a22-第2章

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and　she　had　already　earned　money　by　singing；　out　of　which　she　sent　her　dear　neighbors　at　Kjoge　a　whole　dollar；　for　them　to　make　merry　on　Christmas　eve；　and　they　were　to　drink　her　health。　She　had　herself
added　this　in　a　postscript；　and　in　the　same　postscript　she　wrote；

〃Kind　regards　to　Knud。〃
The　good　neighbors　wept；　although　the　news　was　so　pleasant；　but
they　wept　tears　of　joy。　Knud's　thoughts　had　been　daily　with　Joanna；
and　now　he　knew　that　she　also　had　thought　of　him；　and　the　nearer　the
time　came　for　his　apprenticeship　to　end；　the　clearer　did　it　appear
to　him　that　he　loved　Joanna；　and　that　she　must　be　his　wife；　and　a
smile　came　on　his　lips　at　the　thought；　and　at　one　time　he　drew　the
thread　so　fast　as　he　worked；　and　pressed　his　foot　so　hard　against
the　knee　strap；　that　he　ran　the　awl　into　his　finger；　but　what　did　he
care　for　that？　He　was　determined　not　to　play　the　dumb　lover　as　both
the　gingerbread　cakes　had　done；　the　story　was　a　good　lesson　to　him。
At　length　he　become　a　journeyman；　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　he
prepared　for　a　journey　to　Copenhagen；　with　his　knapsack　packed　and
ready。　A　master　was　expecting　him　there；　and　he　thought　of　Joanna；　and　how　glad　she　would　be　to　see　him。　She　was　now　seventeen；　and　he　nineteen　years　old。　He　wanted　to　buy　a　gold　ring　for　her　in　Kjoge；　but　then　he　recollected　how　far　more　beautiful　such　things　would　be　in　Copenhagen。　So　he　took　leave　of　his　parents；　and　on　a　rainy　day；
late　in　the　autumn；　wandered　forth　on　foot　from　the　town　of　his　birth。

The　leaves　were　falling　from　the　trees；　and；　by　the　time　he　arrived　at
his　new　master's　in　the　great　metropolis；　he　was　wet　through。　On　the
following　Sunday　he　intended　to　pay　his　first　visit　to　Joanna's
father。　When　the　day　came；　the　new　journeyman's　clothes　were　brought　out；　and　a　new　hat；　which　he　had　brought　in　Kjoge。　The　hat　became　him　very　well；　for　hitherto　he　had　only　worn　a　cap。　He　found　the　house　that　he　sought　easily；　but　had　to　mount　so　many　stairs　that　he　became　quite　giddy；　it　surprised　him　to　find　how　people　lived　over　one　another　in　this　dreadful　town。

On　entering　a　room　in　which　everything　denoted　prosperity；
Joanna's　father　received　him　very　kindly。　The　new　wife　was　a
stranger　to　him；　but　she　shook　hands　with　him；　and　offered　him　coffee。

〃Joanna　will　be　very　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　her　father。　〃You
have　grown　quite　a　nice　young　man；　you　shall　see　her　presently；　she　is
a　good　child；　and　is　the　joy　of　my　heart；　and；　please　God；　she　will
continue　to　be　so；　she　has　her　own　room　now；　and　pays　us　rent　for　it。〃

And　the　father　knocked　quite　politely　at　a　door；　as　if　he　were　a
stranger；　and　then　they　both　went　in。　How　pretty　everything　was　in
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