a22-第3章

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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　and　foamed　always；　yet　restrained　by　the　neighboring　houses；　whose　old；　decayed　balconies　hung　over；　and　seemed　ready　to　fall　into　the　water。　Here　grew　no　elder；　here　was　not　even　a　flower…pot；　with　its　little　green　plant；　but　just　opposite　the　workshop　stood　a　great　willow…tree；　which　seemed　to　hold　fast　to　the　house　for　fear　of　being　carried　away　by　the　water。　It　stretched　its　branches　over　the　stream　just　as　those　of　the
willow…tree　in　the　garden　at　Kjoge　had　spread　over　the　river。　Yes；
he　had　indeed　gone　from　elder…mother　to　willow…father。　There　was　a
something　about　the　tree　here；　especially　in　the　moonlight　nights；
that　went　direct　to　his　heart；　yet　it　was　not　in　reality　the
moonlight；　but　the　old　tree　itself。　However；　he　could　not　endure　it：
and　why？　Ask　the　willow；　ask　the　blossoming　elder！　At　all　events；　he
bade　farewell　to　Nuremberg　and　journeyed　onwards。　He　never　spoke　of　Joanna　to　any　one；　his　sorrow　was　hidden　in　his　heart。　The　old
childish　story　of　the　two　cakes　had　a　deep　meaning　for　him。　He
understood　now　why　the　gingerbread　man　had　a　bitter　almond　in　his　left　side；　his　was　the　feeling　of　bitterness；　and　Joanna；　so　mild　and
friendly；　was　represented　by　the　honeycake　maiden。　As　he　thought
upon　all　this；　the　strap　of　his　knapsack　pressed　across　his　chest　so
that　he　could　hardly　breathe；　he　loosened　it；　but　gained　no　relief。　He
saw　but　half　the　world　around　him；　the　other　half　he　carried　with
him　in　his　inward　thoughts；　and　this　is　the　condition　in　which　he　left
Nuremberg。　Not　till　he　caught　sight　of　the　lofty　mountains　did　the
world　appear　more　free　to　him；　his　thoughts　were　attracted　to　outer
objects；　and　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　The　Alps　appeared　to　him　like
the　wings　of　earth　folded　together；　unfolded；　they　would　display　the
variegated　pictures　of　dark　woods；　foaming　waters；　spreading　clouds；
and　masses　of　snow。　〃At　the　last　day；〃　thought　he；　〃the　earth　will
unfold　its　great　wings；　and　soar　upwards　to　the　skies；　there　to
burst　like　a　soap…bubble　in　the　radiant　glance　of　the　Deity。　Oh；〃
sighed　he；　〃that　the　last　day　were　come！〃

Silently　he　wandered　on　through　the　country　of　the　Alps；　which
seemed　to　him　like　a　fruit　garden；　covered　with　soft　turf。　From　the
wooden　balconies　of　the　houses　the　young　lacemakers　nodded　as　he
passed。　The　summits　of　the　mountains　glowed　in　the　red　evening　sunset；　and　the　green　lakes　beneath　the　dark　trees　reflected　the　glow。　
Then　he　thought　of　the　sea　coast　by　the　bay　Kjoge；　with　a　longing　in　his　heart　that　was；　however；　without　pain。　There；　where　the　Rhine　rolls　onward　like　a　great　billow；　and　disso