a story from the sand-hills-第4节

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　　　　Psalms　were　sung；　and　a　few　of　the　old　people　shed　tears；　with

this　exception；　the　guests　were　cheerful　enough；　it　seemed　to

Jurgen；　and　there　was　plenty　to　eat　and　drink。　There　were　eels　of

the　fattest；　requiring　brandy　to　bury　them；　as　the　eel…breeder　said；

and　certainly　they　did　not　forget　to　carry　out　his　maxim　here。

　　　　Jurgen　went　in　and　out　the　house；　and　on　the　third　day　he　felt

as　much　at　home　as　he　did　in　the　fisherman's　cottage　among　the

sand…hills；　where　he　had　passed　his　early　days。　Here　on　the　heath　were

riches　unknown　to　him　until　now；　for　flowers；　blackberries；　and

bilberries　were　to　be　found　in　profusion；　so　large　and　sweet　that　when

they　were　crushed　beneath　the　tread　of　passers…by　the　heather　was

stained　with　their　red　juice。　Here　was　a　barrow　and　yonder　another。

Then　columns　of　smoke　rose　into　the　still　air；　it　was　a　heath　fire；

they　told　him…　how　brightly　it　blazed　in　the　dark　evening！

　　　　The　fourth　day　came；　and　the　funeral　festivities　were　at　an　end；

they　were　to　go　back　from　the　land…dunes　to　the　sand…dunes。

　　　　〃Ours　are　better；〃　said　the　old　fisherman；　Jurgen's　foster…father；

〃these　have　no　strength。〃

　　　　And　they　spoke　of　the　way　in　which　the　sand…dunes　had　come　inland；

and　it　seemed　very　easy　to　understand。　This　is　how　they　explained　it：

　　　　A　dead　body　had　been　found　on　the　coast；　and　the　peasants　buried

it　in　the　churchyard。　From　that　time　the　sand　began　to　fly　about　and

the　sea　broke　in　with　violence。　A　wise　man　in　the　district　advised

them　to　open　the　grave　and　see　if　the　buried　man　was　not　lying　sucking

his　thumb；　for　if　so　he　must　be　a　sailor；　and　the　sea　would　not　rest

until　it　had　got　him　back。　The　grave　was　opened；　and　he　really　was

found　with　his　thumb　in　his　mouth。　So　they　laid　him　upon　a　cart；　and

harnessed　two　oxen　to　it；　and　the　oxen　ran　off　with　the　sailor　over

heath　and　moor　to　the　ocean；　as　if　they　had　been　stung　by　an　adder。

Then　the　sand　ceased　to　fly　inland；　but　the　hills　that　had　been

piled　up　still　remained。

　　　　All　this　Jurgen　listened　to　and　treasured　up　in　his　memory　of

the　happiest　days　of　his　childhood…　the　days　of　the　burial　feast。

　　　　How　delightful　it　was　to　see　fresh　places　and　to　mix　with

strangers！　And　he　was　to　go　still　farther；　for　he　was　not　yet　fourteen

years　old　when　he　went　out　in　a　ship　to　see　the　world。　He

encountered　bad　weather；　heavy　seas；　unkindness；　and　hard　men…　such

were　his　experiences；　for　he　became　ship…boy。　Cold　nights；　bad　living；

and　blows　had　to　be　endured；　then　he　felt　his　noble　Spanish　blood　boil

within　him；　and　bitter；　angry；　words　rose　to　his　lips；　but　he　gulped

them　down；　it　was　better；　although　he　felt　as　the　eel　must　feel　when

it　is　skinned；　cut　up；　and　put　into　the　frying…pan。

　　　　〃I　shall　get　over　it；〃　said　a　voice　within　him。

　　　　He　saw　the　Spanish　coast；　the　native　land　of　his　parents。　He

even　saw　the　town　where　they　had　lived　in　joy　and　prosperity；　but　he

knew　nothing　of　his　home　or　his　relations；　and　his　relations　knew　just

as　little　about　him。

　　　　The　poor　ship　boy　was　not　permitted　to　land；　but　on　the　last　day

of　their　stay　he　managed　to　get　ashore。　There　were　several　purchases

to　be　made；　and　he　was　sent　to　carry　them　on　board。

　　　　Jurgen　stood　there　in　his　shabby　clothes　which　looked　as　if　they

had　been　washed　in　the　ditch　and　dried　in　the　chimney；　he；　who　had

always　dwelt　among　the　sand…hills；　now　saw　a　great　city　for　the

first　time。　How　lofty　the　houses　seemed；　and　what　a　number　of　people

there　were　in　the　streets！　some　pushing　this　way；　some　that…　a　perfect

maelstrom　of　citizens　and　peasants；　monks　and　soldiers…　the　jingling

of　bells　on　the　trappings　of　asses　and　mules；　the　chiming　of　church

bells；　calling；　shouting；　hammering　and　knocking…　all　going　on　at

once。　Every　trade　was　located　in　the　basement　of　the　houses　or　in

the　side　thoroughfares；　and　the　sun　shone　with　such　heat；　and　the

air　was　so　close；　that　one　seemed　to　be　in　an　oven　full　of　beetles；

cockchafers；　bees　and　flies；　all　humming　and　buzzing　together。

Jurgen　scarcely　knew　where　he　was　or　which　way　he　went。　Then　he　saw

just　in　front　of　him　the　great　doorway　of　a　cathedral；　the　lights　were

gleaming　in　the　dark　aisles；　and　the　fragrance　of　incense　was　wafted

towards　him。　Even　the　poorest　beggar　ventured　up　the　steps　into　the

sanctuary。　Jurgen　followed　the　sailor　he　was　with　into　the　church；　and

stood　in　the　sacred　edifice。　Coloured　pictures　gleamed　from　their

golden　background；　and　on　the　altar　stood　the　figure　of　the　Virgin

with　the　child　Jesus；　surrounded　by　lights　and　flowers；　priests　in

festive　robes　were　chanting；　and　choir　boys　in　dazzling　attire　swung

silver　censers。　What　splendour　and　magnificence　he　saw　there！　It

streamed　in　upon　his　soul　and　overpowered　him：　the　church　and　the

faith　of　his　parents　surrounded　him；　and　touched　a　chord　in　his

heart　that　caused　his　eyes　to　overflow　with　tears。

　　　　They　went　from　the　church　to　the　market…place。　Here　a　quantity

of　provisions　were　given　him　to　carry。　The　way　to　the　harbour　was

long；　and　weary　and　overcome　with　various　emotions；　he　rested　for　a

few　moments　before　a　splendid　house；　with　marble　pillars；　statues；　and

broad　steps。　Here　he　rested　his　burden　against　the　wall。　Then　a　porter

in　livery　came　out；　lifted　up　a　silver…headed　cane；　and　drove　him

away…　him；　the　grandson　of　that　house。　But　no　one　knew　that；　and　he

just　as　little　as　any　one。　Then　he　went　on　board　again；　and　once

more　encountered　rough　words　and　blows；　much　work　and　little　sleep…

such　was　his　experience　of　life。　They　say　it　is　good　to　suffer　in

one's　young　days；　if　age　brings　something　to　make　up　for　it。

　　　　His　period　of　service　on　board　the　ship　came　to　an　end；　and　the

vessel　lay　once　more　at　Ringkjobing　in　Jutland。　He　came　ashore；　and

went　home　to　the　sand…dunes　near　Hunsby；　but　his　foster…mother　had

died　during　his　absence。

　　　　A　hard　winter　followed　this　summer。　Snow…storms　swept　over　land

and　sea；　and　there　was　difficulty　in　getting　from　one　place　to

another。　How　unequally　things　are　distributed　in　this　world！　Here

there　was　bitter　cold　and　snow…storms；　while　in　Spain　there　was

burning　sunshine　and　oppressive　heat。　Yet；　when　a　clear　frosty　day

came；　and　Jurgen　saw　the　swans　flying　in　numbers　from　the　sea

towards　the　land；　across　to　Norre…Vosborg；　it　seemed　to　him　that

people　could　breathe　more　freely　here；　the　summer　also　in　this　part　of

the　world　was　splendid。　In　imagination　he　saw　the　heath　blossom　and

become　purple　with　rich　juicy　berries；　and　the　elder…bushes　and

lime…trees　at　Norre　Vosborg　in　flower。　He　made　up　his　mind　to　go　there

again。

　　　　Spring　came；　and　the　fishing　began。　Jurgen　was　now　an　active

helper　in　this；　for　he　had　grown　during　the　last　year；　and　was　quick

at　work。　He　was　full　of　life；　and　knew　how　to　swim；　to　tread　water；

and　to　turn　over　and　tumble　in　the　strong　tide。　They　often　warned

him　to　beware　of　the　sharks；　which　seize　the　best　swimmer；　draw　him

down；　and　devour　him；　but　such　was　not　to　be　Jurgen's　fate。

　　　　At　a　neighbour's　house　in　the　dunes　there　was　a　boy　named

Martin；　with　whom　Jurgen　was　on　very　friendly　terms；　and　they　both

took　service　in　the　same　ship　to　Norway；　and　also　went　together　to

Holland。　They　never　had　a　quarrel；　but　a　person　can　be　easily

excited　to　quarrel　when　he　is　naturally　hot　tempered；　for　he　often

shows　it　in　many　ways；　and　this　is　just　what　Jurgen　did　one　day　when

they　fell　out　about　the　merest　trifle。　They　were　sitting　behind　the

cabin　door；　eating　from　a　delft　plate；　which　they　had　placed　between

them。　Jurgen　held　his　pocket…knife　in　his　hand　and　raised　it　towards

Martin；　and　at　the　same　time　became　ashy　pale；　and　his　eyes　had　an

ugly　look。　Martin　only　said；　〃Ah！　ah！　you　are　one　of　that　sort；　are

you？　Fond　of　using　the　knife！〃

　　　　The　words　were　scarcely　spoken；　when　Jurgen's　hand　sank　down。　He

did　not　answer　a　syllable；　but　went　on　eating；　and　afterwards　returned

to　his　work。　When　they　were　resting　again　he　walked　up　to　Martin　and

said：

　　　　〃Hit　me　in　the　face！　I　deserve　it。　But　sometimes　I　feel　as　if　I

had　a　pot　in　me　that　boils　over。〃

　　　　〃There；　let　the　thing　rest；〃　replied　Martin。

　　　　And　after　that　they　were　almost　better　friends　than　ever；　when

afterwards　they　returned　to　the　dunes　and　began　telling　their

adventures；　this　was　told　among　the　rest。　Martin　said　that　Jurgen

was　certainly　passionate；　but　a　good　fellow　after　all。

　　　　They　were　both　young　and　healthy；　well…grown　and　strong；　but

Jurgen　was　the　cleverer　of　the　two。

　　　　In　Norway　the　peasants　go　into　the　mountains　and　take　the　cattle

there　to　find　pasture。　On　the　west　coast　of　Jutland　huts　have　been

erected　among　the　sand…hills；　they　are　built　of　pieces　of　wreck；　and

thatched　with　turf　and　heather；　there　are　sleeping　places　round　the

walls；　and　here　the　fishermen　live　and　sleep　during　the　early

spring。　Every　fisherman　has　a　female　helper；　or　manager　as　she　is

called；　who　baits　his　hooks；　prepares　warm　beer　for　him　when　he

comes　ashore；　and　gets　the　dinner　cooked　and　ready　for　him　by　the　time

he　comes　back　to　the　hut　tired　and　hungry。　Besides　this　the　ma