃　he　asked。　But　Eliza　shook

her　head。　She　dared　not　speak；　at　the　cost　of　her　brothers'　lives。　And

she　hid　her　hands　under　her　apron；　so　that　the　king　might　not　see

how　she　must　be　suffering。

　　　　〃Come　with　me；〃　he　said；　〃here　you　cannot　remain。　If　you　are　as

good　as　you　are　beautiful；　I　will　dress　you　in　silk　and　velvet；　I　will

place　a　golden　crown　upon　your　head；　and　you　shall　dwell；　and　rule；

and　make　your　home　in　my　richest　castle。〃　And　then　he　lifted　her　on

his　horse。　She　wept　and　wrung　her　hands；　but　the　king　said；　〃I　wish

only　for　your　happiness。　A　time　will　come　when　you　will　thank　me　for

this。〃　And　then　he　galloped　away　over　the　mountains；　holding　her

before　him　on　this　horse；　and　the　hunters　followed　behind　them。　As　the

sun　went　down；　they　approached　a　fair　royal　city；　with　churches；　and

cupolas。　On　arriving　at　the　castle　the　king　led　her　into　marble　halls；

where　large　fountains　played；　and　where　the　walls　and　the　ceilings

were　covered　with　rich　paintings。　But　she　had　no　eyes　for　all　these

glorious　sights；　she　could　only　mourn　and　weep。　Patiently　she

allowed　the　women　to　array　her　in　royal　robes；　to　weave　pearls　in

her　hair；　and　draw　soft　gloves　over　her　blistered　fingers。　As　she

stood　before　them　in　all　her　rich　dress；　she　looked　so　dazzingly

beautiful　that　the　court　bowed　low　in　her　presence。　Then　the　king

declared　his　intention　of　making　her　his　bride；　but　the　archbishop

shook　his　head；　and　whispered　that　the　fair　young　maiden　was　only　a

witch　who　had　blinded　the　king's　eyes　and　bewitched　his　heart。　But　the

king　would　not　listen　to　this；　he　ordered　the　music　to　sound；　the

daintiest　dishes　to　be　served；　and　the　loveliest　maidens　to　dance。

After…wards　he　led　her　through　fragrant　gardens　and　lofty　halls；　but

not　a　smile　appeared　on　her　lips　or　sparkled　in　her　eyes。　She　looked

the　very　picture　of　grief。　Then　the　king　opened　the　door　of　a　little

chamber　in　which　she。　was　to　sleep；　it　was　adorned　with　rich　green

tapestry；　and　resembled　the　cave　in　which　he　had　found　her。　On　the

floor　lay　the　bundle　of　flax　which　she　had　spun　from　the　nettles；

and　under　the　ceiling　hung　the　coat　she　had　made。　These　things　had

been　brought　away　from　the　cave　as　curiosities　by　one　of　the　huntsmen。

　　　　〃Here　you　can　dream　yourself　back　again　in　the　old　home　in　the

cave；〃　said　the　king；　〃here　is　the　work　with　which　you　employed

yourself。　It　will　amuse　you　now　in　the　midst　of　all　this　splendor　to

think　of　that　time。〃

　　　　When　Eliza　saw　all　these　things　which　lay　so　near　her　heart；　a

smile　played　around　her　mouth；　and　the　crimson　blood　rushed　to　her

cheeks。　She　thought　of　her　brothers；　and　their　release　made　her　so

joyful　that　she　kissed　the　king's　hand。　Then　he　pressed　her　to　his

heart。　Very　soon　the　joyous　church　bells　announced　the　marriage　feast；

and　that　the　beautiful　dumb　girl　out　of　the　wood　was　to　be　made　the

queen　of　the　country。　Then　the　archbishop　whispered　wicked　words　in

the　king's　ear；　but　they　did　not　sink　into　his　heart。　The　marriage　was

still　to　take　place；　and　the　archbishop　himself　had　to　place　the　crown

on　the　bride's　head；　in　his　wicked　spite；　he　pressed　the　narrow

circlet　so　tightly　on　her　forehead　that　it　caused　her　pain。　But　a

heavier　weight　encircled　her　heart…　sorrow　for　her　brothers。　She

felt　not　bodily　pain。　Her　mouth　was　closed；　a　single　word　would　cost

the　lives　of　her　brothers。　But　she　loved　the　kind；　handsome　king；

who　did　everything　to　make　her　happy　more　and　more　each　day；　she　loved

him　with　all　her　heart；　and　her　eyes　beamed　with　the　love　she　dared

not　speak。　Oh！　if　she　had　only　been　able　to　confide　in　him　and　tell

him　of　her　grief。　But　dumb　she　must　remain　till　her　task　was　finished。

Therefore　at　night　she　crept　away　into　her　little　chamber；　which　had

been　decked　out　to　look　like　the　cave；　and　quickly　wove　one　coat　after

another。　But　when　she　began　the　seventh　she　found　she　had　no　more

flax。　She　knew　that　the　nettles　she　wanted　to　use　grew　in　the

churchyard；　and　that　she　must　pluck　them　herself。　How　should　she　get

out　there？　〃Oh；　what　is　the　pain　in　my　fingers　to　the　torment　which　my

heart　endures？〃　said　she。　〃I　must　venture；　I　shall　not　be　denied

help　from　heaven。〃　Then　with　a　trembling　heart；　as　if　she　were　about

to　perform　a　wicked　deed；　she　crept　into　the　garden　in　the　broad

moonlight；　and　passed　through　the　narrow　walks　and　the　deserted

streets；　till　she　reached　the　churchyard。　Then　she　saw　on　one　of　the

broad　tombstones　a　group　of　ghouls。　These　hideous　creatures　took　off

their　rags；　as　if　they　intended　to　bathe；　and　then　clawing　open　the

fresh　graves　with　their　long；　skinny　fingers；　pulled　out　the　dead

bodies　and　ate　the　flesh！　Eliza　had　to　pass　close　by　them；　and　they

fixed　their　wicked　glances　upon　her；　but　she　prayed　silently；　gathered

the　burning　nettles；　and　carried　them　home　with　her　to　the　castle。　One

person　only　had　seen　her；　and　that　was　the　archbishop…　he　was　awake

while　everybody　was　asleep。　Now　he　thought　his　opinion　was　evidently

correct。　All　was　not　right　with　the　queen。　She　was　a　witch；　and　had

bewitched　the　king　and　all　the　people。　Secretly　he　told　the　king

what　he　had　seen　and　what　he　feared；　and　as　the　hard　words　came　from

his　tongue；　the　carved　images　of　the　saints　shook　their　heads　as　if

they　would　say。　〃It　is　not　so。　Eliza　is　innocent。〃

　　　　But　the　archbishop　interpreted　it　in　another　way；　he　believed　that

they　witnessed　against　her；　and　were　shaking　their　heads　at　her

wickedness。　Two　large　tears　rolled　down　the　king's　cheeks；　and　he　went

home　with　doubt　in　his　heart；　and　at　night　he　pretended　to　sleep；

but　there　came　no　real　sleep　to　his　eyes；　for　he　saw　Eliza　get　up

every　night　and　disappear　in　her　own　chamber。　From　day　to　day　his　brow

became　darker；　and　Eliza　saw　it　and　did　not　understand　the　reason；　but

it　alarmed　her　and　made　her　heart　tremble　for　her　brothers。　Her　hot

tears　glittered　like　pearls　on　the　regal　velvet　and　diamonds；　while

all　who　saw　her　were　wishing　they　could　be　queens。　In　the　mean　time

she　had　almost　finished　her　task；　only　one　coat　of　mail　was　wanting；

but　she　had　no　flax　left；　and　not　a　single　nettle。　Once　more　only；　and

for　the　last　time；　must　she　venture　to　the　churchyard　and　pluck　a

few　handfuls。　She　thought　with　terror　of　the　solitary　walk；　and　of　the

horrible　ghouls；　but　her　will　was　firm；　as　well　as　her　trust　in

Providence。　Eliza　went；　and　the　king　and　the　archbishop　followed

her。　They　saw　her　vanish　through　the　wicket　gate　into　the

churchyard；　and　when　they　came　nearer　they　saw　the　ghouls　sitting　on

the　tombstone；　as　Eliza　had　seen　them；　and　the　king　turned　away　his

head；　for　he　thought　she　was　with　them…　she　whose　head　had　rested　on

his　breast　that　very　evening。　〃The　people　must　condemn　her；〃　said

he；　and　she　was　ve