the puppet-show man-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　PUPPET…SHOW　MAN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　ON　board　a　steamer　I　once　met　an　elderly　man；　with　such　a　merry

face　that；　if　it　was　really　an　index　of　his　mind；　he　must　have　been

the　happiest　fellow　in　creation；　and　indeed　he　considered　himself

so；　for　I　heard　it　from　his　own　mouth。　He　was　a　Dane；　the　owner　of　a

travelling　theatre。　He　had　all　his　company　with　him　in　a　large　box；

for　he　was　the　proprietor　of　a　puppet…show。　His　inborn　cheerfulness；

he　said；　had　been　tested　by　a　member　of　the　Polytechnic　Institution；

and　the　experiment　had　made　him　completely　happy。　I　did　not　at　first

understand　all　this；　but　afterwards　he　explained　the　whole　story　to

me；　and　here　it　is：…

　　　　〃I　was　giving　a　representation；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　hall　of　the

posting…house　in　the　little　town　of　Slagelse；　there　was　a　splendid

audience；　entirely　juvenile　excepting　two　respectable　matrons。　All

at　once；　a　person　in　black；　of　student…like　appearance；　entered　the

room；　and　sat　down；　he　laughed　aloud　at　the　telling　points；　and

applauded　quite　at　the　proper　time。　This　was　a　very　unusual

spectator　for　me；　and　I　felt　anxious　to　know　who　he　was。　I　heard

that　he　was　a　member　of　the　Polytechnic　Institution　in　Copenhagen；　who

had　been　sent　out　to　lecture　to　the　people　in　the　provinces。

Punctually　at　eight　o'clock　my　performance　closed；　for　children　must

go　early　to　bed；　and　a　manager　must　also　consult　the　convenience　of

the　public。

　　　　〃At　nine　o'clock　the　lecturer　commenced　his　lecture　and　his

experiments；　and　then　I　formed　a　part　of　his　audience。　It　was

wonderful　both　to　hear　and　to　see。　The　greater　part　of　it　was　beyond

my　comprehension；　but　it　led　me　to　think　that　if　we　men　can　acquire　so

much；　we　must　surely　be　intended　to　last　longer　than　the　little　span

which　extends　only　to　the　time　when　we　are　hidden　away　under　the

earth。　His　experiments　were　quite　miracles　on　a　small　scale；　and　yet

the　explanations　flowed　as　naturally　as　water　from　his　lips。　At　the

time　of　Moses　and　the　prophets；　such　a　man　would　have　been　placed

among　the　sages　of　the　land；　in　the　middle　ages　they　would　have

burnt　him　at　the　stake。

　　　　〃All　night　long　I　could　not　sleep；　and　the　next　evening　when　I

gave　another　performance　and　the　lecturer　was　present；　I　was　in　one　of

my　best　moods。

　　　　〃I　once　heard　of　an　actor；　who；　when　he　had　to　act　the　part　of　a

lover；　always　thought　of　one　particular　lady　in　the　audience；　he

only　played　for　her；　and　forgot　all　the　rest　of　the　house；　and　now　the

Polytechnic　lecturer　was　my　she；　my　only　auditor；　for　whom　alone　I

played。

　　　　〃When　the　performance　was　over；　and　the　puppets　removed　behind　the

curtain；　the　Polytechnic　lecturer　invited　me　into　his　room　to　take　a

glass　of　wine。　He　talked　of　my　comedies；　and　I　of　his　science；　and　I

believe　we　were　both　equally　pleased。　But　I　had　the　best　of　it；　for

there　was　much　in　what　he　did　that　he　could　not　always　explain　to

me。　For　instance；　why　a　piece　of　iron　which　is　rubbed　on　a　cylinder；

should　become　magnetic。　How　does　this　happen？　The　magnetic　sparks　come

to　it；…　but　how？　It　is　the　same　with　people　in　the　world；　they　are

rubbed　about　on　this　spherical　globe　till　the　electric　spark　comes

upon　them；　and　then　we　have　a　Napoleon；　or　a　Luther；　or　some　one　of

the　kind。

　　　　〃'The　whole　world　is　but　a　series　of　miracles；'　said　the　lecturer；

'but　we　are　so　accustomed　to　them　that　we　call　them　everyday　matters。'

And　he　went　on　explaining　things　to　me　till　my　skull　seemed　lifted

from　my　brain；　and　I　declared　that　were　I　not　such　an　old　fellow；　I

would　at　once　become　a　member　of　the　Polytechnic　Institution；　that　I

might　learn　to　look　at　the　bright　side　of　everything；　although　I　was

one　of　the　happiest　of　men。

　　　　〃'One　of　the　happiest！'　said　the　lecturer；　as　if　the　idea

pleased　him；　'are　you　really　happy？'

　　　　〃'Yes；'　I　replied；　'for　I　am　welcomed　in　every　town；　when　I　arrive

with　my　company；　but　I　certainly　have　one　wish　which　sometimes

weighs　upon　my　cheerful　temper　like　a　mountain　of　lead。　I　should

like　to　become　the　manager　of　a　real　theatre；　and　the　director　of　a

real　troupe　of　men　and　women。'

　　　　〃'I　understand；'　he　said；　'you　would　like　to　have　life　breathed

into　your　puppets；　so　that　they　might　be　living　actors；　and　you

their　director。　And　would　you　then　be　quite　happy？'

　　　　〃I　said　I　believed　so。　But　he　did　not；　and　we　talked　it　over　in

all　manner　of　ways；　yet　could　not　agree　on　the　subject。　However；　the

wine　was　excellent；　and　we　clanked　our　glasses　together　as　we　drank。

There　must　have　been　magic　in　it；　or　I　should　most　certainly　become

tipsy；　but　that　did　not　happen；　for　my　mind　seemed　quite　clear；　and；

indeed；　a　kind　of　sunshine　filled　the　room；　and　beamed　from　the　eyes

of　the　Polytechnic　lecturer。　It　made　me　think　of　the　old　stories

when　the　gods；　in　their　immortal　youth；　wandered　upon　this　earth；

and　paid　visits　to　mankind。　I　said　so　to　him；　and　he　smiled；　and　I

could　have　sworn　that　he　was　one　of　these　ancient　deities　in　disguise；

or；　at　all　events；　that　he　belonged　to　the　race　of　the　gods。　The

result　seemed　to　prove　I　was　right　in　my　suspicions；　for　it　was

arranged　that　my　highest　wish　should　be　granted；　that　my　puppets

were　to　be　gifted　with　life；　and　that　I　was　to　be　the　manager　of　a

real　company。　We　drank　to　my　success；　and　clanked　our　glasses。　Then　he

packed　all　my　dolls　into　the　box；　and　fastened　it　on　my　back；　and　I

felt　as　if　I　were　spinning　round　in　a　circle；　and　presently　found

myself　lying　on　the　floor。　I　remember　that　quite　well。　And　then　the

whole　company　sprang　from　the　box。　The　spirit　had　come　upon　us　all；

the　puppets　had　become　distinguished　actors…　at　least；　so　they　said

themselves…　and　I　was　their　director。

　　　　〃When　all　was　ready　for　the　first　representation；　the　whole

company　requested　permission　to　speak　to　me　before　appearing　in

public。　The　dancing　lady　said　the　house　could　not　be　supported

unless　she　stood　on　one　leg；　for　she　was　a　great　genius；　and　begged　to

be　treated　as　such。　The　lady　who　acted　the　part　of　the　queen

expected　to　be　treated　as　a　queen　off　the　stage；　as　well　as　on　it；

or　else　she　said　she　should　get　out　of　practice。　The　man　whose　duty　it

was　to　deliver　a　letter　gave　himself　as　many　airs　as　he　who　took　the

part　of　first　lover　in　the　piece；　he　declared　that　the　inferior

parts　were　as　important　as　the　great　ones；　and　deserving　equal

consideration；　as　parts　of　an　artistic　whole。　The　hero　of　the　piece

would　only　play　in　a　part　containing　points　likely　to　bring　down　the

applause　of　the　house。　The　'prima　donna'　would　only　act　when　the

lights　were　red；　for　she　declared　that　a　blue　light　did　not　suit　her

complexion。　It　was　like　a　company　of　flies　in　a　bottle；　and　I　was　in

the　bottle　with　them；　for　I　was　their　director。　My　breath　was　taken

away；　my　head　whirled；　and　I　was　as　miserable　as　a　man　could　be。　It

was　quite　a　novel；　strange　set　of　beings　among　whom　I　now　found

myself。　I　only　wished　I　had　them　all　in　my　box　again；　and　that　I　had

never　been　their　director。　So　I　told　them　roundly　that；　after　all；

they　were　nothing　but　puppets；　and　then　they　killed　me。　After　a

while　I　found　myself　lying　on　my　bed　in　my　room；　but　how　I　got

there；　or　how　I　got　away　at　all　from　the　Polytechnic　professor；　he　may

perhaps　know；　I　don't。　The　moon　shone　upon　the　floor；　the　box　lay

open；　and　the　dolls　were　all　scattered　about　in　great　confusion；　but　I

was　not　idle。　I　jumped　off　the　bed；　and　into　the　box　they　all　had　to

go；　some　on　their　heads；　some　on　their　feet。　Then　I　shut　down　the　lid；

and　seated　myself　upon　the　box。　'Now　you'll　have　to　stay；'　said　I；

'and　I　shall　be　cautious　how　I　wish　you　flesh　and　blood　again。'

　　　　〃I　felt　quite　light；　my　cheerfulness　had　returned；　and　I　was　the

happiest　of　mortals。　The　Polytechnic　professor　had　fully　cured　me。　I

was　as　happy　as　a　king；　and　went　to　sleep　on　the　box。　Next　morning…

correctly　speaking；　it　was　noon；　for　I　slept　remarkably　late　that　day…

I　found　myself　still　sitting　there；　in　happy　consciousness　that　my

former　wish　had　been　a　foolish　one。　I　inquired　for　the　Polytechnic

professor；　but　he　had　disappeared　like　the　Greek　and　Roman　gods；

from　that　time　I　have　been　the　happiest　man　in　the　world。　I　am　a　happy

director；　for　none　of　my　company　ever　grumble；　nor　the　public

either；　for　I　always　make　them　merry。　I　can　arrange　my　pieces　just

as　I　please。　I　choose　out　of　every　comedy　what　I　like　best；　and　no　one

is　offended。　Plays　that　are　neglected　now…a…days　by　the　great　public

were　ran　after　thirty　years　ago；　and　listened　to　till　the　tears　ran

down　the　cheeks　of　the　audience。　These　are　the　pieces　I　bring　forward。

I　place　them　before　the　little　ones；　who　cry　over　them　as　papa　and

mamma　used　to　cry　thirty　years　ago。　But　I　make　them　shorter；　for　the

youngsters　don't　like　long　speeches；　and　if　they　have　anything

mournful；　they　like　it　to　be　over　quickly。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。