anne lisbeth-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ANNE　LISBETH

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　ANNE　LISBETH　was　a　beautiful　young　woman；　with　a　red　and　white

complexion；　glittering　white　teeth；　and　clear　soft　eyes；　and　her

footstep　was　light　in　the　dance；　but　her　mind　was　lighter　still。　She

had　a　little　child；　not　at　all　pretty；　so　he　was　put　out　to　be

nursed　by　a　laborer's　wife；　and　his　mother　went　to　the　count's　castle。

She　sat　in　splendid　rooms；　richly　decorated　with　silk　and　velvet；

not　a　breath　of　air　was　allowed　to　blow　upon　her；　and　no　one　was

allowed　to　speak　to　her　harshly；　for　she　was　nurse　to　the　count's

child。　He　was　fair　and　delicate　as　a　prince；　and　beautiful　as　an

angel；　and　how　she　loved　this　child！　Her　own　boy　was　provided　for　by

being　at　the　laborer's　where　the　mouth　watered　more　frequently　than

the　pot　boiled；　and　where　in　general　no　one　was　at　home　to　take　care

of　the　child。　Then　he　would　cry；　but　what　nobody　knows　nobody　cares

for；　so　he　would　cry　till　he　was　tired；　and　then　fall　asleep；　and

while　we　are　asleep　we　can　feel　neither　hunger　nor　thirst。　Ah；　yes；

sleep　is　a　capital　invention。

　　　　As　years　went　on；　Anne　Lisbeth's　child　grew　apace　like　weeds；

although　they　said　his　growth　had　been　stunted。　He　had　become　quite

a　member　of　the　family　in　which　he　dwelt；　they　received　money　to

keep　him；　so　that　his　mother　got　rid　of　him　altogether。　She　had　become

quite　a　lady；　she　had　a　comfortable　home　of　her　own　in　the　town；　and

out　of　doors；　when　she　went　for　a　walk；　she　wore　a　bonnet；　but　she

never　walked　out　to　see　the　laborer：　that　was　too　far　from　the　town；

and；　indeed；　she　had　nothing　to　go　for；　the　boy　now　belonged　to

these　laboring　people。　He　had　food；　and　he　could　also　do　something

towards　earning　his　living；　he　took　care　of　Mary's　red　cow；　for　he

knew　how　to　tend　cattle　and　make　himself　useful。

　　　　The　great　dog　by　the　yard　gate　of　a　nobleman's　mansion　sits

proudly　on　the　top　of　his　kennel　when　the　sun　shines；　and　barks　at

every　one　that　passes；　but　if　it　rains；　he　creeps　into　his　house；

and　there　he　is　warm　and　dry。　Anne　Lisbeth's　boy　also　sat　in　the

sunshine　on　the　top　of　the　fence；　cutting　out　a　little　toy。　If　it

was　spring…time；　he　knew　of　three　strawberry…plants　in　blossom；

which　would　certainly　bear　fruit。　This　was　his　most　hopeful　thought；

though　it　often　came　to　nothing。　And　he　had　to　sit　out　in　the　rain

in　the　worst　weather；　and　get　wet　to　the　skin；　and　let　the　cold　wind

dry　the　clothes　on　his　back　afterwards。　If　he　went　near　the　farmyard

belonging　to　the　count；　he　was　pushed　and　knocked　about；　for　the　men

and　the　maids　said　he　was　so　horrible　ugly；　but　he　was　used　to　all

this；　for　nobody　loved　him。　This　was　how　the　world　treated　Anne

Lisbeth's　boy；　and　how　could　it　be　otherwise。　It　was　his　fate　to　be

beloved　by　no　one。　Hitherto　he　had　been　a　land　crab；　the　land　at

last　cast　him　adrift。　He　went　to　sea　in　a　wretched　vessel；　and　sat

at　the　helm；　while　the　skipper　sat　over　the　grog…can。　He　was　dirty　and

ugly；　half…frozen　and　half…starved；　he　always　looked　as　if　he　never

had　enough　to　eat；　which　was　really　the　case。

　　　　Late　in　the　autumn；　when　the　weather　was　rough；　windy；　and　wet；

and　the　cold　penetrated　through　the　thickest　clothing；　especially　at

sea；　a　wretched　boat　went　out　to　sea　with　only　two　men　on　board；　or；

more　correctly；　a　man　and　a　half；　for　it　was　the　skipper　and　his

boy。　There　had　only　been　a　kind　of　twilight　all　day；　and　it　soon

grew　quite　dark；　and　so　bitterly　cold；　that　the　skipper　took　a　dram　to

warm　him。　The　bottle　was　old；　and　the　glass　too。　It　was　perfect　in　the

upper　part；　but　the　foot　was　broken　off；　and　it　had　therefore　been

fixed　upon　a　little　carved　block　of　wood；　painted　blue。　A　dram　is　a

great　comfort；　and　two　are　better　still；　thought　the　skipper；　while

the　boy　sat　at　the　helm；　which　he　held　fast　in　his　hard　seamed

hands。　He　was　ugly；　and　his　hair　was　matted；　and　he　looked　crippled

and　stunted；　they　called　him　the　field…laborer's　boy；　though　in　the

church　register　he　was　entered　as　Anne　Lisbeth's　son。　The　wind　cut

through　the　rigging；　and　the　boat　cut　through　the　sea。　The　sails；

filled　by　the　wind；　swelled　out　and　carried　them　along　in　wild　career。

It　was　wet　and　rough　above　and　below；　and　might　still　be　worse。

Hold！　what　is　that？　What　has　struck　the　boat？　Was　it　a　waterspout；

or　a　heavy　sea　rolling　suddenly　upon　them？

　　　　〃Heaven　help　us！〃　cried　the　boy　at　the　helm；　as　the　boat　heeled

over　and　lay　on　its　beam　ends。　It　had　struck　on　a　rock；　which　rose

from　the　depths　of　the　sea；　and　sank　at　once；　like　an　old　shoe　in　a

puddle。　〃It　sank　at　once　with　mouse　and　man；〃　as　the　saying　is。

There　might　have　been　mice　on　board；　but　only　one　man　and　a　half；

the　skipper　and　the　laborer's　boy。　No　one　saw　it　but　the　skimming

sea…gulls　and　the　fishes　beneath　the　water；　and　even　they　did　not

see　it　properly；　for　they　darted　back　with　terror　as　the　boat　filled

with　water　and　sank。　There　it　lay；　scarcely　a　fathom　below　the

surface；　and　those　two　were　provided　for；　buried；　and　forgotten。　The

glass　with　the　foot　of　blue　wood　was　the　only　thing　that　did　not　sink；

for　the　wood　floated　and　the　glass　drifted　away　to　be　cast　upon　the

shore　and　broken；　where　and　when；　is　indeed　of　no　consequence。　It

had　served　its　purpose；　and　it　had　been　loved；　which　Anne　Lisbeth's

boy　had　not　been。　But　in　heaven　no　soul　will　be　able　to　say；　〃Never

loved。〃

　　　　Anne　Lisbeth　had　now　lived　in　the　town　many　years；　she　was

called　〃Madame；〃　and　felt　dignified　in　consequence；　she　remembered　the

old；　noble　days；　in　which　she　had　driven　in　the　carriage；　and　had

associated　with　countess　and　baroness。　Her　beautiful；　noble　child

had　been　a　dear　angel；　and　possessed　the　kindest　heart；　he　had　loved

her　so　much；　and　she　had　loved　him　in　return；　they　had　kissed　and

loved　each　other；　and　the　boy　had　been　her　joy；　her　second　life。　Now

he　was　fourteen　years　of　age；　tall；　handsome；　and　clever。　She　had

not　seen　him　since　she　carried　him　in　her　arms；　neither　had　she　been

for　years　to　the　count's　palace；　it　was　quite　a　journey　thither　from

the　town。

　　　　〃I　must　make　one　effort　to　go；〃　said　Anne　Lisbeth；　〃to　see　my

darling；　the　count's　sweet　child；　and　press　him　to　my　heart。　Certainly

he　must　long　to　see　me；　too；　the　young　count；　no　doubt　he　thinks　of　me

and　loves　me；　as　in　those　days　when　he　would　fling　his　angel…arms

round　my　neck；　and　lisp　'Anne　Liz。'　It　was　music　to　my　ears。　Yes；　I

must　make　an　effort　to　see　him　again。〃　She　drove　across　the　country　in

a　grazier's　cart；　and　then　got　out；　and　continued　her　journey　on　foot；

and　thus　reached　the　count's　castle。　It　was　as　great　and　magnificent

as　it　had　always　been；　and　the　garden　looked　the　same　as　ever；　all　the

servants　were　strangers　to　her；　not　one　of　them　knew　Anne　Lisbeth；　nor

of　what　consequence　she　had　once　been　there；　but　she　felt　sure　the

countess　would　soon　let　them　know　it；　and　her　darling　boy；　too：　how

she　longed　to　see　him！

　　　　Now　that　Anne　Lisbeth　was　at　her　journey's　end；　she　was　kept

waiting　a　long　time；　and　for　those　who　wait；　time　passes　slowly。　But

before　the　great　people　went　in　to　dinner；　she　was　called　in　and

spoken　to　very　graciously。　She　was　to　go　in　again　after　dinner；　and

then　she　would　see　her　sweet　boy　once　more。　How　tall；　and　slender；　and

thin　he　had　grown；　but　the　eyes　and　the　sweet　angel　mouth　were　still

beautiful。　He　looked　at　her；　but　he　did　not　speak；　he　certainly　did

not　know　who　she　was。　He　turned　round　and　was　going　away；　but　she

seized　his　hand　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips。

　　　　〃Well；　well；〃　he　said；　and　with　that　he　walked　out　of　the　room。　He

who　filled　her　every　thought！　he　whom　she　loved　best；　and　who　was

her　whole　earthly　pride！

　　　　Anne　Lisbeth　went　forth　from　the　castle　into　the　public　road；

feeling　mournful　and　sad；　he　whom　she　had　nursed　day　and　night；　and

even　now　carried　about　in　her　dreams；　had　been　cold　and　strange；　and

had　not　a　word　or　thought　respecting　her。　A　great　black　raven　darted

down　in　front　of　her　on　the　high　road；　and　croaked　dismally。

　　　　〃Ah；〃　said　she；　〃what　bird　of　ill　omen　art　thou？〃　Presently　she

passed　the　laborer's　hut；　his　wife　stood　at　the　door；　and　the　two

women　spoke　to　each　other。

　　　　〃You　look　well；〃　said　the　woman；　〃you're　fat　and　plump；　you　are

well　off。〃

　　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　answered　Anne　Lisbeth。

　　　　〃The　boat　went　down　with　them；〃　continued　the　woman；　〃Hans　the

skipper　and　the　boy　were　both　drowned；　so　there's　an　end　of　them。　I

always　thought　the　boy　would　be　able　to　help　me　with　a　few　dollars。

He'll　never　cost　you　anything　more；　Anne　Lisbeth。〃

　　　　〃So　they　were　drowned；〃　repeated　Anne　Lisbeth；　but　she　said　no

more；　and　the　subject　was　dropped。　She　felt　very　low…spirited；　because

her　count…child　had　shown　no　inclination　to　speak　to　her　who　loved　him

so　well；　and　who　had　travelled　so　far　to　see　him。　The　journey　had　cost

money　too；　and　she　had　derived　no　great　pleasure　from　it。　Still　she

said　not　a　word　of　all　this；　she　could　not　relieve　her　heart　by

telling　the　laborer's　wife；　lest　the　latter　should　think　she　did　not

enjoy　her　former　position　at　the　castle。　Then　the　raven　flew　over　her；

screaming　again　as　he　flew。

　　　　〃The　black　wretch！〃　said　Anne　Lisbeth；　〃he　will　end　by　frightening

me　today。〃　She　had　brought　coffee　and　chicory　with　her；　for　she

thought　it　would　be　a　charity　to　the　poor　woman　to　give　them　to　her　to

boil　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　then　she　would　take　a　cup　herself。

　　　　The　woman　prepared　the　coffee；　and　in　the　meantime　Anne　Lisbeth

seated　her　in　a　chair　and　fell　asleep。　Then　she　dreamed　of　something

which　she　had　never　dreamed　before；　singularly　enough　she　dreamed　of

her　own　child；　who　had　wept　and　hungered　in　the　laborer's　hut；　and　had

been　knocked　about　in　heat　and　in　cold；　and　who　was　now　lying　in　the

depths　of　the　sea；　in　a　spot　only　known　by　God。　She　fancied　she　was

still　sitting　in　the　hut；　where　the　woman　was　busy　preparing　the

coffee；　for　she　could　smell　the　coffee…berries　roasting。　But

suddenly　it　seemed　to　her　that　there　stood　on　th