20-the underground workers-第2章

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laid　for　them。　　Table　and　seats　were　all　of　silver；　while　the
dishes　and　plates　were　of　solid　gold。　　Directly　they　sat　down；　a
dozen　little　servants　appeared　to　wait　on　them；　which　they　did　so
cleverly　and　so　quickly　that　Hans　could　hardly　believe　they　had
no　wings。　　As　they　did　not　reach　as　high　as　the　table；　they　were
often　obliged　to　jump　and　hop　right　on　to　the　top　to　get　at　the
dishes。　　Everything　was　new　to　Hans；　and　though　he　was　rather
bewildered　he　enjoyed　himself　very　much；　especially　when　the　man
with　the　golden　crown　began　to　tell　him　many　things　he　had　never
heard　of　before。

'Between　Christmas　and　the　New　Year；'　said　he；　'I　often　amuse
myself　by　wandering　about　the　earth　watching　the　doings　of　men
and　learning　something　about　them。　　But　as　far　as　I　have　seen　and
heard　I　cannot　speak　well　of　them。　　The　greater　part　of　them　are
always　quarrelling　and　complaining　of　each　other's　faults；　while
nobody　thinks　of　his　own。'

Hans　tried　to　deny　the　truth　of　these　words；　but　he　could　not　do
it；　and　sat　silent；　hardly　listening　to　what　his　friend　was
saying。　　Then　he　went　to　sleep　in　his　chair；　and　knew　nothing　of
what　was　happening。

Wonderful　dreams　came　to　him　during　his　sleep；　where　the　bars　of
gold　continually　hovered　before　his　eyes。　　He　felt　stronger　than
he　had　ever　felt　during　his　waking　moments；　and　lifted　two　bars
quite　easily　on　to　his　back。　　He　did　this　so　often　that　at　length
his　strength　seemed　exhausted；　and　he　sank　almost　breathless　on
the　ground。　　Then　he　heard　the　sound　of　cheerful　voices；　and　the
song　of　the　blacksmiths　as　they　blew　their　bellowshe　even　felt
as　if　he　saw　the　sparks　flashing　before　his　eyes。　　Stretching
himself；　he　awoke　slowly；　and　here　he　was　in　the　green　forest；
and　instead　of　the　glow　of　the　fire　in　the　underworld　the　sun　was
streaming　on　him；　and　he　sat　up　wondering　why　he　felt　so　strange。

At　length　his　memory　came　back　to　him；　and　as　he　called　to　mind
all　the　wonderful　things　he　had　seen　he　tried　in　vain　to　make
them　agree　with　those　that　happen　every　day。　　After　thinking　it
over　till　he　was　nearly　mad；　he　tried　at　last　to　believe　that　one
night　between　Christmas　and　the　New　Year　he　had　met　a　stranger　in
the　forest；　and　had　slept　all　night　in　his　company　before　a　big
fire；　the　next　day　they　had　dined　together；　and　had　drunk　a　great
deal　more　than　was　good　for　themin　short；　he　had　spent　two
whole　days　revelling　with　another　man。　　But　here；　with　the　full
tide　of　summer　around　him；　he　could　hardly　accept　his　own
explanation；　and　felt　that　he　must　have　been　the　plaything　or
sport　of　some　magician。

Near　him；　in　the　full　sunlight；　were　the　traces　of　a　dead　fire；
and　when　he　drew　close　to　it　he　saw　that　what　he　had　taken　for
ashes　was　really　fine　silver　dust；　and　that　the　half　burnt
firewood　was　made　of　gold。

Oh；　how　lucky　Hans　thought　himself；　but　where　should　he　get　a
sack　to　carry　his　treasure　home　before　anyone　else　found　it？　　
But　necessity　is　the　mother　of　invention：　　Hans　threw　off　his　fur
coat；　gathered　up　the　silver　ashes　so　carefully　in　it　that　none
remained　behind；　laid　the　gold　sticks　on　top；　and　tied　up　the　bag
thus　made　with　his　girdle；　so　that　nothing　should　fall　out。　　The
load　was　not；　in　point　of　fact；　very　heavy；　although　it　seemed　so
to　his　imagination；　and　he　moved　slowly　along　till　he　found　a
safe　hiding…place　for　it。

In　this　way　Hans　suddenly　became　richrich　enough　to　buy　a
property　of　his　own。　　But　being　a　prudent　man；　he　finally　decided
that　it　would　be　best　for　him　to　leave　his　old　neighbourhood　and
look　for　a　home　in　a　distant　part　of　the　country；　where　nobody
knew　anything　about　him。　　It　did　not　take　him　long　to　find　what
he　wanted；　and　after　he　had　paid　for　it　there　was　plenty　of　money
left　over。　　When　he　was　settled；　he　married　a　pretty　girl　who
lived　near　by；　and　had　some　children；　to　whom　on　his　death…bed　he
told　the　story　of　the　lord　of　the　underworld；　and　how　he　had　made
Hans　rich。

＇Ehstnische　Marchen。＇