under the willow-tree-第2章

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that　room！　a　more　beautiful　apartment　could　not　be　found　in　the

whole　town　of　Kjoge；　the　queen　herself　could　scarcely　be　better

accommodated。　There　were　carpets；　and　rugs；　and　window　curtains

hanging　to　the　ground。　Pictures　and　flowers　were　scattered　about。

There　was　a　velvet　chair；　and　a　looking…glass　against　the　wall；　into

which　a　person　might　be　in　danger　of　stepping；　for　it　was　as　large

as　a　door。　All　this　Knud　saw　at　a　glance；　and　yet；　in　truth；　he　saw

nothing　but　Joanna。　She　was　quite　grown　up；　and　very　different　from

what　Knud　had　fancied　her；　and　a　great　deal　more　beautiful。　In　all

Kjoge　there　was　not　a　girl　like　her；　and　how　graceful　she　looked；

although　her　glance　at　first　was　odd；　and　not　familiar；　but　for　a

moment　only；　then　she　rushed　towards　him　as　if　she　would　have　kissed

him；　she　did　not；　however；　although　she　was　very　near　it。　Yes；　she

really　was　joyful　at　seeing　the　friend　of　her　childhood　once　more；　and

the　tears　even　stood　in　her　eyes。　Then　she　asked　so　many　questions

about　Knud's　parents；　and　everything；　even　to　the　elder…tree　and　the

willow；　which　she　called　〃elder…mother　and　willow…father；〃　as　if

they　had　been　human　beings；　and　so；　indeed；　they　might　be；　quite　as

much　as　the　gingerbread　cakes。　Then　she　talked　about　them；　and　the

story　of　their　silent　love；　and　how　they　lay　on　the　counter　together

and　split　in　two；　and　then　she　laughed　heartily；　but　the　blood

rushed　into　Knud's　cheeks；　and　his　heart　beat　quickly。　Joanna　was

not　proud　at　all；　he　noticed　that　through　her　he　was　invited　by　her

parents　to　remain　the　whole　evening　with　them；　and　she　poured　out

the　tea　and　gave　him　a　cup　herself；　and　afterwards　she　took　a　book　and

read　aloud　to　them；　and　it　seemed　to　Knud　as　if　the　story　was　all

about　himself　and　his　love；　for　it　agreed　so　well　with　his　own

thoughts。　And　then　she　sang　a　simple　song；　which；　through　her　singing；

became　a　true　story；　and　as　if　she　poured　forth　the　feelings　of　her

own　heart。

　　　　〃Oh；〃　he　thought；　〃she　knows　I　am　fond　of　her。〃　The　tears　he　could

not　restrain　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　and　he　was　unable　to　utter　a

single　word；　it　seemed　as　if　he　had　been　struck　dumb。

　　　　When　he　left；　she　pressed　his　hand；　and　said；　〃You　have　a　kind

heart；　Knud：　remain　always　as　you　are　now。〃　What　an　evening　of

happiness　this　had　been；　to　sleep　after　it　was　impossible；　and　Knud

did　not　sleep。

　　　　At　parting；　Joanna's　father　had　said；　〃Now；　you　won't　quite　forget

us；　you　must　not　let　the　whole　winter　go　by　without　paying　us

another　visit；〃　so　that　Knud　felt　himself　free　to　go　again　the

following　Sunday　evening；　and　so　he　did。　But　every　evening　after

working　hours…　and　they　worked　by　candle…light　then…　he　walked　out

into　the　town；　and　through　the　street　in　which　Joanna　lived；　to　look

up　at　her　window。　It　was　almost　always　lighted　up；　and　one　evening

he　saw　the　shadow　of　her　face　quite　plainly　on　the　window　blind；

that　was　a　glorious　evening　for　him。　His　master's　wife　did　not　like

his　always　going　out　in　the　evening；　idling；　wasting　time；　as　she

called　it；　and　she　shook　her　head。

　　　　But　his　master　only　smiled；　and　said；　〃He　is　a　young　man；　my　dear；

you　know。〃

　　　　〃On　Sunday　I　shall　see　her；〃　said　Knud　to　himself；　〃and　I　will

tell　her　that　I　love　her　with　my　whole　heart　and　soul；　and　that　she

must　be　my　little　wife。　I　know　I　am　now　only　a　poor　journeyman

shoemaker；　but　I　will　work　and　strive；　and　become　a　master　in　time。

Yes；　I　will　speak　to　her；　nothing　comes　from　silent　love。　I　learnt

that　from　the　gingerbread…cake　story。〃

　　　　Sunday　came；　but　when　Knud　arrived；　they　were　all　unfortunately

invited　out　to　spend　the　evening；　and　were　obliged　to　tell　him　so。

　　　　Joanna　pressed　his　hand；　and　said；　〃Have　you　ever　been　to　the

theatre？　you　must　go　once；　I　sing　there　on　Wednesday；　and　if　you

have　time　on　that　day；　I　will　send　you　a　ticket；　my　father　knows　where

your　master　lives。〃　How　kind　this　was　of　her！　And　on　Wednesday；

about　noon；　Knud　received　a　sealed　packet　with　no　address；　but　the

ticket　was　inside；　and　in　the　evening　Knud　went；　for　the　first　time　in

his　life；　to　a　theatre。　And　what　did　he　see？　He　saw　Joanna；　and　how

beautiful　and　charming　she　looked！　He　certainly　saw　her　being

married　to　a　stranger；　but　that　was　all　in　the　play；　and　only　a

pretence；　Knud　well　knew　that。　She　could　never　have　the　heart；　he

thought；　to　send　him　a　ticket　to　go　and　see　it；　if　it　had　been　real。

So　he　looked　on；　and　when　all　the　people　applauded　and　clapped　their

hands；　he　shouted　〃hurrah。〃　He　could　see　that　even　the　king　smiled

at　Joanna；　and　seemed　delighted　with　her　singing。　How　small　Knud　felt；

but　then　he　loved　her　so　dearly；　and　thought　she　loved　him；　and　the

man　must　speak　the　first　word；　as　the　gingerbread　maiden　had

thought。　Ah；　how　much　there　was　for　him　in　that　childish　story。　As

soon　as　Sunday　arrived；　he　went　again；　and　felt　as　if　he　were　about　to

enter　on　holy　ground。　Joanna　was　alone　to　welcome　him；　nothing　could

be　more　fortunate。

　　　　〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　come；〃　she　said。　I　was　thinking　of　sending

my　father　for　you；　but　I　had　a　presentiment　that　you　would　be　here

this　evening。　The　fact　is；　I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　I　am　going　to

France。　I　shall　start　on　Friday。　It　is　necessary　for　me　to　go　there；

if　I　wish　to　become　a　first…rate　performer。〃

　　　　Poor　Knud！　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　whole　room　was　whirling

round　with　him。　His　courage　failed；　and　he　felt　as　if　his　heart

would　burst。　He　kept　down　the　tears；　but　it　was　easy　to　see　how

sorrowful　he　was。

　　　　〃You　honest；　faithful　soul；〃　she　exclaimed；　and　the　words　loosened

Knud's　tongue；　and　he　told　her　how　truly　he　had　loved　her；　and　that

she　must　be　his　wife；　and　as　he　said　this；　he　saw　Joanna　change　color；

and　turn　pale。　She　let　his　hand　fall；　and　said；　earnestly　and

mournfully；　〃Knud；　do　not　make　yourself　and　me　unhappy。　I　will

always　be　a　good　sister　to　you；　one　in　whom　you　can　trust；　but　I　can

never　be　anything　more。〃　And　she　drew　her　white　hand　over　his

burning　forehead；　and　said；　〃God　gives　strength　to　bear　a　great

deal；　if　we　only　strive　ourselves　to　endure。〃

　　　　At　this　moment　her　stepmother　came　into　the　room；　and　Joanna

said　quickly；　〃Knud　is　so　unhappy；　because　I　am　going　away；〃　and　it

appeared　as　if　they　had　only　been　talking　of　her　journey。　〃Come；　be

a　man〃　she　added；　placing　her　hand　on　his　shoulder；　〃you　are　still　a

child；　and　you　must　be　good　and　reasonable；　as　you　were　when　we　were

both　children；　and　played　together　under　the　willow…tree。〃

　　　　Knud　listened；　but　he　felt　as　if　the　world　had　slid　out　of　its

course。　His　thoughts　were　like　a　loose　thread　fluttering　to　and　fro　in

the　wind。　He　stayed；　although　he　could　not　tell　whether　she　had

asked　him　to　do　so。　But　she　was　kind　and　gentle　to　him；　she　poured　out

his　tea；　and　sang　to　him；　but　the　song　had　not　the　old　tone　in　it；

although　it　was　wonderfully　beautiful；　and　made　his　heart　feel　ready

to　burst。　And　then　he　rose　to　go。　He　did　not　offer　his　hand；　but　she

seized　it；　and　said…

　　　　〃Will　you　not　shake　hands　with　your　sister　at　parting；　my　old

playfellow？〃　and　she　smiled　through　the　tears　that　were　rolling　down

her　cheeks。　Again　she　repeated　the　word　〃brother；〃　which　was　a　great

consolation　certainly；　and　thus　they　parted。

　　　　She　sailed　to　France；　and　Knud　wandered　about　the　muddy　streets　of

Copenhagen。　The　other　journeymen　in　the　shop　asked　him　why　he　looked

so　gloomy；　and　wanted　him　to　go　and　amuse　himself　with　them；　as　he　was

still　a　young　man。　So　he　went　with　them　to　a　dancing…room。　He　saw　many

handsome　girls　there；　but　none　like　Joanna；　and　here；　where　he　thought

to　forget　her；　she　was　more　life…like　before　his　mind　than　ever。

〃God　gives　us　strength　to　bear　much；　if　we　try　to　do　our　best；〃　she

had　said；　and　as　he　thought　of　this；　a　devout　feeling　came　into　his

mind；　and　he　folded　his　hands。　Then；　as　the　violins　played　and　the

girls　danced　round　the　room；　he　started；　for　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　he

were　in　a　place　where　he　ought　not　to　have　brought　Joanna；　for　she　was

here　with　him　in　his　heart；　and　so　he　went　out　at　once。　As　he　went

through　the　streets　at　a　quick　pace；　he　passed　the　house　where　she

used　to　live；　it　was　all　dark；　empty；　and　lonely。　But　the　world　went

on　its　course；　and　Knud　was　obliged　to　go　on　too。

　　　　Winter　came；　the　water　was　frozen；　and　everything　seemed　buried　in

a　cold　grave。　But　when　spring　returned；　and　the　first　steamer　prepared

to　sail；　Knud　was　seized　with　a　longing　to　wander　forth　into　the

world；　but　not　to　France。　So　he　packed　his　knapsack；　and　travelled

through　Germany；　going　from　town　to　town；　but　finding　neither　rest

or　peace。　It　was　not　till　he　arrived　at　the　glorious　old　town　of

Nuremberg　that　he　gained　the　mastery　over　himself；　and　rested　his

weary　feet；　and　here　he　remained。

　　　　Nuremberg　is　a　wonderful　old　city；　and　looks　as　if　it　had　been　cut

out　of　an　old　picture…book。　The　streets　seem　to　have　arranged

themselves　according　to　their　own　fancy；　and　as　if　the　houses　objected

to　stand　in　rows　or　rank　and　file。　Gables；　with　little　towers；

ornamented　columns；　and　statues；　can　be　seen　even　to　the　city　gate；

and　from　the　singular…shaped　roofs；　waterspouts；　formed　like

dragons；　or　long　lean　dogs；　extend　far　across　to　the　middle　of　the

street。　Here；　in　the　market…place；　stood　Knud；　with　his　knapsack　on

his　back；　close　to　one　of　the　old　fountains　which　are　so　beautifully

adorned　with　figures；　scriptural　and　historical；　and　which　spring　up

between　the　sparkling　jets　of　water。　A　pretty　servant…maid　was　just

filling　her　pails；　and　she　gave　Knud　a　refreshing　draught；　she　had　a

handful　of　roses；　and　she　gave　him　one；　which　appeared　to　him　like　a

good　omen　for　the　future。　From　a　neighboring　church　came　the　sounds　of

music；　and　the　familiar　tones　reminded　him　of　the　organ　at　home　at

Kjoge；　so　he　passed　into　the　great　cathedral。　The　sunshine　streamed

through　the　painted　glass　windows；　and　between　two　lofty　slender

pillars。　His　thoughts　became　prayerful；　and　calm　peace　rested　on　his

soul。　He　next　sought　and　found　a　good　master　in　Nuremberg；　with　whom

he　stayed　and　learnt　the　German　language。

　　　　The　old　moat　round　the　town　had　been　converted　into　a　number　of

little　kitchen　gardens；　but　the　high　walls；　with　their　heavy…looking

towers；　are　still　standing。　Inside　these　walls　the　ropemaker　twisted

his　ropes　along　a　walk　built　like　a　gallery；　and　in　the　cracks　and

crevices　of　the　walls　elderbushes　grow　and　stretch　their　green

boughs　over　the　small　houses　which　stand　below。　In　one　of　these　houses

lived　the　master　for　whom　Knud　worked；　and　over　the　little　garret

window　where　he　sat；　the　elder…tree　waved　its　branches。　Here　he

dwelt　through　one　summer　and　winter；　but　when　spring　came　again；　he

could　endure　it　no　longer。　The　elder　was　in　blossom；　and　its　fragrance

was　so　homelike；　that　he　fancied　himself　back　again　in　the　gardens

of　Kjoge。　So　Knud　left　his　master；　and　went　to　work　for　another　who

lived　farther　in　the　town；　where　no　elder　grew。　His　workshop　was　quite

close　to　one　of　the　old　stone　bridges；　near　to　a　water…mill；　round

which　the　roaring　stream　rushed　an