a06-第1节

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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
THE　SUNBEAM　AND　THE　CAPTIVE
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
IT　is　autumn。　We　stand　on　the　ramparts；　and　look　out　over　the　sea。
We　look　at　the　numerous　ships；　and　at　the　Swedish　coast　on　the
opposite　side　of　the　sound；　rising　far　above　the　surface　of　the　waters
which　mirror　the　glow　of　the　evening　sky。　Behind　us　the　wood　is
sharply　defined；　mighty　trees　surround　us；　and　the　yellow　leaves
flutter　down　from　the　branches。　Below；　at　the　foot　of　the　wall；　stands
a　gloomy　looking　building　enclosed　in　palisades。　The　space　between
is　dark　and　narrow；　but　still　more　dismal　must　it　be　behind　the　iron
gratings　in　the　wall　which　cover　the　narrow　loopholes　or　windows；
for　in　these　dungeons　the　most　depraved　of　the　criminals　are　confined。

A　ray　of　the　setting　sun　shoots　into　the　bare　cells　of　one　of　the
captives；　for　God's　sun　shines　upon　the　evil　and　the　good。　The
hardened　criminal　casts　an　impatient　look　at　the　bright　ray。　Then　a
little　bird　flies　towards　the　grating；　for　birds　twitter　to　the　just
as　well　as　to　the　unjust。　He　only　cries；　〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　and　then
perches　himself　near　the　grating；　flutters　his　wings；　pecks　a
feather　from　one　of　them；　puffs　himself　out；　and　sets　his　feathers
on　end　round　his　breast　and　throat。　The　bad；　chained　man　looks　at　him；　and　a　more　gentle　expression　comes　into　his　hard　face。　In　his　breast　there　rises　a　thought　which　he　himself　cannot　rightly　analyze；　but　the　thought　has　some　connection　with　the　sunbeam；　with　the　bird；　and　with　the　scent　of　violets；　which　grow　luxuriantly　in　spring　at　the
foot　of　the　wall。　Then　there　comes　the　sound　of　the　hunter's　horn；
merry　and　full。　The　little　bird　starts；　and　flies　away；　the　sunbeam
gradually　vanishes；　and　again　there　is　darkness　in　the　room　and　in　the
heart　of　that　bad　man。　Still　the　sun　has　shone　into　that　heart；　and
the　twittering　of　the　bird　has　touched　it。

Sound　on；　ye　glorious　strains　of　the　hunter's　horn；　continue
your　stirring　tones；　for　the　evening　is　mild；　and　the　surface　of　the
sea；　heaving　slowly　and　calmly；　is　smooth　as　a　mirror。

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson