a story from the sand-hills-第2节

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the　forest　of　West　Jutland；　but　the　forest　is　the　sea　itself；　and

the　inhabitants　find　beams；　and　planks；　and　fragments　which　the

waves　have　cast　upon　the　beach。　One　of　these　blocks　had　been　placed　by

loving　hands　on　a　child's　grave；　and　one　of　the　women　who　had　come　out

of　the　church　walked　up　to　it；　she　stood　there；　her　eyes　resting　on

the　weather…beaten　memorial；　and　a　few　moments　afterwards　her

husband　joined　her。　They　were　both　silent；　but　he　took　her　hand；　and

they　walked　together　across　the　purple　heath；　over　moor　and　meadow

towards　the　sandhills。　For　a　long　time　they　went　on　without　speaking。

　　　　〃It　was　a　good　sermon　to…day；〃　the　man　said　at　last。　〃If　we　had

not　God　to　trust　in；　we　should　have　nothing。〃

　　　　〃Yes；〃　replied　the　woman；　〃He　sends　joy　and　sorrow；　and　He　has　a

right　to　send　them。　To…morrow　our　little　son　would　have　been　five

years　old　if　we　had　been　permitted　to　keep　him。〃

　　　　〃It　is　no　use　fretting；　wife；〃　said　the　man。　〃The　boy　is　well

provided　for。　He　is　where　we　hope　and　pray　to　go　to。〃

　　　　They　said　nothing　more；　but　went　out　towards　their　houses　among

the　sand…hills。　All　at　once；　in　front　of　one　of　the　houses　where　the

sea　grass　did　not　keep　the　sand　down　with　its　twining　roots；　what

seemed　to　be　a　column　of　smoke　rose　up。　A　gust　of　wind　rushed

between　the　hills；　hurling　the　particles　of　sand　high　into　the　air；

another　gust；　and　the　strings　of　fish　hung　up　to　dry　flapped　and

beat　violently　against　the　walls　of　the　cottage；　then　everything　was

quiet　once　more；　and　the　sun　shone　with　renewed　heat。

　　　　The　man　and　his　wife　went　into　the　cottage。　They　had　soon　taken

off　their　Sunday　clothes　and　come　out　again；　hurrying　over　the　dunes

which　stood　there　like　great　waves　of　sand　suddenly　arrested　in

their　course；　while　the　sandweeds　and　dune　grass　with　its　bluish

stalks　spread　a　changing　colour　over　them。　A　few　neighbours　also

came　out；　and　helped　each　other　to　draw　the　boats　higher　up　on　the

beach。　The　wind　now　blew　more　keenly；　it　was　chilly　and　cold；　and　when

they　went　back　over　the　sand…hills；　sand　and　little　sharp　stones

blew　into　their　faces。　The　waves　rose　high；　crested　with　white　foam；

and　the　wind　cut　off　their　crests；　scattering　the　foam　far　and　wide。

　　　　Evening　came；　there　was　a　swelling　roar　in　the　air；　a　wailing　or

moaning　like　the　voices　of　despairing　spirits；　that　sounded　above

the　thunder　of　the　waves。　The　fisherman's　little　cottage　was　on　the

very　margin；　and　the　sand　rattled　against　the　window　panes；　every

now　and　then　a　violent　gust　of　wind　shook　the　house　to　its　foundation。

It　was　dark；　but　about　midnight　the　moon　would　rise。　Later　on　the

air　became　clearer；　but　the　storm　swept　over　the　perturbed　sea　with

undiminished　fury；　the　fisher　folks　had　long　since　gone　to　bed；　but　in

such　weather　there　was　no　chance　of　closing　an　eye。　Presently　there

was　a　tapping　at　the　window；　the　door　was　opened；　and　a　voice　said：

　　　　〃There's　a　large　ship　stranded　on　the　farthest　reef。〃

　　　　In　a　moment　the　fisher　people　sprung　from　their　beds　and　hastily

dressed　themselves。　The　moon　had　risen；　and　it　was　light　enough　to

make　the　surrounding　objects　visible　to　those　who　could　open　their

eyes　in　the　blinding　clouds　of　sand；　the　violence　of　the　wind　was

terrible；　and　it　was　only　possible　to　pass　among　the　sand…hills　if　one

crept　forward　between　the　gusts；　the　salt　spray　flew　up　from　the　sea

like　down；　and　the　ocean　foamed　like　a　roaring　cataract　towards　the

beach。　Only　a　practised　eye　could　discern　the　vessel　out　in　the

offing；　she　was　a　fine　brig；　and　the　waves　now　lifted　her　over　the

reef；　three　or　four　cables'　length　out　of　the　usual　channel。　She　drove

towards　the　shore；　struck　on　the　second　reef；　and　remained　fixed。

　　　　It　was　impossible　to　render　assistance；　the　sea　rushed　in　upon　the

vessel；　making　a　clean　breach　over　her。　Those　on　shore　thought　they

heard　cries　for　help　from　those　on　board；　and　could　plainly

distinguish　the　busy　but　useless　efforts　made　by　the　stranded　sailors。

Now　a　wave　came　rolling　onward。　It　fell　with　enormous　force　on　the

bowsprit；　tearing　it　from　the　vessel；　and　the　stern　was　lifted　high

above　the　water。　Two　people　were　seen　to　embrace　and　plunge　together

into　the　sea；　and　the　next　moment　one　of　the　largest　waves　that　rolled

towards　the　sand…hills　threw　a　body　on　the　beach。　It　was　a　woman；

the　sailors　said　that　she　was　quite　dead；　but　the　women　thought　they

saw　signs　of　life　in　her；　so　the　stranger　was　carried　across　the

sand…hills　to　the　fisherman's　cottage。　How　beautiful　and　fair　she　was！

She　must　be　a　great　lady；　they　said。

　　　　They　laid　her　upon　the　humble　bed；　there　was　not　a　yard　of　linen

on　it；　only　a　woollen　coverlet　to　keep　the　occupant　warm。

　　　　Life　returned　to　her；　but　she　was　delirious；　and　knew　nothing　of

what　had　happened　or　where　she　was；　and　it　was　better　so；　for

everything　she　loved　and　valued　lay　buried　in　the　sea。　The　same

thing　happened　to　her　ship　as　to　the　one　spoken　of　in　the　song　about

〃The　King　of　England's　Son。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Alas！　how　terrible　to　see

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　gallant　bark　sink　rapidly。〃



　　　　Fragments　of　the　wreck　and　pieces　of　wood　were　washed　ashore；　they

were　all　that　remained　of　the　vessel。　The　wind　still　blew　violently　on

the　coast。

　　　　For　a　few　moments　the　strange　lady　seemed　to　rest；　but　she　awoke

in　pain；　and　uttered　cries　of　anguish　and　fear。　She　opened　her

wonderfully　beautiful　eyes；　and　spoke　a　few　words；　but　nobody

understood　her。…　And　lo！　as　a　reward　for　the　sorrow　and　suffering

she　had　undergone；　she　held　in　her　arms　a　new…born　babe。　The　child

that　was　to　have　rested　upon　a　magnificent　couch；　draped　with　silken

curtains；　in　a　luxurious　home；　it　was　to　have　been　welcomed　with　joy

to　a　life　rich　in　all　the　good　things　of　this　world；　and　now　Heaven

had　ordained　that　it　should　be　born　in　this　humble　retreat；　that　it

should　not　even　receive　a　kiss　from　its　mother；　for　when　the

fisherman's　wife　laid　the　child　upon　the　mother's　bosom；　it　rested

on　a　heart　that　beat　no　more…　she　was　dead。

　　　　The　child　that　was　to　have　been　reared　amid　wealth　and　luxury

was　cast　into　the　world；　washed　by　the　sea　among　the　sand…hills　to

share　the　fate　and　hardships　of　the　poor。

　　　　Here　we　are　reminded　again　of　the　song　about　〃The　King　of

England's　Son；〃　for　in　it　mention　is　made　of　the　custom　prevalent　at

the　time；　when　knights　and　squires　plundered　those　who　had　been

saved　from　shipwreck。　The　ship　had　stranded　some　distance　south　of

Nissum　Bay；　and　the　cruel；　inhuman　days；　when；　as　we　have　just　said；

the　inhabitants　of　Jutland　treated　the　shipwrecked　people　so　crudely

were　past；　long　ago。　Affectionate　sympathy　and　self…sacrifice　for

the　unfortunate　existed　then；　just　as　it　does　in　our　own　time　in

many　a　bright　example。　The　dying　mother　and　the　unfortunate　child

would　have　found　kindness　and　help　wherever　they　had　been　cast　by

the　winds；　but　nowhere　would　it　have　been　more　sincere　than　in　the

cottage　of　the　poor　fisherman's　wife；　who　had　stood；　only　the　day

before；　beside　her　child's　grave；　who　would　have　been　five　years　old

that　day　if　God　had　spared　it　to　her。

　　　　No　one　knew　who　the　dead　stranger　was；　they　could　not　even　form

a　conjecture；　the　fragments　of　wreckage　gave　no　clue　to　the　matter。

　　　　No　tidings　reached　Spain　of　the　fate　of　the　daughter　and

son…in…law。　They　did　not　arrive　at　their　destination；　and　violent

storms　had　raged　during　the　past　weeks。　At　last　the　verdict　was　given：

〃Foundered　at　sea…　all　lost。〃　But　in　the　fisherman's　cottage　among　the

sand…hills　near　Hunsby；　there　lived　a　little　scion　of　the　rich　Spanish

family。

　　　　Where　Heaven　sends　food　for　two；　a　third　can　manage　to　find　a

meal；　and　in　the　depth　of　the　sea　there　is　many　a　dish　of　fish　for　the

hungry。

　　　　They　called　the　boy　Jurgen。

　　　　〃It　must　certainly　be　a　Jewish　child；　its　skin　is　so　dark；〃　the

people　said。

　　　　〃It　might　be　an　Italian　or　a　Spaniard；〃　remarked　the　clergyman。

　　　　But　to　the　fisherman's　wife　these　nations　seemed　all　the　same；　and

she　consoled　herself　with　the　thought　that　the　child　was　baptized　as　a

Christian。

　　　　The　boy　throve；　the　noble　blood　in　his　veins　was　warm；　and　he

became　strong　on　his　homely　fare。　He　grew　apace　in　the　humble　cottage；

and　the　Danish　dialect　spoken　by　the　West　Jutes　became　his　language。

The　pomegranate　seed　from　Spain　became　a　hardy　plant　on　the　coast　of

West　Jutland。　Thus　may　circumstances　alter　the　course　of　a　man's　life！

To　this　home　he　clung　with　deep…rooted　affection；　he　was　to　experience

cold　and　hunger；　and　the　misfortunes　and　hardships　that　surround　the

poor；　but　he　also　tasted　of　their　joys。

　　　　Childhood　has　bright　days　for　every　one；　and　the　memory　of　them

shines　through　the　whole　after…life。　The　boy　had　many　sources　of

pleasure　and　enjoyment；　the　coast　for　miles　and　miles　was　full　of

playthings；　for　it　was　a　mosaic　of　pebbles；　some　red　as　coral　or

yellow　as　amber；　and　others　again　white　and　rounded　like　birds'　eggs

and　smoothed　and　prepared　by　the　sea。　Even　the　bleached　fishes'

skeletons；　the　water　plants　dried　by　the　wind；　and　seaweed；　whit