ib and little christina-第3节

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the　course　of　the　following　November；　her　banns　were　published　in

the　church　on　the　heath；　and　also　in　Copenhagen；　where　the

bridegroom　lived。　She　was　taken　to　Copenhagen　under　the　protection

of　her　future　mother…in…law；　because　the　bridegroom　could　not　spare

time　from　his　numerous　occupations　for　a　journey　so　far　into

Jutland。　On　the　journey；　Christina　met　her　father　at　one　of　the

villages　through　which　they　passed；　and　here　he　took　leave　of　her。

Very　little　was　said　about　the　matter　to　Ib；　and　he　did　not　refer　to

it；　his　mother；　however；　noticed　that　he　had　grown　very　silent　and

pensive。　Thinking　as　he　did　of　old　times；　no　wonder　the　three　nuts

came　into　his　mind　which　the　gypsy　woman　had　given　him　when　a　child；

and　of　the　two　which　he　had　given　to　Christina。　These　wishing　nuts；

after　all；　had　proved　true　fortune…tellers。　One　had　contained　a　gilded

carriage　and　noble　horses；　and　the　other　beautiful　clothes；　all　of

these　Christina　would　now　have　in　her　new　home　at　Copenhagen。　Her　part

had　come　true。　And　for　him　the　nut　had　contained　only　black　earth。　The

gypsy　woman　had　said　it　was　the　best　for　him。　Perhaps　it　was；　and　this

also　would　be　fulfilled。　He　understood　the　gypsy　woman's　meaning

now。　The　black　earth…　the　dark　grave…　was　the　best　thing　for　him　now。

　　　　Again　years　passed　away；　not　many；　but　they　seemed　long　years　to

Ib。　The　old　innkeeper　and　his　wife　died　one　after　the　other；　and　the

whole　of　their　property；　many　thousand　dollars；　was　inherited　by　their

son。　Christina　could　have　the　golden　carriage　now；　and　plenty　of

fine　clothes。　During　the　two　long　years　which　followed；　no　letter　came

from　Christina　to　her　father；　and　when　at　last　her　father　received　one

from　her；　it　did　not　speak　of　prosperity　or　happiness。　Poor　Christina！

Neither　she　nor　her　husband　understood　how　to　economize　or　save；　and

the　riches　brought　no　blessing　with　them；　because　they　had　not　asked

for　it。

　　　　Years　passed；　and　for　many　summers　the　heath　was　covered　with

bloom；　in　winter　the　snow　rested　upon　it；　and　the　rough　winds　blew

across　the　ridge　under　which　stood　Ib's　sheltered　home。　One　spring　day

the　sun　shone　brightly；　and　he　was　guiding　the　plough　across　his

field。　The　ploughshare　struck　against　something　which　he　fancied　was　a

firestone；　and　then　he　saw　glittering　in　the　earth　a　splinter　of

shining　metal　which　the　plough　had　cut　from　something　which　gleamed

brightly　in　the　furrow。　He　searched；　and　found　a　large　golden　armlet

of　superior　workmanship；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　plough　had

disturbed　a　Hun's　grave。　He　searched　further；　and　found　more

valuable　treasures；　which　Ib　showed　to　the　clergyman；　who　explained

their　value　to　him。　Then　he　went　to　the　magistrate；　who　informed　the

president　of　the　museum　of　the　discovery；　and　advised　Ib　to　take　the

treasures　himself　to　the　president。

　　　　〃You　have　found　in　the　earth　the　best　thing　you　could　find；〃

said　the　magistrate。

　　　　〃The　best　thing；〃　thought　Ib；　〃the　very　best　thing　for　me；…　and

found　in　the　earth！　Well；　if　it　really　is　so；　then　the　gypsy　woman　was

right　in　her　prophecy。〃

　　　　So　Ib　went　in　the　ferry…boat　from　Aarhus　to　Copenhagen。　To　him　who

had　only　sailed　once　or　twice　on　the　river　near　his　own　home；　this

seemed　like　a　voyage　on　the　ocean；　and　at　length　he　arrived　at

Copenhagen。　The　value　of　the　gold　he　had　found　was　paid　to　him；　it　was

a　large　sum…　six　hundred　dollars。　Then　Ib　of　the　heath　went　out；　and

wandered　about　in　the　great　city。

　　　　On　the　evening　before　the　day　he　had　settled　to　return　with　the

captain　of　the　passage…boat；　Ib　lost　himself　in　the　streets；　and

took　quite　a　different　turning　to　the　one　he　wished　to　follow。　He

wandered　on　till　he　found　himself　in　a　poor　street　of　the　suburb

called　Christian's　Haven。　Not　a　creature　could　be　seen。　At　last　a　very

little　girl　came　out　of　one　of　the　wretched…looking　houses；　and　Ib

asked　her　to　tell　him　the　way　to　the　street　he　wanted；　she　looked　up

timidly　at　him；　and　began　to　cry　bitterly。　He　asked　her　what　was　the

matter；　but　what　she　said　he　could　not　understand。　So　he　went　along

the　street　with　her；　and　as　they　passed　under　a　lamp；　the　light　fell

on　the　little　girl's　face。　A　strange　sensation　came　over　Ib；　as　he

caught　sight　of　it。　The　living；　breathing　embodiment　of　Little

Christina　stood　before　him；　just　as　he　remembered　her　in　the　days　of

her　childhood。　He　followed　the　child　to　the　wretched　house；　and

ascended　the　narrow；　crazy　staircase　which　led　to　a　little　garret　in

the　roof。　The　air　in　the　room　was　heavy　and　stifling；　no　light　was

burning；　and　from　one　corner　came　sounds　of　moaning　and　sighing。　It

was　the　mother　of　the　child　who　lay　there　on　a　miserable　bed。　With　the

help　of　a　match；　Ib　struck　a　light；　and　approached　her。

　　　　〃Can　I　be　of　any　service　to　you？〃　he　asked。　〃This　little　girl

brought　me　up　here；　but　I　am　a　stranger　in　this　city。　Are　there　no

neighbors　or　any　one　whom　I　can　call？〃

　　　　Then　he　raised　the　head　of　the　sick　woman；　and　smoothed　her

pillow。　He　started　as　he　did　so。　It　was　Christina　of　the　heath！　No　one

had　mentioned　her　name　to　Ib　for　years；　it　would　have　disturbed　his

peace　of　mind；　especially　as　the　reports　respecting　her　were　not　good。

The　wealth　which　her　husband　had　inherited　from　his　parents　had　made

him　proud　and　arrogant。　He　had　given　up　his　certain　appointment；　and

travelled　for　six　months　in　foreign　lands；　and；　on　his　return；　had

lived　in　great　style；　and　got　into　terrible　debt。　For　a　time　he　had

trembled　on　the　high　pedestal　on　which　he　had　placed　himself；　till

at　last　he　toppled　over；　and　ruin　came。　His　numerous　merry　companions；

and　the　visitors　at　his　table；　said　it　served　him　right；　for　he　had

kept　house　like　a　madman。　One　morning　his　corpse　was　found　in　the

canal。　The　cold　hand　of　death　had　already　touched　the　heart　of

Christina。　Her　youngest　child；　looked　for　in　the　midst　of

prosperity；　had　sunk　into　the　grave　when　only　a　few　weeks　old；　and

at　last　Christina　herself　became　sick　unto　death；　and　lay；　forsaken

and　dying；　in　a　miserable　room；　amid　poverty　she　might　have　borne　in

her　younger　days；　but　which　was　now　more　painful　to　her　from　the

luxuries　to　which　she　had　lately　been　accustomed。　It　was　her　eldest

child；　also　a　Little　Christina；　whom　Ib　had　followed　to　her　home；

where　she　suffered　hunger　and　poverty　with　her　mother。

　　　　It　makes　me　unhappy　to　think　that　I　shall　die；　and　leave　this　poor

child；〃　sighed　she。　〃Oh；　what　will　become　of　her？〃　She　could　say　no

more。

　　　　Then　Ib　brought　out　another　match；　and　lighted　a　piece　of　candle

which　he　found　in　the　room；　and　it　threw　a　glimmering　light　over　the

wretched　dwelling。　Ib　looked　at　the　little　girl；　and　thought　of

Christina　in　her　young　days。　For　her　sake；　could　he　not　love　this

child；　who　was　a　stranger　to　him？　As　he　thus　reflected；　the　dying

woman　opened　her　eyes；　and　gazed　at　him。　Did　she　recognize　him？　He

never　knew；　for　not　another　word　escaped　her　lips。



　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　*



　　　　In　the　forest　by　the　river　Gudenau；　not　far　from　the　heath；　and

beneath　the　ridge　of　land；　stood　the　little　farm；　newly　painted　and

whitewashed。　The　air　was　heavy　and　dark；　there　were　no　blossoms　on　the

heath；　the　autumn　winds　whirled　the　yellow　leaves　towards　the

boatman's　hut；　in　which　strangers　dwelt；　but　the　little　farm　stood

safely　sheltered　beneath　the　tall　trees　and　the　high　ridge。　The　turf

blazed　brightly　on　the　hearth；　and　within　was　sunlight；　the

sparkling　light　from　the　sunny　eyes　of　a　child；　the　birdlike　tones

from　the　rosy　lips　ringing　like　the　song　of　a　lark　in　spring。　All

was　life　and　joy。　Little　Christina　sat　on　Ib's　knee。　Ib　was　to　her

both　father　and　mother；　her　own　parents　had　vanished　from　her

memory；　as　a　dream…picture　vanishes　alike　from　childhood　and　age。　Ib's

house　was　well　and　prettily　furnished；　for　he　was　a　prosperous　man

now；　while　the　mother　of　the　little　girl　rested　in　the　churchyard　at

Copenhagen；　where　she　had　died　in　poverty。　Ib　had　money　now…　money

which　had　come　to　him　out　of　the　black　earth；　and　he　had　Christina　for

his　own；　after　all。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。