a story from the sand-hills-第4章

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him　its　story　during　the　long　winter　evenings；　and　now　he　saw　the

stately　edifice；　with　its　double　moat；　and　trees　and　bushes；　the　wall；

covered　with　ferns；　rose　within　the　moat；　but　the　lofty　lime…trees

were　the　most　beautiful　of　all；　they　grew　up　to　the　highest　windows；

and　the　air　was　full　of　their　sweet　fragrance。　In　a　north…west

corner　of　the　garden　stood　a　great　bush　full　of　blossom；　like　winter

snow　amid　the　summer's　green；　it　was　a　juniper　bush；　the　first　that

Jurgen　had　ever　seen　in　bloom。　He　never　forgot　it；　nor　the　lime…trees；

the　child's　soul　treasured　up　these　memories　of　beauty　and　fragrance

to　gladden　the　old　man。

　　　　From　Norre…Vosborg；　where　the　juniper　blossomed；　the　journey

became　more　pleasant；　for　they　met　some　other　people　who　were　also

going　to　the　funeral　and　were　riding　in　waggons。　Our　travellers　had　to

sit　all　together　on　a　little　box　at　the　back　of　the　waggon；　but　even

this；　they　thought；　was　better　than　walking。　So　they　continued　their

journey　across　the　rugged　heath。　The　oxen　which　drew　the　waggon

stopped　every　now　and　then；　where　a　patch　of　fresh　grass　appeared　amid

the　heather。　The　sun　shone　with　considerable　heat；　and　it　was

wonderful　to　behold　how　in　the　far　distance　something　like　smoke

seemed　to　be　rising；　yet　this　smoke　was　clearer　than　the　air；　it　was

transparent；　and　looked　like　rays　of　light　rolling　and　dancing　afar

over　the　heath。

　　　　〃That　is　Lokeman　driving　his　sheep；〃　said　some　one。

　　　　And　this　was　enough　to　excite　Jurgen's　imagination。　He　felt　as

if　they　were　now　about　to　enter　fairyland；　though　everything　was　still

real。　How　quiet　it　was！　The　heath　stretched　far　and　wide　around　them

like　a　beautiful　carpet。　The　heather　was　in　blossom；　and　the

juniper…bushes　and　fresh　oak　saplings　rose　like　bouquets　from　the

earth。　An　inviting　place　for　a　frolic；　if　it　had　not　been　for　the

number　of　poisonous　adders　of　which　the　travellers　spoke；　they　also

mentioned　that　the　place　had　formerly　been　infested　with　wolves；　and

that　the　district　was　still　called　Wolfsborg　for　this　reason。　The

old　man　who　was　driving　the　oxen　told　them　that　in　the　lifetime　of　his

father　the　horses　had　many　a　hard　battle　with　the　wild　beasts　that

were　now　exterminated。　One　morning；　when　he　himself　had　gone　out　to

bring　in　the　horses；　he　found　one　of　them　standing　with　its　forefeet

on　a　wolf　it　had　killed；　but　the　savage　animal　had　torn　and

lacerated　the　brave　horse's　legs。

　　　　The　journey　over　the　heath　and　the　deep　sand　was　only　too

quickly　at　an　end。　They　stopped　before　the　house　of　mourning；　where

they　found　plenty　of　guests　within　and　without。　Waggon　after　waggon

stood　side　by　side；　while　the　horses　and　oxen　had　been　turned　out　to

graze　on　the　scanty　pasture。　Great　sand…hills　like　those　at　home　by

the　North　Sea　rose　behind　the　house　and　extended　far　and　wide。　How　had

they　come　here；　so　many　miles　inland？　They　were　as　large　and　high　as

those　on　the　coast；　and　the　wind　had　carried　them　there；　there　was

also　a　legend　attached　to　them。

　　　　Psalms　were　sung；　and　a　few　of　the　old　people　shed　tears；　with

this　exception；　the　guests　were　cheerful　enough；　it　seemed　to

Jurgen；　and　there　was　plenty　to　eat　and　drink。　There　were　eels　of

the　fattest；　requiring　brandy　to　bury　them；　as　the　eel…breeder　said；

and　certainly　they　did　not　forget　to　carry　out　his　maxim　here。

　　　　Jurgen　went　in　and　out　the　house；　and　on　the　third　day　he　felt

as　much　at　home　as　he　did　in　the　fisherman's　cottage　among　the

sand…hills；　where　he　had　passed　his　early　days。　Here　on　the　heath　were

riches　unknown　to　him　until　now；　for　flowers；　blackberries；　and

bilberries　were　to　be　found　in　profusion；　so　large　and　sweet　that　when

they　were　crushed　beneath　the　tread　of　passers…by　the　heather　was

stained　with　their　red　juice。　Here　was　a　barrow　and　yonder　another。

Then　columns　of　smoke　rose　into　the　still　air；　it　was　a　heath　fire；

they　told　him…　how　brightly　it　blazed　in　the　dark　evening！

　　　　The　fourth　day　came；　and　the　funeral　festivities　were　at　an　end；

they　were　to　go　back　from　the　land…dunes　to　the　sand…dunes。

　　　　〃Ours　are　better；〃　said　the　old　fisherman；　Jurgen's　foster…father；

〃these　have　no　strength。〃

　　　　And　they　spoke　of　the　way　in　which　the　sand…dunes　had　come　inland；

and　it　seemed　very　easy　to　understand。　This　is　how　they　explained　it：

　　　　A　dead　body　had　been　found　on　the　coast；　and　the　peasants　buried

it　in　the　churchyard。　From　that　time　the　sand　began　to　fly　about　and

the　sea　broke　in　with　violence。　A　wise　man　in　the　district　advised

them　to　open　the　grave　and　see　if　the　buried　man　was　not　lying　sucking

his　thumb；　for　if　so　he　must　be　a　sailor；　and　the　sea　would　not　rest

until　it　had　got　him　back。　The　grave　was　opened；　and　he　really　was

found　with　his　thumb　in　his　mouth。　So　they　laid　him　upon　a　cart；　and

harnessed　two　oxen　to　it；　and　the　oxen　ran　off　with　the　sailor　over

heath　and　moor　to　the　ocean；　as　if　they　had　been　stung　by　an　adder。

Then　the　sand　ceased　to　fly　inland；　but　the　hills　that　had　been

piled　up　still　remained。

　　　　All　this　Jurgen　listened　to　and　treasured　up　in　his　memory　of

the　happiest　days　of　his　childhood…　the　days　of　the　burial　feast。

　　　　How　delightful　it　was　to　see　fresh　places　and　to　mix　with

strangers！　And　he　was　to　go　still　farther；　for　he　was　not　yet　fourteen

years　old　when　he　went　out　in　a　ship　to　see　the　world。　He

encountered　bad　weather；　heavy　seas；　unkindness；　and　hard　men…　such

were　his　experiences；　for　he　became　ship…boy。　Cold　nights；　bad　living；

and　blows　had　to　be　endured；　then　he　felt　his　noble　Spanish　blood　boil

within　him；　and　bitter；　angry；　words　rose　to　his　lips；　but　he　gulped

them　down；　it　was　better；　although　he　felt　as　the　eel　must　feel　when

it　is　skinned；　cut　up；　and　put　into　the　frying…pan。

　　　　〃I　shall　get　over　it；〃　said　a　voice　within　him。

　　　　He　saw　the　Spanish　coast；　the　native　land　of　his　parents。　He

even　saw　the　town　where　they　had　lived　in　joy　and　prosperity；　but　he

knew　nothing　of　his　home　or　his　relations；　and　his　relations　knew　just

as　little　about　him。

　　　　The　poor　ship　boy　was　not　permitted　to　land；　but　on　the　last　day

of　their　stay　he　managed　to　get　ashore。　There　were　several　purchases

to　be　made；　and　he　was　sent　to　carry　them　on　board。

　　　　Jurgen　stood　there　in　his　shabby　clothes　which　looked　as　if　they

had　been　washed　in　the　ditch　and　dried　in　the　chimney；　he；　who　had

always　dwelt　among　the　sand…hills；　now　saw　a　great　city　for　the

first　time。　How　lofty　the　houses　seemed；　and　what　a　number　of　people

there　were　in　the　streets！　some　pushing　this　way；　some　that…　a　perfect

maelstrom　of　citizens　and　peasants；　monks　and　soldiers…　the　jingling

of　bells　on　the　trappings　of　asses　and　mules；　the　chiming　of　church

bells；　calling；　shouting；　hammering　and　knocking…　all　going　on　at

once。　Every　trade　was　located　in　the　basement　of　the　houses　or　in

the　side　thoroughfares；　and　the　sun　shone　with　such　heat；　and　the

air　was　so　close；　that　one　seemed　to　be　in　an　oven　full　of　beetles；

cockchafers；　bees　and　flies；　all　humming　and　buzzing　together。

Jurgen　scarcely　knew　where　he　was　or　which　way　he　went。　Then　he　saw

just　in　front　of　him　the　great　doorway　of　a　cathedral；　the　lights　were

gleaming　in　the　dark　aisles；　and　the　fragrance　of　incense　was　wafted

towards　him。　Even　the　poorest　beggar　ventured　up　the　steps　into　the

sanctuary。　Jurgen　followed　the　sailor　he　was　with　into　the　church；　and

stood　in　the　sacred　edifice。　Coloured　pictures　gleamed　from　their

golden　background；　and　on　the　altar　stood　the　figure　of　the　Virgin

with　the　child　Jesus；　surrounded　by　lights　and　flowers；　priests　in

festive　robes　were　chanting；　and　choir　boys　in　dazzling　attire　swung

silver　censers。　What　splendour　and　magnificence　he　saw　there！　It

streamed　in　upon　his　soul　and　overpowered　him：　the　church　and　the

faith　of　his　parents　surrounded　him；　and　touched　a　chord　in　his

heart　that　caused　his　eyes　to　overflow　with　tears。

　　　　They　went　from　the　church　to　the　market…place。　Here　a　quantity

of　provisions　were　given　him　to　carry。　The　way　to　the　harbour　was

long；　and　weary　and　overcome　with　various　emotions；　he　reste