grandmother-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GRANDMOTHER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

GRANDMOTHER



　　　　GRANDMOTHER　is　very　old；　her　face　is　wrinkled；　and　her　hair　is

quite　white；　but　her　eyes　are　like　two　stars；　and　they　have　a　mild；

gentle　expression　in　them　when　they　look　at　you；　which　does　you

good。　She　wears　a　dress　of　heavy；　rich　silk；　with　large　flowers　worked

on　it；　and　it　rustles　when　she　moves。　And　then　she　can　tell　the　most

wonderful　stories。　Grandmother　knows　a　great　deal；　for　she　was　alive

before　father　and　mother…　that's　quite　certain。　She　has　a　hymn…book

with　large　silver　clasps；　in　which　she　often　reads；　and　in　the　book；

between　the　leaves；　lies　a　rose；　quite　flat　and　dry；　it　is　not　so

pretty　as　the　roses　which　are　standing　in　the　glass；　and　yet　she

smiles　at　it　most　pleasantly；　and　tears　even　come　into　her　eyes。　〃I

wonder　why　grandmother　looks　at　the　withered　flower　in　the　old　book

that　way？　Do　you　know？〃　Why；　when　grandmother's　tears　fall　upon　the

rose；　and　she　is　looking　at　it；　the　rose　revives；　and　fills　the　room

with　its　fragrance；　the　walls　vanish　as　in　a　mist；　and　all　around

her　is　the　glorious　green　wood；　where　in　summer　the　sunlight　streams

through　thick　foliage；　and　grandmother；　why　she　is　young　again；　a

charming　maiden；　fresh　as　a　rose；　with　round；　rosy　cheeks；　fair；

bright　ringlets；　and　a　figure　pretty　and　graceful；　but　the　eyes；　those

mild；　saintly　eyes；　are　the　same；…　they　have　been　left　to　grandmother。

At　her　side　sits　a　young　man；　tall　and　strong；　he　gives　her　a　rose　and

she　smiles。　Grandmother　cannot　smile　like　that　now。　Yes；　she　is

smiling　at　the　memory　of　that　day；　and　many　thoughts　and　recollections

of　the　past；　but　the　handsome　young　man　is　gone；　and　the　rose　has

withered　in　the　old　book；　and　grandmother　is　sitting　there；　again　an

old　woman；　looking　down　upon　the　withered　rose　in　the　book。

　　　　Grandmother　is　dead　now。　She　had　been　sitting　in　her　arm…chair；

telling　us　a　long；　beautiful　tale；　and　when　it　was　finished；　she

said　she　was　tired；　and　leaned　her　head　back　to　sleep　awhile。　We　could

hear　her　gentle　breathing　as　she　slept；　gradually　it　became　quieter

and　calmer；　and　on　her　countenance　beamed　happiness　and　peace。　It

was　as　if　lighted　up　with　a　ray　of　sunshine。　She　smiled　once　more；　and

then　people　said　she　was　dead。　She　was　laid　in　a　black　coffin；　looking

mild　and　beautiful　in　the　white　folds　of　the　shrouded　linen；　though

her　eyes　were　closed；　but　every　wrinkle　had　vanished；　her　hair

looked　white　and　silvery；　and　around　her　mouth　lingered　a　sweet　smile。

We　did　not　feel　at　all　afraid　to　look　at　the　corpse　of　her　who　had

been　such　a　dear；　good　grandmother。　The　hymn…book；　in　which　the　rose

still　lay；　was　placed　under　her　head；　for　so　she　had　wished　it；　and

then　they　buried　grandmother。

　　　　On　the　grave；　close　by　the　churchyard　wall；　they　planted　a

rose…tree；　it　was　soon　full　of　roses；　and　the　nightingale　sat　among

the　flowers；　and　sang　over　the　grave。　From　the　organ　in　the　church

sounded　the　music　and　the　words　of　the　beautiful　psalms；　which　were

written　in　the　old　book　under　the　head　of　the　dead　one。

　　　　The　moon　shone　down　upon　the　grave；　but　the　dead　was　not　there；

every　child　could　go　safely；　even　at　night；　and　pluck　a　rose　from

the　tree　by　the　churchyard　wall。　The　dead　know　more　than　we　do　who　are

living。　They　know　what　a　terror　would　come　upon　us　if　such　a　strange

thing　were　to　happen；　as　the　appearance　of　a　dead　person　among　us。

They　are　better　off　than　we　are；　the　dead　return　no　more。　The　earth

has　been　heaped　on　the　coffin；　and　it　is　earth　only　that　lies　within

it。　The　leaves　of　the　hymn…book　are　dust；　and　the　rose；　with　all　its

recollections；　has　crumbled　to　dust　also。　But　over　the　grave　fresh

roses　bloom；　the　nightingale　sings；　and　the　organ　sounds　and　there

still　lives　a　remembrance　of　old　grandmother；　with　the　loving；

gentle　eyes　that　always　looked　young。　Eyes　can　never　die。　Ours　will

once　again　behold　dear　grandmother；　young　and　beautiful　as　when；　for

the　first　time；　she　kissed　the　fresh；　red　rose；　that　is　now　dust　in

the　grave。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。