the dryad-第3节

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welcome　him。

　　　　The　Dryad　felt　how　her　tree　was　being　lifted　from　the　wagon　to

be　placed　in　the　spot　where　it　was　to　stand。　The　roots　were　covered

with　earth；　and　fresh　turf　was　laid　on　top。　Blooming　shrubs　and

flowers　in　pots　were　ranged　around；　and　thus　a　little　garden　arose

in　the　square。

　　　　The　tree　that　had　been　killed　by　the　fumes　of　gas；　the　steam　of

kitchens；　and　the　bad　air　of　the　city；　was　put　upon　the　wagon　and

driven　away。　The　passers…by　looked　on。　Children　and　old　men　sat　upon

the　bench；　and　looked　at　the　green　tree。　And　we　who　are　telling　this

story　stood　upon　a　balcony；　and　looked　down　upon　the　green　spring

sight　that　had　been　brought　in　from　the　fresh　country　air；　and　said；

what　the　old　clergyman　would　have　said；　〃Poor　Dryad！〃

　　　　〃I　am　happy！　I　am　happy！〃　the　Dryad　cried；　rejoicing；　〃and　yet　I

cannot　realize；　cannot　describe　what　I　feel。　Everything　is　as　I

fancied　it；　and　yet　as　I　did　not　fancy　it。〃

　　　　The　houses　stood　there；　so　lofty；　so　close！　The　sunlight　shone

on　only　one　of　the　walls；　and　that　one　was　stuck　over　with　bills　and

placards；　before　which　the　people　stood　still；　and　this　made　a　crowd。

　　　　Carriages　rushed　past；　carriages　rolled　past；　light　ones　and　heavy

ones　mingled　together。　Omnibuses；　those　over…crowded　moving　houses；

came　rattling　by；　horsemen　galloped　among　them；　even　carts　and

wagons　asserted　their　rights。

　　　　The　Dryad　asked　herself　if　these　high…grown　houses；　which　stood　so

close　around　her；　would　not　remove　and　take　other　shapes；　like　the

clouds　in　the　sky；　and　draw　aside；　so　that　she　might　cast　a　glance

into　Paris；　and　over　it。　Notre　Dame　must　show　itself；　the　Vendome

Column；　and　the　wondrous　building　which　had　called　and　was　still

calling　so　many　strangers　to　the　city。

　　　　But　the　houses　did　not　stir　from　their　places。　It　was　yet　day　when

the　lamps　were　lit。　The　gas…jets　gleamed　from　the　shops；　and　shone

even　into　the　branches　of　the　trees；　so　that　it　was　like　sunlight　in

summer。　The　stars　above　made　their　appearance；　the　same　to　which　the

Dryad　had　looked　up　in　her　home。　She　thought　she　felt　a　clear　pure

stream　of　air　which　went　forth　from　them。　She　felt　herself　lifted　up

and　strengthened；　and　felt　an　increased　power　of　seeing　through

every　leaf　and　through　every　fibre　of　the　root。　Amid　all　the　noise　and

the　turmoil；　the　colors　and　the　lights；　she　knew　herself　watched　by

mild　eyes。

　　　　From　the　side　streets　sounded　the　merry　notes　of　fiddles　and

wind　instruments。　Up！　to　the　dance；　to　the　dance！　to　jollity　and

pleasure！　that　was　their　invitation。　Such　music　it　was；　that　horses；

carriages；　trees；　and　houses　would　have　danced；　if　they　had　known　how。

The　charm　of　intoxicating　delight　filled　the　bosom　of　the　Dryad。

　　　　〃How　glorious；　how　splendid　it　is！〃　she　cried；　rejoicingly。　〃Now　I

am　in　Paris！〃

　　　　The　next　day　that　dawned；　the　next　night　that　fell；　offered　the

same　spectacle；　similar　bustle；　similar　life；　changing；　indeed；　yet

always　the　same；　and　thus　it　went　on　through　the　sequence　of　days。

　　　　〃Now　I　know　every　tree；　every　flower　on　the　square　here！　I　know

every　house；　every　balcony；　every　shop　in　this　narrow　cut…off

corner；　where　I　am　denied　the　sight　of　this　great　mighty　city。　Where

are　the　arches　of　triumph；　the　Boulevards；　the　wondrous　building　of

the　world？　I　see　nothing　of　all　this。　As　if　shut　up　in　a　cage；　I　stand

among　the　high　houses；　which　I　now　know　by　heart；　with　their

inscriptions；　signs；　and　placards；　all　the　painted　confectionery；　that

is　no　longer　to　my　taste。　Where　are　all　the　things　of　which　I　heard；

for　which　I　longed；　and　for　whose　sake　I　wanted　to　come　hither？　what

have　I　seized；　found；　won？　I　feel　the　same　longing　I　felt　before；　I

feel　that　there　is　a　life　I　should　wish　to　grasp　and　to　experience。

I　must　go　out　into　the　ranks　of　living　men；　and　mingle　among　them。　I

must　fly　about　like　a　bird。　I　must　see　and　feel；　and　become　human

altogether。　I　must　enjoy　the　one　half…day；　instead　of　vegetating　for

years　in　every…day　sameness　and　weariness；　in　which　I　become　ill；

and　at　last　sink　and　disappear　like　the　dew　on　the　meadows。　I　will

gleam　like　the　cloud；　gleam　in　the　sunshine　of　life；　look　out　over　the

whole　like　the　cloud；　and　pass　away　like　it；　no　one　knoweth　whither。〃

　　　　Thus　sighed　the　Dryad；　and　she　prayed：

　　　　〃Take　from　me　the　years　that　were　destined　for　me；　and　give　me　but

half　of　the　life　of　the　ephemeral　fly！　Deliver　me　from　my　prison！　Give

me　human　life；　human　happiness；　only　a　short　span；　only　the　one　night；

if　it　cannot　be　otherwise；　and　then　punish　me　for　my　wish　to　live；

my　longing　for　life！　Strike　me　out　of　thy　list。　Let　my　shell；　the

fresh　young　tree；　wither；　or　be　hewn　down；　and　burnt　to　ashes；　and

scattered　to　all　the　winds！〃

　　　　A　rustling　went　through　the　leaves　of　the　tree；　there　was　a

trembling　in　each　of　the　leaves；　it　seemed　as　if　fire　streamed　through

it。　A　gust　of　wind　shook　its　green　crown；　and　from　the　midst　of　that

crown　a　female　figure　came　forth。　In　the　same　moment　she　was　sitting

beneath　the　brightly…illuminated　leafy　branches；　young　and　beautiful

to　behold；　like　poor　Mary；　to　whom　the　clergyman　had　said；　〃The

great　city　will　be　thy　destruction。〃

　　　　The　Dryad　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　tree…　at　her　house　door；　which

she　had　locked；　and　whose　key　had　thrown　away。　So　young！　so　fair！

The　stars　saw　her；　and　blinked　at　her。　The　gas…lamps　saw　her；　and

gleamed　and　beckoned　to　her。　How　delicate　she　was；　and　yet　how

blooming！…　a　child；　and　yet　a　grown　maiden！　Her　dress　was　fine　as

silk；　green　as　the　freshly…opened　leaves　on　the　crown　of　the　tree；

in　her　nut…brown　hair　clung　a　half…opened　chestnut　blossom。　She　looked

like　the　Goddess　of　Spring。

　　　　For　one　short　minute　she　sat　motionless；　then　she　sprang　up；

and；　light　as　a　gazelle；　she　hurried　away。　She　ran　and　sprang　like　the

reflection　from　the　mirror　that；　carried　by　the　sunshine；　is　cast；　now

here；　now　there。　Could　any　one　have　followed　her　with　his　eyes；　he

would　have　seen　how　marvellously　her　dress　and　her　form　changed；

according　to　the　nature　of　the　house　or　the　place　whose　light　happened

to　shine　upon　her。

　　　　She　reached　the　Boulevards。　Here　a　sea　of　light　streamed　forth

from　the　gas…flames　of　the　lamps；　the　shops　and　the　cafes。　Here

stood　in　a　row　young　and　slender　trees；　each　of　which　concealed　its

Dryad；　and　gave　shade　from　the　artificial　sunlight。　The　whole　vast

pavement　was　one　great　festive　hall；　where　covered　tables　stood

laden　with　refreshments　of　all　kinds；　from　champagne　and　Chartreuse

down　to　coffee　and　beer。　Here　was　an　exhibition　of　flowers；　statues；

books；　and　colored　stuffs。

　　　　From　the　crowd　close　by　the　lofty　houses　she　looked　forth　over　the

terrific　stream　beyond　the　rows　of　trees。　Yonder　heaved　a　stream　of

rolling　carriages；　cabriolets；　coaches；　omnibuses；　cabs；　and　among

them　riding　gentlemen　and　marching　troops。　To　cross　to　the　opposite

shore　was　an　undertaking　fraught　with　danger　to　life　and　limb。　Now

lanterns　shed　their　radiance　abroad；　now　the　gas　had　the　upper　hand；

suddenly　a　rocket　rises！　Whence？　Whither？

　　　　Here　are　sounds　of　soft　Italian　melodies；　yonder；　Spanish　songs

are　sung；　accompanied　by　the　rattle　of　the　castanets；　but　strongest　of

all；　and　predominating　over　the　rest；　the　street…organ　tunes　of　the

moment；　the　exciting　〃Can…Can〃　music；　which　Orpheus　never　knew；　and

which　was　never　heard　by　the　〃Belle　Helene。〃　Even　the　barrow　was

tempted　to　hop　upon　one　of　its　wheels。

　　　　The　Dryad　danced；　floated；　flew；　changing　her　color　every

moment；　like　a　humming…bird　in　the　sunshine；　each　house；　with　the

world　belonging　to　it；　gave　her　its　own　reflections。

　　　　As　the　glowing　lotus…flower；　torn　from　its　stem；　is　carried　away

by　the　stream；　so　the　Dryad　drifted　along。　Whenever　she　paused；　she

was　another　being；　so　that　none　was　able　to　follow　her；　to　recognize

her；　or　to　look　more　closely　at　her。

　　　　Like　cloud…pictures；　all　things　flew　by　her。　She　looked　into　a

thousand　faces；　but　not　one　was　familiar　to　her；　she　saw　not　a

single　form　from　home。　Two　bright　eyes　had　remained　in　her　memory。　She

thought　of　Mary；　poor　Mary；　the　ragged　merry　child；　who　wore　the　red

flowers　in　her　black　hair。　Mary　was　now　here；　in　the　world…city；

rich　and　magnificent　as　in　that　day　when　she　drove　past　the　house　of

the　old　clergyman；　and　past　the　tree　of　the　Dryad；　the　old　oak。

　　　　Here　she　was　certainly　living；　in　the　deafening　tumult。　Perhaps

she　had　just　stepped　out　of　one　of　the　gorgeous　carriages　in

waiting。　Handsome　equipages；　with　coachmen　in　gold　braid　and　footmen

in　silken　hose；　drove　up。　The　people　who　alighted　from　them　were　all

richly…dressed　ladies。　They　went　through　the　opened　gate；　and　ascended

the　broad　staircase　that　led　to　a　building　resting　on　marble

pillars。　Was　this　building；　perhaps；　the　wonder　of　the　world？　There

Mary　would　certainly　be　found。

　　　　〃Sancta　Maria！〃　resounded　from　the　interior。　Incense　floated

through　the　lofty　painted　and　gilded　aisles；　where　a　solemn　twilight

reigned。

　　　　It　was　the　Church　of　the　Madeleine。

　　　　Clad　in　black　garments　of　the　most　costly　stuffs；　fashione