第89章
《安徒生童话英文版 全TXT版》章节:第89章,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
' and the lads and lasses singing, and everythingfull of merriment and joy. But there was the white cloud with theblack spot hanging over them. I cried out as loudly as I could, but noone heard me; I was too far off from the people. Soon would thestorm burst, the ice break, and all who were on it be irretrievablylost. They could not hear me, and to go to them was quite out of mypower. Oh, if I could only get them safe on land! Then came thethought, as if from heaven, that I would rather set fire to my bed,and let the house be burnt down, than that so many people shouldperish miserably. I got a light, and in a few moments the red flamesleaped up as a beacon to them. I escaped fortunately as far as thethreshold of the door; but there I fell down and remained: I couldgo no farther. The flames rushed out towards me, flickered on thewindow, and rose high above the roof. The people on the ice becameaware of the fire, and ran as fast as possible to help a poor sickwoman, who, as they thought, was being burnt to death. There was notone who did not run. I heard them coming, and I also at the sametime was conscious of a rush of air and a sound like the roar of heavyartillery. The spring flood was lifting the ice covering, whichbrake into a thousand pieces. But the people had reached the sea-wall,where the sparks were flying round. I had saved them all; but Isuppose I could not survive the cold and fright; so I came up hereto the gates of paradise. I am told they are open to poor creaturessuch as I am, and I have now no house left on earth; but I do notthink that will give me a claim to be admitted here."
Then the gates were opened, and an angel led the old woman in. Shehad dropped one little straw out of her straw bed, when she set iton fire to save the lives of so many. It had been changed into thepurest gold- into gold that constantly grew and expanded intoflowers and fruit of immortal beauty.
"See," said the angel, pointing to the wonderful straw, "this iswhat the poor woman has brought. What dost thou bring? I know thouhast accomplished nothing, not even made a single brick. Even ifthou couldst return, and at least produce so much, very likely, whenmade, the brick would be useless, unless done with a good will,which is always something. But thou canst not return to earth, and Ican do nothing for thee."
Then the poor soul, the old mother who had lived in the house onthe dyke, pleaded for him. She said, "His brother made all the stoneand bricks, and sent them to me to build my poor little dwelling,which was a great deal to do for a poor woman like me. Could not allthese bricks and pieces be as a wall of stone to prevail for him? Itis an act of mercy; he is wanting it now; and here is the veryfountain of mercy."
"Then," said the angel, "thy brother, he who has been lookedupon as the meanest of you all, he whose honest deeds to thee appearedso humble,- it is he who has sent you this heavenly gift. Thou shaltnot be turned away. Thou shalt have permission to stand without thegate and reflect, and repent of thy life on earth; but thou shaltnot be admitted here until thou hast performed one good deed ofrepentance, which will indeed for thee be something."
"I could have expressed that better," thought the critic; but hedid not say it aloud, which for him was SOMETHING, after all.
THE END.
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
SOUP FROM A SAUSAGE SKEWER
by Hans Christian Andersen
"WE had such an excellent dinner yesterday," said an old mouseof the female sex to another who had not been present at the feast. "Isat number twenty-one below the mouse-king, which was not a bad place.Shall I tell you what we had?