the dryad-及5准
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響
the halls察over the all´world's buildings scattered about察over the
rose´hills and the rocks produced by human ingenuity察from which
waterfalls察driven by the power of ;Master Bloodless察─fell down。
The caverns of the sea察the depths of the lakes察the kingdom of the
fishes were opened here。 Men walked as in the depths of the deep pond
and held converse with the sea察in the diving´bell of glass。 The water
pressed against the strong glass walls above and on every side。 The
polypi察eel´like living creatures察had fastened themselves to the
bottom察and stretched out arms察fathoms long察for prey。 A big turbot
was making himself broad in front察quietly enough察but not without
casting some suspicious glances aside。 A crab clambered over him
looking like a gigantic spider察while the shrimps wandered about in
restless haste察like the butterflies and moths of the sea。
In the fresh water grew water´lilies察nymphaea察and reeds察the
gold´fishes stood up below in rank and file察all turning their heads
one way察that the streaming water might flow into their mouths。 Fat
carps stared at the glass wall with stupid eyes。 They knew that they
were here to be exhibited察and that they had made the somewhat
toilsome journey hither in tubs filled with water察and they thought
with dismay of the land´sickness from which they had suffered so
cruelly on the railway。
They had come to see the Exhibition察and now contemplated it
from their fresh or salt´water position。 They looked attentively at
the crowds of people who passed by them early and late。 All the
nations in the world察they thought察had made an exhibition of their
inhabitants察for the edification of the soles and haddocks察pike and
carp察that they might give their opinions upon the different kinds。
;Those are scaly animals; said a little slimy Whiting。 ;They put
on different scales two or three times a day察and they emit sounds
which they call speaking。 We don't put on scales察and we make
ourselves understood in an easier way察simply by twitching the corners
of our mouths and staring with our eyes。 We have a great many
advantages over mankind。;
;But they have learned swimming of us察─remarked a well´educated
Codling。 ;You must know I come from the great sea outside。 In the
hot time of the year the people yonder go into the water察first they
take off their scales察and then they swim。 They have learnt from the
frogs to kick out with their hind legs察and row with their fore
paws。 But they cannot hold out long。 They want to be like us察but they
cannot come up to us。 Poor people
And the fishes stared。 They thought that the whole swarm of people
whom they had seen in the bright daylight were still moving around
them察they were certain they still saw the same forms that had first
caught their attention。
A pretty Barbel察with spotted skin察and an enviably round back
declared that the ;human fry; were still there。
;I can see a well set´up human figure quite well察─said the
Barbel。 ;She was called 'contumacious lady' or something of that
kind。 She had a mouth and staring eyes察like ours察and a great balloon
at the back of her head察and something like a shut´up umbrella in
front察there were a lot of dangling bits of seaweed hanging about her。
She ought to take all the rubbish off察and go as we do察then she would
look something like a respectable barbel察so far as it is possible for
a person to look like one
;What's become of that one whom they drew away with the hook拭He
sat on a wheel´chair察and had paper察and pen察and ink察and wrote
down everything。 They called him a 'writer。';
;They're going about with him still察─said a hoary old maid of a
Carp察who carried her misfortune about with her察so that she was quite
hoarse。 In her youth she had once swallowed a hook察and still swam
patiently about with it in her gullet。 ;A writer拭That means察as we
fishes describe it察a kind of cuttle or ink´fish among men。;
Thus the fishes gossipped in their own way察but in the
artificial water´grotto the laborers were busy察who were obliged to
take advantage of the hours of night to get their work done by
daybreak。 They accompanied with blows of their hammers and with
songs the parting words of the vanishing Dryad。
;So察at any rate察I have seen you察you pretty gold´fishes察─she
said。 ;Yes察I know you察─and she waved her hand to them。 ;I have known
about you a long time in my home察the swallow told me about you。 How
beautiful you are how delicate and shining I should like to kiss
every one of you。 You others察also。 I know you all察but you do not
know me。;
The fishes stared out into the twilight。 They did not understand a
word of it。
The Dryad was there no longer。 She had been a long time in the
open air察where the different countries´ the country of black bread
the codfish coast察the kingdom of Russia leather察and the banks of
eau´de´Cologne察and the gardens of rose oil´ exhaled their perfumes
from the world´wonder flower。
When察after a night at a ball察we drive home half asleep and
half awake察the melodies still sound plainly in our ears察we hear
them察and could sing them all from memory。 When the eye of the
murdered man closes察the picture of what it saw last clings to it
for a time like a photographic picture。
So it was likewise here。 The bustling life of day had not yet
disappeared in the quiet night。 The Dryad had seen it察she knew
thus it will be repeated tomorrow。
The Dryad stood among the fragrant roses察and thought she knew
them察and had seen them in her own home。 She also saw red
pomegranate flowers察like those that little Mary had worn in her
dark hair。
Remembrances from the home of her childhood flashed through her
thoughts察her eyes eagerly drank in the prospect around察and
feverish restlessness chased her through the wonder´filled halls。
A weariness that increased continually察took possession of her。
She felt a longing to rest on the soft Oriental carpets within察or
to lean against the weeping willow without by the clear water。 But for
the ephemeral fly there was no rest。 In a few moments the day had
completed its circle。
Her thoughts trembled察her limbs trembled察she sank down on the
grass by the bubbling water。
;Thou wilt ever spring living from the earth察─she said
mournfully。 ;Moisten my tongue´ bring me a refreshing draught。;
;I am no living water察─was the answer。 ;I only spring upward when
the machine wills it。;
;Give me something of thy freshness察thou green grass察─implored
the Dryad察 give me one of thy fragrant flowers。;
;We must die if we are torn from our stalks察─replied the
Flowers and the Grass。
;Give me a kiss察thou fresh stream of air´ only a single
life´kiss。;
;Soon the sun will kiss the clouds red察─answered the Wind
;then thou wilt be among the dead´ blown away察as all the splendor
here will be blown away before the year shall have ended。 Then I can
play again with the light loose sand on the place here察and whirl
the dust over the land and through the air。 All is dust
The Dryad felt a terror like a woman who has cut asunder her
pulse´artery in the bath察but is filled again with the love of life
even while she is bleeding to death。 She raised herself察tottered
forward a few steps察and sank down again at the entrance to a little
church。 The gate stood open察lights were burning upon the altar察and
the organ sounded。
What music Such notes the Dryad had never yet heard察and yet it
seemed to her as if she recognized a number of well´known voices among
them。 They came deep from the heart of all creation。 She thought she
heard the stories of the old clergyman察of great deeds察and of the
celebrated names察and of the gifts that the creatures of God must
bestow upon posterity察if they would live on in the world。
The tones of the organ swelled察and in their song there sounded
these words
;Thy wishing and thy longing have torn thee察with thy roots
from the place which God appointed for thee。 That was thy destruction
thou poor Dryad
The notes became soft and gentle察and seemed to die away in a
wail。
In the sky the clouds showed themselves with a ruddy gleam。 The
Wind sighed
;Pass away察ye dead now the sun is going to rise
The first ray fell on the Dryad。 Her form was irradiated in
changing colors察like the soap´bubble when it is bursting and
becomes a drop of water察like a tear that falls and passes away like a
vapor。
Poor Dryad Only a dew´drop察only a tear察poured upon the earth
and vanished away
THE END
。