a16-第4节

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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

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Written　By　Anderson