the old street lamp-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　OLD　STREET　LAMP

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　DID　you　ever　hear　the　story　of　the　old　street　lamp？　It　is　not

remarkably　interesting；　but　for　once　in　a　way　you　may　as　well　listen

to　it。　It　was　a　most　respectable　old　lamp；　which　had　seen　many；　many

years　of　service；　and　now　was　to　retire　with　a　pension。　It　was　this

evening　at　its　post　for　the　last　time；　giving　light　to　the　street。　His

feelings　were　something　like　those　of　an　old　dancer　at　the　theatre；

who　is　dancing　for　the　last　time；　and　knows　that　on　the　morrow　she

will　be　in　her　garret；　alone　and　forgotten。　The　lamp　had　very　great

anxiety　about　the　next　day；　for　he　knew　that　he　had　to　appear　for

the　first　time　at　the　town　hall；　to　be　inspected　by　the　mayor　and

the　council；　who　were　to　decide　if　he　were　fit　for　further　service

or　not；…　whether　the　lamp　was　good　enough　to　be　used　to　light　the

inhabitants　of　one　of　the　suburbs；　or　in　the　country；　at　some　factory；

and　if　not；　it　would　be　sent　at　once　to　an　iron　foundry；　to　be

melted　down。　In　this　latter　case　it　might　be　turned　into　anything；　and

he　wondered　very　much　whether　he　would　then　be　able　to　remember　that

he　had　once　been　a　street　lamp；　and　it　troubled　him　exceedingly。

Whatever　might　happen；　one　thing　seemed　certain；　that　he　would　be

separated　from　the　watchman　and　his　wife；　whose　family　he　looked

upon　as　his　own。　The　lamp　had　first　been　hung　up　on　that　very

evening　that　the　watchman；　then　a　robust　young　man；　had　entered　upon

the　duties　of　his　office。　Ah；　well；　it　was　a　very　long　time　since

one　became　a　lamp　and　the　other　a　watchman。　His　wife　had　a　little

pride　in　those　days；　she　seldom　condescended　to　glance　at　the　lamp；

excepting　when　she　passed　by　in　the　evening；　never　in　the　daytime。　But

in　later　years；　when　all　these；…　the　watchman；　the　wife；　and　the　lamp…

had　grown　old；　she　had　attended　to　it；　cleaned　it；　and　supplied　it

with　oil。　The　old　people　were　thoroughly　honest；　they　had　never

cheated　the　lamp　of　a　single　drop　of　the　oil　provided　for　it。

　　　　This　was　the　lamp's　last　night　in　the　street；　and　to…morrow　he

must　go　to　the　town…hall；…　two　very　dark　things　to　think　of。　No　wonder

he　did　not　burn　brightly。　Many　other　thoughts　also　passed　through

his　mind。　How　many　persons　he　had　lighted　on　their　way；　and　how　much

he　had　seen；　as　much；　very　likely；　as　the　mayor　and　corporation

themselves！　None　of　these　thoughts　were　uttered　aloud；　however；　for　he

was　a　good；　honorable　old　lamp；　who　would　not　willingly　do　harm　to　any

one；　especially　to　those　in　authority。　As　many　things　were　recalled　to

his　mind；　the　light　would　flash　up　with　sudden　brightness；　he　had；

at　such　moments；　a　conviction　that　he　would　be　remembered。　〃There

was　a　handsome　young　man　once；〃　thought　he；　〃it　is　certainly　a　long

while　ago；　but　I　remember　he　had　a　little　note；　written　on　pink

paper　with　a　gold　edge；　the　writing　was　elegant；　evidently　a　lady's

hand：　twice　he　read　it　through；　and　kissed　it；　and　then　looked　up　at

me；　with　eyes　that　said　quite　plainly；　'I　am　the　happiest　of　men！'

Only　he　and　I　know　what　was　written　on　this　his　first　letter　from

his　lady…love。　Ah；　yes；　and　there　was　another　pair　of　eyes　that　I

remember；…　it　is　really　wonderful　how　the　thoughts　jump　from　one　thing

to　another！　A　funeral　passed　through　the　street；　a　young　and　beautiful

woman　lay　on　a　bier；　decked　with　garlands　of　flowers；　and　attended

by　torches；　which　quite　overpowered　my　light。　All　along　the　street

stood　the　people　from　the　houses；　in　crowds；　ready　to　join　the

procession。　But　when　the　torches　had　passed　from　before　me；　and　I

could　look　round；　I　saw　one　person　alone；　standing；　leaning　against　my

post；　and　weeping。　Never　shall　I　forget　the　sorrowful　eyes　that　looked

up　at　me。〃　These　and　similar　reflections　occupied　the　old　street　lamp；

on　this　the　last　time　that　his　light　would　shine。　The　sentry；　when

he　is　relieved　from　his　post；　knows　at　least　who　will　succeed　him；　and

may　whisper　a　few　words　to　him；　but　the　lamp　did　not　know　his

successor；　or　he　could　have　given　him　a　few　hints　respecting　rain；

or　mist；　and　could　have　informed　him　how　far　the　moon's　rays　would

rest　on　the　pavement；　and　from　which　side　the　wind　generally　blew；　and

so　on。

　　　　On　the　bridge　over　the　canal　stood　three　persons；　who　wished　to

recommend　themselves　to　the　lamp；　for　they　thought　he　could　give　the

office　to　whomsoever　he　chose。　The　first　was　a　herring's　head；　which

could　emit　light　in　the　darkness。　He　remarked　that　it　would　be　a　great

saving　of　oil　if　they　placed　him　on　the　lamp…post。　Number　two　was　a

piece　of　rotten　wood；　which　also　shines　in　the　dark。　He　considered

himself　descended　from　an　old　stem；　once　the　pride　of　the　forest。

The　third　was　a　glow…worm；　and　how　he　found　his　way　there　the　lamp

could　not　imagine；　yet　there　he　was；　and　could　really　give　light　as

well　as　the　others。　But　the　rotten　wood　and　the　herring's　head

declared　most　solemnly；　by　all　they　held　sacred；　that　the　glow…worm

only　gave　light　at　certain　times；　and　must　not　be　allowed　to　compete

with　themselves。　The　old　lamp　assured　them　that　not　one　of　them

could　give　sufficient　light　to　fill　the　position　of　a　street　lamp；　but

they　would　believe　nothing　he　said。　And　when　they　discovered　that　he

had　not　the　power　of　naming　his　successor；　they　said　they　were　very

glad　to　hear　it；　for　the　lamp　was　too　old　and　worn…out　to　make　a

proper　choice。

　　　　At　this　moment　the　wind　came　rushing　round　the　corner　of　the

street；　and　through　the　air…holes　of　the　old　lamp。　〃What　is　this　I

hear？〃　said　he；　〃that　you　are　going　away　to…morrow？　Is　this　evening

the　last　time　we　shall　meet？　Then　I　must　present　you　with　a　farewell

gift。　I　will　blow　into　your　brain；　so　that　in　future　you　shall　not

only　be　able　to　remember　all　that　you　have　seen　or　heard　in　the

past；　but　your　light　within　shall　be　so　bright；　that　you　shall　be　able

to　understand　all　that　is　said　or　done　in　your　presence。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　that　is　really　a　very；　very　great　gift；〃　said　the　old　lamp；

〃I　thank　you　most　heartily。　I　only　hope　I　shall　not　be　melted　down。〃

　　　　〃That　is　not　likely　to　happen　yet；〃　said　the　wind；　〃and　I　will

also　blow　a　memory　into　you；　so　that　should　you　receive　other

similar　presents　your　old　age　will　pass　very　pleasantly。〃

　　　　〃That　is　if　I　am　not　melted　down；〃　said　the　lamp。　〃But　should　I　in

that　case　still　retain　my　memory？〃

　　　　〃Do　be　reasonable；　old　lamp；〃　said　the　wind；　puffing　away。

　　　　At　this　moment　the　moon　burst　forth　from　the　clouds。　〃What　will

you　give　the　old　lamp？〃　asked　the　wind。

　　　　〃I　can　give　nothing；〃　she　replied；　〃I　am　on　the　wane；　and　no　lamps

have　ever　given　me　light　while　I　have　frequently　shone　upon　them。〃　And

with　these　words　the　moon　hid　herself　again　behind　the　clouds；　that

she　might　be　saved　from　further　importunities。　Just　then　a　drop　fell

upon　the　lamp；　from　the　roof　of　the　house；　but　the　drop　explained　that

he　was　a　gift　from　those　gray　clouds；　and　perhaps　the　best　of　all

gifts。　〃I　shall　penetrate　you　so　thoroughly；〃　he　said；　〃that　you

will　have　the　power　of　becoming　rusty；　and；　if　you　wish　it；　to　crumble

into　dust　in　one　night。〃

　　　　But　this　seemed　to　the　lamp　a　very　shabby　present；　and　the　wind

thought　so　too。　〃Does　no　one　give　any　more？　Will　no　one　give　any

more？〃　shouted　the　breath　of　the　wind；　as　loud　as　it　could。　Then　a

bright　falling　star　came　down；　leaving　a　broad；　luminous　streak　behind

it。

　　　　〃What　was　that？〃　cried　the　herring's　head。　〃Did　not　a　star　fall？　I

really　believe　it　went　into　the　lamp。　Certainly；　when　such　high…born

personages　try　for　the　office；　we　may　as　well　say　'Good…night；'　and　go

home。〃

　　　　And　so　they　did；　all　three；　while　the　old　lamp　threw　a　wonderfully

strong　light　all　around　him。

　　　　〃This　is　a　glorious　gift；〃　said　he；　〃the　bright　stars　have

always　been　a　joy　to　me；　and　have　always　shone　more　brilliantly　than　I

ever　could　shine；　though　I　have　tried　with　my　whole　might；　and　now

they　have　noticed　me；　a　poor　old　lamp；　and　have　sent　me　a　gift　that

will　enable　me　to　see　clearly　everything　that　I　remember；　as　if　it

still　stood　before　me；　and　to　be　seen　by　all　those　who　love　me。　And

herein　lies　the　truest　pleasure；　for　joy　which　we　cannot　share　with

others　is　only　half　enjoyed。〃

　　　　〃That　sentiment　does　you　honor；〃　said　the　wind；　〃but　for　this

purpose　wax　lights　will　be　necessary。　If　these　are　not　lighted　in　you；

your　particular　faculties　will　not　benefit　others　in　the　least。　The

stars　have　not　thought　of　this；　they　suppose　that　you　and　every

other　light　must　be　a　wax　taper：　but　I　must　go　down　now。〃　So　he　laid

himself　to　rest。

　　　　〃Wax　tapers；　indeed！〃　said　the　lamp；　〃I　have　never　yet　had

these；　nor　is　it　likely　I　ever　shall。　If　I　could　only　be　sure　of　not

being　melted　down！〃

　　　　The　next　day。　Well；　perhaps　we　had　better　pass　over　the　next

day。　The　evening　had　come；　and　the　lamp　was　resting　in　a　grandfather's

chair；　and　guess　where！　Why；　at　the　old　watchman's　house。　He　had

begged；　as　a　favor；　that　the　mayor　and　corporation　would　allow