under the willow-tree-第3节

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seized　it；　and　said…

　　　　〃Will　you　not　shake　hands　with　your　sister　at　parting；　my　old

playfellow？〃　and　she　smiled　through　the　tears　that　were　rolling　down

her　cheeks。　Again　she　repeated　the　word　〃brother；〃　which　was　a　great

consolation　certainly；　and　thus　they　parted。

　　　　She　sailed　to　France；　and　Knud　wandered　about　the　muddy　streets　of

Copenhagen。　The　other　journeymen　in　the　shop　asked　him　why　he　looked

so　gloomy；　and　wanted　him　to　go　and　amuse　himself　with　them；　as　he　was

still　a　young　man。　So　he　went　with　them　to　a　dancing…room。　He　saw　many

handsome　girls　there；　but　none　like　Joanna；　and　here；　where　he　thought

to　forget　her；　she　was　more　life…like　before　his　mind　than　ever。

〃God　gives　us　strength　to　bear　much；　if　we　try　to　do　our　best；〃　she

had　said；　and　as　he　thought　of　this；　a　devout　feeling　came　into　his

mind；　and　he　folded　his　hands。　Then；　as　the　violins　played　and　the

girls　danced　round　the　room；　he　started；　for　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　he

were　in　a　place　where　he　ought　not　to　have　brought　Joanna；　for　she　was

here　with　him　in　his　heart；　and　so　he　went　out　at　once。　As　he　went

through　the　streets　at　a　quick　pace；　he　passed　the　house　where　she

used　to　live；　it　was　all　dark；　empty；　and　lonely。　But　the　world　went

on　its　course；　and　Knud　was　obliged　to　go　on　too。

　　　　Winter　came；　the　water　was　frozen；　and　everything　seemed　buried　in

a　cold　grave。　But　when　spring　returned；　and　the　first　steamer　prepared

to　sail；　Knud　was　seized　with　a　longing　to　wander　forth　into　the

world；　but　not　to　France。　So　he　packed　his　knapsack；　and　travelled

through　Germany；　going　from　town　to　town；　but　finding　neither　rest

or　peace。　It　was　not　till　he　arrived　at　the　glorious　old　town　of

Nuremberg　that　he　gained　the　mastery　over　himself；　and　rested　his

weary　feet；　and　here　he　remained。

　　　　Nuremberg　is　a　wonderful　old　city；　and　looks　as　if　it　had　been　cut

out　of　an　old　picture…book。　The　streets　seem　to　have　arranged

themselves　according　to　their　own　fancy；　and　as　if　the　houses　objected

to　stand　in　rows　or　rank　and　file。　Gables；　with　little　towers；

ornamented　columns；　and　statues；　can　be　seen　even　to　the　city　gate；

and　from　the　singular…shaped　roofs；　waterspouts；　formed　like

dragons；　or　long　lean　dogs；　extend　far　across　to　the　middle　of　the

street。　Here；　in　the　market…place；　stood　Knud；　with　his　knapsack　on

his　back；　close　to　one　of　the　old　fountains　which　are　so　beautifully

adorned　with　figures；　scriptural　and　historical；　and　which　spring　up

between　the　sparkling　jets　of　water。　A　pretty　servant…maid　was　just

filling　her　pails；　and　she　gave　Knud　a　refreshing　draught；　she　had　a

handful　of　roses；　and　she　gave　him　one；　which　appeared　to　him　like　a

good　omen　for　the　future。　From　a　neighboring　church　came　the　sounds　of

music；　and　the　familiar　tones　reminded　him　of　the　organ　at　home　at

Kjoge；　so　he　passed　into　the　great　cathedral。　The　sunshine　streamed

through　the　painted　glass　windows；　and　between　two　lofty　slender

pillars。　His　thoughts　became　prayerful；　and　calm　peace　rested　on　his

soul。　He　next　sought　and　found　a　good　master　in　Nuremberg；　with　whom

he　stayed　and　learnt　the　German　language。

　　　　The　old　moat　round　the　town　had　been　converted　into　a　number　of

little　kitchen　gardens；　but　the　high　walls；　with　their　heavy…looking

towers；　are　still　standing。　Inside　these　walls　the　ropemaker　twisted

his　ropes　along　a　walk　built　like　a　gallery；　and　in　the　cracks　and

crevices　of　the　walls　elderbushes　grow　and　stretch　their　green

boughs　over　the　small　houses　which　stand　below。　In　one　of　these　houses

lived　the　master　for　whom　Knud　worked；　and　over　the　little　garret

window　where　he　sat；　the　elder…tree　waved　its　branches。　Here　he

dwelt　through　one　summer　and　winter；　but　when　spring　came　again；　he

could　endure　it　no　longer。　The　elder　was　in　blossom；　and　its　fragrance

was　so　homelike；　that　he　fancied　himself　back　again　in　the　gardens

of　Kjoge。　So　Knud　left　his　master；　and　went　to　work　for　another　who

lived　farther　in　the　town；　where　no　elder　grew。　His　workshop　was　quite

close　to　one　of　the　old　stone　bridges；　near　to　a　water…mill；　round

which　the　roaring　stream　rushed　and　foamed　always；　yet　restrained　by

the　neighboring　houses；　whose　old；　decayed　balconies　hung　over；　and

seemed　ready　to　fall　into　the　water。　Here　grew　no　elder；　here　was

not　even　a　flower…pot；　with　its　little　green　plant；　but　just

opposite　the　workshop　stood　a　great　willow…tree；　which　seemed　to

hold　fast　to　the　house　for　fear　of　being　carried　away　by　the　water。　It

stretched　its　branches　over　the　stream　just　as　those　of　the

willow…tree　in　the　garden　at　Kjoge　had　spread　over　the　river。　Yes；

he　had　indeed　gone　from　elder…mother　to　willow…father。　There　was　a

something　about　the　tree　here；　especially　in　the　moonlight　nights；

that　went　direct　to　his　heart；　yet　it　was　not　in　reality　the

moonlight；　but　the　old　tree　itself。　However；　he　could　not　endure　it：

and　why？　Ask　the　willow；　ask　the　blossoming　elder！　At　all　events；　he

bade　farewell　to　Nuremberg　and　journeyed　onwards。　He　never　spoke　of

Joanna　to　any　one；　his　sorrow　was　hidden　in　his　heart。　The　old

childish　story　of　the　two　cakes　had　a　deep　meaning　for　him。　He

understood　now　why　the　gingerbread　man　had　a　bitter　almond　in　his　left

side；　his　was　the　feeling　of　bitterness；　and　Joanna；　so　mild　and

friendly；　was　represented　by　the　honeycake　maiden。　As　he　thought

upon　all　this；　the　strap　of　his　knapsack　pressed　across　his　chest　so

that　he　could　hardly　breathe；　he　loosened　it；　but　gained　no　relief。　He

saw　but　half　the　world　around　him；　the　other　half　he　carried　with

him　in　his　inward　thoughts；　and　this　is　the　condition　in　which　he　left

Nuremberg。　Not　till　he　caught　sight　of　the　lofty　mountains　did　the

world　appear　more　free　to　him；　his　thoughts　were　attracted　to　outer

objects；　and　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　The　Alps　appeared　to　him　like

the　wings　of　earth　folded　together；　unfolded；　they　would　display　the

variegated　pictures　of　dark　woods；　foaming　waters；　spreading　clouds；

and　masses　of　snow。　〃At　the　last　day；〃　thought　he；　〃the　earth　will

unfold　its　great　wings；　and　soar　upwards　to　the　skies；　there　to

burst　like　a　soap…bubble　in　the　radiant　glance　of　the　Deity。　Oh；〃

sighed　he；　〃that　the　last　day　were　come！〃

　　　　Silently　he　wandered　on　through　the　country　of　the　Alps；　which

seemed　to　him　like　a　fruit　garden；　covered　with　soft　turf。　From　the

wooden　balconies　of　the　houses　the　young　lacemakers　nodded　as　he

passed。　The　summits　of　the　mountains　glowed　in　the　red　evening　sunset；

and　the　green　lakes　beneath　the　dark　trees　reflected　the　glow。　Then　he

thought　of　the　sea　coast　by　the　bay　Kjoge；　with　a　longing　in　his　heart

that　was；　however；　without　pain。　There；　where　the　Rhine　rolls　onward

like　a　great　billow；　and　dissolves　itself　into　snowflakes；　where

glistening　clouds　are　ever　changing　as　if　here　was　the　place　of

their　creation；　while　the　rainbow　flutters　about　them　like　a

many…colored　ribbon；　there　did　Knud　think　of　the　water…mill　at

Kjoge；　with　its　rushing；　foaming　waters。　Gladly　would　he　have　remained

in　the　quiet　Rhenish　town；　but　there　were　too　many　elders　and

willow…trees。

　　　　So　he　travelled　onwards；　over　a　grand；　lofty　chain　of　mountains；

over　rugged；…　rocky　precipices；　and　along　roads　that　hung　on　the

mountain's　side　like　a　swallow's　nest。　The　waters　foamed　in　the　depths

below　him。　The　clouds　lay　beneath　him。　He　wandered　on；　treading　upon

Alpine　roses；　thistles；　and　snow；　with　the　summer　sun　shining　upon

him；　till　at　length　he　bid　farewell　to　the　lands　of　the　north。　Then　he

passed　on　under　the　shade　of　blooming　chestnut…trees；　through

vineyards；　and　fields　of　Indian　corn；　till　conscious　that　the

mountains　were　as　a　wall　between　him　and　his　early　recollections；

and　he　wished　it　to　be　so。

　　　　Before　him　lay　a　large　and　splendid　city；　called　Milan；　and　here

he　found　a　German　master　who　engaged　him　as　a　workman。　The　master

and　his　wife；　in　whose　workshop　he　was　employed；　were　an　old；　pious

couple；　and　the　two　old　people　became　quite　fond　of　the　quiet

journeyman；　who　spoke　but　little；　but　worked　more；　and　led　a　pious；

Christian　life；　and　even　to　himself　it　seemed　as　if　God　had　removed

the　heavy　burden　from　his　heart。　His　greatest　pleasure　was　to　climb；

now　and　then；　to　the　roof　of　the　noble　church；　which　was　built　of

white　marble。　The　pointed　towers；　the　decorated　and　open　cloisters；

the　stately　columns；　the　white　statues　which　smiled　upon　him　from

every　corner　and　porch　and　arch；…　all；　even　the　church　itself；

seemed　to　him　to　have　been　formed　from　the　snow　of　his　native　land。

Above　him　was　the　blue　sky；　below　him；　the　city　and　the　wide…spreading

plains　of　Lombardy；　and　towards　the　north；　the　lofty　mountains；

covered　with　perpetual　snow。　And　then　he　thought　of　the　church　of

Kjoge；　with　its　red；　ivy…clad　walls；　but　he　had　no　longing　to　go

there；　here；　beyond　the　mountains；　he　would　die　and　be　buried。

　　　　Three　years　had　passed　away　since　he　left　his　home；　one　year　of

that　time　he　had　dwelt　at　Milan。

　　　　One　day　his　master　took　him　into　the　town；　not　to　the　circus　in

which　riders　performed；　but　to　the　opera；　a　large