the wild swans-第4节

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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　very　quickly　condemned　by　every　one　to　suffer　death　by

fire。　Away　from　the　gorgeous　regal　halls　was　she　led　to　a　dark；　dreary

cell；　where　the　wind　whistled　through　the　iron　bars。　Instead　of　the

velvet　and　silk　dresses；　they　gave　her　the　coats　of　mail　which　she　had

woven　to　cover　her；　and　the　bundle　of　nettles　for　a　pillow；　but

nothing　they　could　give　her　would　have　pleased　her　more。　She　continued

her　task　with　joy；　and　prayed　for　help；　while　the　street…boys　sang

jeering　songs　about　her；　and　not　a　soul　comforted　her　with　a　kind

word。　Towards　evening；　she　heard　at　the　grating　the　flutter　of　a

swan's　wing；　it　was　her　youngest　brother…　he　had　found　his　sister；　and

she　sobbed　for　joy；　although　she　knew　that　very　likely　this　would　be

the　last　night　she　would　have　to　live。　But　still　she　could　hope；　for

her　task　was　almost　finished；　and　her　brothers　were　come。　Then　the

archbishop　arrived；　to　be　with　her　during　her　last　hours；　as　he　had

promised　the　king。　But　she　shook　her　head；　and　begged　him；　by　looks

and　gestures；　not　to　stay；　for　in　this　night　she　knew　she　must

finish　her　task；　otherwise　all　her　pain　and　tears　and　sleepless　nights

would　have　been　suffered　in　vain。　The　archbishop　withdrew；　uttering

bitter　words　against　her；　but　poor　Eliza　knew　that　she　was　innocent；

and　diligently　continued　her　work。

　　　　The　little　mice　ran　about　the　floor；　they　dragged　the　nettles　to

her　feet；　to　help　as　well　as　they　could；　and　the　thrush　sat　outside

the　grating　of　the　window；　and　sang　to　her　the　whole　night　long；　as

sweetly　as　possible；　to　keep　up　her　spirits。

　　　　It　was　still　twilight；　and　at　least　an　hour　before　sunrise；　when

the　eleven　brothers　stood　at　the　castle　gate；　and　demanded　to　be

brought　before　the　king。　They　were　told　it　could　not　be；　it　was　yet

almost　night；　and　as　the　king　slept　they　dared　not　disturb　him。　They

threatened；　they　entreated。　Then　the　guard　appeared；　and　even　the　king

himself；　inquiring　what　all　the　noise　meant。　At　this　moment　the　sun

rose。　The　eleven　brothers　were　seen　no　more；　but　eleven　wild　swans

flew　away　over　the　castle。

　　　　And　now　all　the　people　came　streaming　forth　from　the　gates　of

the　city；　to　see　the　witch　burnt。　An　old　horse　drew　the　cart　on

which　she　sat。　They　had　dressed　her　in　a　garment　of　coarse

sackcloth。　Her　lovely　hair　hung　loose　on　her　shoulders；　her　cheeks

were　deadly　pale；　her　lips　moved　silently；　while　her　fingers　still

worked　at　the　green　flax。　Even　on　the　way　to　death；　she　would　not　give

up　her　task。　The　ten　coats　of　mail　lay　at　her　feet；　she　was　working

hard　at　the　eleventh；　while　the　mob　jeered　her　and　said；　〃See　the

witch；　how　she　mutters！　She　has　no　hymn…book　in　her　hand。　She　sits

there　with　her　ugly　sorcery。　Let　us　tear　it　in　a　thousand　pieces。〃

　　　　And　then　they　pressed　towards　her；　and　would　have　destroyed　the

coats　of　mail；　but　at　the　same　moment　eleven　wild　swans　flew　over　her；

and　alighted　on　the　cart。　Then　they　flapped　their　large　wings；　and　the

crowd　drew　on　one　side　in　alarm。

　　　　〃It　is　a　sign　from　heaven　that　she　is　innocent；〃　whispered　many　of

them；　but　they　ventured　not　to　say　it　aloud。

　　　　As　the　executioner　seized　her　by　the　hand；　to　lift　her　out　of

the　cart；　she　hastily　threw　the　eleven　coats　of　mail　over　the　swans；

and　they　immediately　became　eleven　handsome　princes；　but　the

youngest　had　a　swan's　wing；　instead　of　an　arm；　for　she　had　not　been

able　to　finish　the　last　sleeve　of　the　coat。

　　　　〃Now　I　may　speak；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　am　innocent。〃

　　　　Then　the　people；　who　saw　what　happened；　bowed　to　her；　as　before

a　saint；　but　she　sank　lifeless　in　her　brothers'　arms；　overcome　with

suspense；　anguish；　and　pain。

　　　　〃Yes；　she　is　innocent；〃　said　the　eldest　brother；　and　then　he

related　all　that　had　taken　place；　and　while　he　spoke　there　rose　in　the

air　a　fragrance　as　from　millions　of　roses。　Every　piece　of　faggot　in

the　pile　had　taken　root；　and　threw　out　branches；　and　appeared　a

thick　hedge；　large　and　high；　covered　with　roses；　while　above　all

bloomed　a　white　and　shining　flower；　that　glittered　like　a　star。　This

flower　the　king　plucked；　and　placed　in　Eliza's　bosom；　when　she　awoke

from　her　swoon；　with　peace　and　happiness　in　her　heart。　And　all　the

church　bells　rang　of　themselves；　and　the　birds　came　in　great　troops。

And　a　marriage　procession　returned　to　the　castle；　such　as　no　king

had　ever　before　seen。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。