the shadow-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SHADOW

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IN　very　hot　climates；　where　the　heat　of　the　sun　has　great　power；

people　are　usually　as　brown　as　mahogany；　and　in　the　hottest

countries　they　are　negroes；　with　black　skins。　A　learned　man　once

travelled　into　one　of　these　warm　climates；　from　the　cold　regions　of

the　north；　and　thought　he　would　roam　about　as　he　did　at　home；　but　he

soon　had　to　change　his　opinion。　He　found　that；　like　all　sensible

people；　he　must　remain　in　the　house　during　the　whole　day；　with　every

window　and　door　closed；　so　that　it　looked　as　if　all　in　the　house

were　asleep　or　absent。　The　houses　of　the　narrow　street　in　which　he

lived　were　so　lofty　that　the　sun　shone　upon　them　from　morning　till

evening；　and　it　became　quite　unbearable。　This　learned　man　from　the

cold　regions　was　young　as　well　as　clever；　but　it　seemed　to　him　as　if

he　were　sitting　in　an　oven；　and　he　became　quite　exhausted　and　weak；

and　grew　so　thin　that　his　shadow　shrivelled　up；　and　became　much

smaller　than　it　had　been　at　home。　The　sun　took　away　even　what　was　left

of　it；　and　he　saw　nothing　of　it　till　the　evening；　after　sunset。　It　was

really　a　pleasure；　as　soon　as　the　lights　were　brought　into　the　room；

to　see　the　shadow　stretch　itself　against　the　wall；　even　to　the

ceiling；　so　tall　was　it；　and　it　really　wanted　a　good　stretch　to

recover　its　strength。　The　learned　man　would　sometimes　go　out　into

the　balcony　to　stretch　himself　also；　and　as　soon　as　the　stars　came

forth　in　the　clear；　beautiful　sky；　he　felt　revived。　People　at　this

hour　began　to　make　their　appearance　in　all　the　balconies　in　the

street；　for　in　warm　climates　every　window　has　a　balcony；　in　which　they

can　breathe　the　fresh　evening　air；　which　is　very　necessary；　even　to

those　who　are　used　to　a　heat　that　makes　them　as　brown　as　mahogany；

so　that　the　street　presented　a　very　lively　appearance。　Here　were

shoemakers；　and　tailors；　and　all　sorts　of　people　sitting。　In　the

street　beneath；　they　brought　out　tables　and　chairs；　lighted　candles　by

hundreds；　talked　and　sang；　and　were　very　merry。　There　were　people

walking；　carriages　driving；　and　mules　trotting　along；　with　their　bells

on　the　harness；　〃tingle；　tingle；〃　as　they　went。　Then　the　dead　were

carried　to　the　grave　with　the　sound　of　solemn　music；　and　the　tolling

of　the　church　bells。　It　was　indeed　a　scene　of　varied　life　in　the

street。　One　house　only；　which　was　just　opposite　to　the　one　in　which

the　foreign　learned　man　lived；　formed　a　contrast　to　all　this；　for　it

was　quite　still；　and　yet　somebody　dwelt　there；　for　flowers　stood　in

the　balcony；　blooming　beautifully　in　the　hot　sun；　and　this　could　not

have　been　unless　they　had　been　watered　carefully。　Therefore　some　one

must　be　in　the　house　to　do　this。　The　doors　leading　to　the　balcony　were

half　opened　in　the　evening；　and　although　in　the　front　room　all　was

dark；　music　could　be　heard　from　the　interior　of　the　house。　The　foreign

learned　man　considered　this　music　very　delightful；　but　perhaps　he

fancied　it；　for　everything　in　these　warm　countries　pleased　him；

excepting　the　heat　of　the　sun。　The　foreign　landlord　said　he　did　not

know　who　had　taken　the　opposite　house…　nobody　was　to　be　seen　there；

and　as　to　the　music；　he　thought　it　seemed　very　tedious；　to　him　most

uncommonly　so。

　　　　〃It　is　just　as　if　some　one　was　practising　a　piece　that　he　could

not　manage；　it　is　always　the　same　piece。　He　thinks；　I　suppose；　that　he

will　be　able　to　manage　it　at　last；　but　I　do　not　think　so；　however　long

he　may　play　it。〃

　　　　Once　the　foreigner　woke　in　the　night。　He　slept　with　the　door

open　which　led　to　the　balcony；　the　wind　had　raised　the　curtain

before　it；　and　there　appeared　a　wonderful　brightness　over　all　in　the

balcony　of　the　opposite　house。　The　flowers　seemed　like　flames　of　the

most　gorgeous　colors；　and　among　the　flowers　stood　a　beautiful

slender　maiden。　It　was　to　him　as　if　light　streamed　from　her；　and

dazzled　his　eyes；　but　then　he　had　only　just　opened　them；　as　he　awoke

from　his　sleep。　With　one　spring　he　was　out　of　bed；　and　crept　softly

behind　the　curtain。　But　she　was　gone…　the　brightness　had

disappeared；　the　flowers　no　longer　appeared　like　flames；　although

still　as　beautiful　as　ever。　The　door　stood　ajar；　and　from　an　inner

room　sounded　music　so　sweet　and　so　lovely；　that　it　produced　the　most

enchanting　thoughts；　and　acted　on　the　senses　with　magic　power。　Who

could　live　there？　Where　was　the　real　entrance？　for；　both　in　the　street

and　in　the　lane　at　the　side；　the　whole　ground　floor　was　a　continuation

of　shops；　and　people　could　not　always　be　passing　through　them。

　　　　One　evening　the　foreigner　sat　in　the　balcony。　A　light　was

burning　in　his　own　room；　just　behind　him。　It　was　quite　natural；

therefore；　that　his　shadow　should　fall　on　the　wall　of　the　opposite

house；　so　that；　as　he　sat　amongst　the　flowers　on　his　balcony；　when

he　moved；　his　shadow　moved　also。

　　　　〃I　think　my　shadow　is　the　only　living　thing　to　be　seen

opposite；〃　said　the　learned　man；　〃see　how　pleasantly　it　sits　among　the

flowers。　The　door　is　only　ajar；　the　shadow　ought　to　be　clever　enough

to　step　in　and　look　about　him；　and　then　to　come　back　and　tell　me

what　he　has　seen。　You　could　make　yourself　useful　in　this　way；〃　said

he；　jokingly；　〃be　so　good　as　to　step　in　now；　will　you？〃　and　then　he

nodded　to　the　shadow；　and　the　shadow　nodded　in　return。　〃Now　go；　but

don't　stay　away　altogether。〃

　　　　Then　the　foreigner　stood　up；　and　the　shadow　on　the　opposite

balcony　stood　up　also；　the　foreigner　turned　round；　the　shadow

turned；　and　if　any　one　had　observed；　they　might　have　seen　it　go

straight　into　the　half…opened　door　of　the　opposite　balcony；　as　the

learned　man　re…entered　his　own　room；　and　let　the　curtain　fall。　The

next　morning　he　went　out　to　take　his　coffee　and　read　the　newspapers。

　　　　〃How　is　this？〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　stood　in　the　sunshine。　〃I

have　lost　my　shadow。　So　it　really　did　go　away　yesterday　evening；　and

it　has　not　returned。　This　is　very　annoying。〃

　　　　And　it　certainly　did　vex　him；　not　so　much　because　the　shadow　was

gone；　but　because　he　knew　there　was　a　story　of　a　man　without　a　shadow。

All　the　people　at　home；　in　his　country；　knew　this　story；　and　when　he

returned；　and　related　his　own　adventures；　they　would　say　it　was　only

an　imitation；　and　he　had　no　desire　for　such　things　to　be　said　of

him。　So　he　decided　not　to　speak　of　it　at　all；　which　was　a　very

sensible　determination。

　　　　In　the　evening　he　went　out　again　on　his　balcony；　taking　care　to

place　the　light　behind　him；　for　he　knew　that　a　shadow　always　wants　his

master　for　a　screen；　but　he　could　not　entice　him　out。　He　made

himself　little；　and　he　made　himself　tall；　but　there　was　no　shadow；　and

no　shadow　came。　He　said；　〃Hem；　a…hem；〃　but　it　was　all　useless。　That

was　very　vexatious；　but　in　warm　countries　everything　grows　very

quickly；　and；　after　a　week　had　passed；　he　saw；　to　his　great　joy；

that　a　new　shadow　was　growing　from　his　feet；　when　he　walked　in　the

sunshine；　so　that　the　root　must　have　remained。　After　three　weeks；　he

had　quite　a　respectable　shadow；　which；　during　his　return　journey　to

northern　lands；　continued　to　grow；　and　became　at　last　so　large　that　he

might　very　well　have　spared　half　of　it。　When　this　learned　man

arrived　at　home；　he　wrote　books　about　the　true；　the　good；　and　the

beautiful；　which　are　to　be　found　in　this　world；　and　so　days　and

years　passed…　many；　many　years。

　　　　One　evening；　as　he　sat　in　his　study；　a　very　gentle　tap　was　heard

at　the　door。　〃Come　in；〃　said　he；　but　no　one　came。　He　opened　the

door；　and　there　stood　before　him　a　man　so　remarkably　thin　that　he　felt

seriously　troubled　at　his　appearance。　He　was；　however；　very　well

dressed；　and　looked　like　a　gentleman。　〃To　whom　have　I　the　honor　of

speaking？〃　said　he。

　　　　〃Ah；　I　hoped　you　would　recognize　me；〃　said　the　elegant　stranger；

〃I　have　gained　so　much　that　I　have　a　body　of　flesh；　and　clothes　to

wear。　You　never　expected　to　see　me　in　such　a　condition。　Do　you　not

recognize　your　old　shadow？　Ah；　you　never　expected　that　I　should　return

to　you　again。　All　has　been　prosperous　with　me　since　I　was　with　you

last；　I　have　become　rich　in　every　way；　and；　were　I　inclined　to

purchase　my　freedom　from　service；　I　could　easily　do　so。〃　And　as　he

spoke　he　rattled　between　his　fingers　a　number　of　costly　trinkets　which

hung　to　a　thick　gold　watch…chain　he　wore　round　his　neck。　Diamond　rings

sparkled　on　his　fingers；　and　it　was　all　real。

　　　　〃I　cannot　recover　from　my　astonishment；〃　said　the　learned　man。

〃What　does　all　this　mean？〃

　　　　〃Something　rather　unusual；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃but　you　are　yourself

an　uncommon　man；　and　you　know　very　well　that　I　have　followed　in　your

footsteps　ever　since　your　childhood。　As　soon　as　you　found　that　I

have　travelled　enough　to　be　trusted　alone；　I　went　my　own　way；　and　I　am

now　in　the　most　brilliant　circumstances。　But　I　felt　a　kind　of

longing　to　see　you　once　more　before　you　die；　and　I　wanted　to　see

this　place　again；　for　there　is　always　a　clinging　to　the　land　of

one's　birth。　I　know　that　you　have　now　another　shadow；　do　I　owe　you