ib and little christina-第2章

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rays；　they　were　quite　surprised　when　they　came　so　suddenly　upon　such

an　unexpected　sight。

　　　　Close　to　where　they　stood　grew　a　hazel…bush；　covered　with

beautiful　nuts。　They　soon　gathered　some；　cracked　them；　and　ate　the

fine　young　kernels；　which　were　only　just　ripe。　But　there　was　another

surprise　and　fright　in　store　for　them。　Out　of　the　thicket　stepped　a

tall　old　woman；　her　face　quite　brown；　and　her　hair　of　a　deep　shining

black；　the　whites　of　her　eyes　glittered　like　a　Moor's；　on　her　back　she

carried　a　bundle；　and　in　her　hand　a　knotted　stick。　She　was　a　gypsy。

The　children　did　not　at　first　understand　what　she　said。　She　drew　out

of　her　pocket　three　large　nuts；　in　which　she　told　them　were　hidden　the

most　beautiful　and　lovely　things　in　the　world；　for　they　were　wishing

nuts。　Ib　looked　at　her；　and　as　she　spoke　so　kindly；　he　took　courage；

and　asked　her　if　she　would　give　him　the　nuts；　and　the　woman　gave

them　to　him；　and　then　gathered　some　more　from　the　bushes　for

herself；　quite　a　pocket　full。　Ib　and　Christina　looked　at　the　wishing

nuts　with　wide　open　eyes。

　　　　〃Is　there　in　this　nut　a　carriage；　with　a　pair　of　horses？〃　asked

Ib。

　　　　〃Yes；　there　is　a　golden　carriage；　with　two　golden　horses；〃　replied

the　woman。

　　　　〃Then　give　me　that　nut；〃　said　Christina；　so　Ib　gave　it　to　her；　and

the　strange　woman　tied　up　the　nut　for　her　in　her　handkerchief。

　　　　Ib　held　up　another　nut。　〃Is　there；　in　this　nut；　a　pretty　little

neckerchief　like　the　one　Christina　has　on　her　neck？〃　asked　Ib。

　　　　〃There　are　ten　neckerchiefs　in　it；〃　she　replied；　〃as　well　as

beautiful　dresses；　stockings；　and　a　hat　and　veil。〃

　　　　〃Then　I　will　have　that　one　also；〃　said　Christina；　〃and　it　is　a

pretty　one　too。　And　then　Ib　gave　her　the　second　nut。

　　　　The　third　was　a　little　black　thing。　〃You　may　keep　that　one；〃

said　Christina；　〃it　is　quite　as　pretty。〃

　　　　〃What　is　in　it？〃　asked　Ib。

　　　　〃The　best　of　all　things　for　you；〃　replied　the　gypsy。　So　Ib　held

the　nut　very　tight。

　　　　Then　the　woman　promised　to　lead　the　children　to　the　right　path；

that　they　might　find　their　way　home：　and　they　went　forward　certainly

in　quite　another　direction　to　the　one　they　meant　to　take；　therefore　no

one　ought　to　speak　against　the　woman；　and　say　that　she　wanted　to　steal

the　children。　In　the　wild　wood…path　they　met　a　forester　who　knew　Ib；

and；　by　his　help；　Ib　and　Christina　reached　home；　where　they　found

every　one　had　been　very　anxious　about　them。　They　were　pardoned　and

forgiven；　although　they　really　had　both　done　wrong；　and　deserved　to

get　into　trouble；　first；　because　they　had　let　the　sucking…pig　fall

into　the　water；　and；　secondly；　because　they　had　run　away。　Christina

was　taken　back　to　her　father's　house　on　the　heath；　and　Ib　remained

in　the　farm…house　on　the　borders　of　the　wood；　near　the　great　land

ridge。

　　　　The　first　thing　Ib　did　that　evening　was　to　take　out　of　his

pocket　the　little　black　nut；　in　which　the　best　thing　of　all　was　said

to　be　enclosed。　He　laid　it　carefully　between　the　door　and　the

door…post；　and　then　shut　the　door　so　that　the　nut　cracked　directly。

But　there　was　not　much　kernel　to　be　seen；　it　was　what　we　should　call

hollow　or　worm…eaten；　and　looked　as　if　it　had　been　filled　with　tobacco

or　rich　black　earth。　〃It　is　just　what　I　expected！〃　exclaimed　Ib。

〃How　should　there　be　room　in　a　little　nut　like　this　for　the　best　thing

of　all？　Christina　will　find　her　two　nuts　just　the　same；　there　will

be　neither　fine　clothes　or　a　golden　carriage　in　them。〃

　　　　Winter　came；　and　the　new　year；　and　indeed　many　years　passed

away；　until　Ib　was　old　enough　to　be　confirmed；　and；　therefore；　he　went

during　a　whole　winter　to　the　clergyman　of　the　nearest　village　to　be

prepared。

　　　　One　day；　about　this　time；　the　boatman　paid　a　visit　to　Ib's

parents；　and　told　them　that　Christina　was　going　to　service；　and　that

she　had　been　remarkably　fortunate　in　obtaining　a　good　place；　with　most

respectable　people。　〃Only　think；〃　he　said；　〃She　is　going　to　the　rich

innkeeper's；　at　the　hotel　in　Herning；　many　miles　west　from　here。　She

is　to　assist　the　landlady　in　the　housekeeping；　and；　if　afterwards

she　behaves　well　and　remains　to　be　confirmed；　the　people　will　treat

her　as　their　own　daughter。〃

　　　　So　Ib　and　Christina　took　leave　of　each　other。　People　already

called　them　〃the　betrothed；〃　and　at　parting　the　girl　showed　Ib　the　two

nuts；　which　she　had　taken　care　of　ever　since　the　time　that　they　lost

themselves　in　the　wood；　and　she　told　him　also　that　the　little　wooden

shoes　he　once　carved　for　her　when　he　was　a　boy；　and　gave　her　as　a

present；　had　been　carefully　kept　in　a　drawer　ever　since。　And　so　they

parted。

　　　　After　Ib's　confirmation；　he　remained　at　home　with　his　mother；

for　he　had　become　a　clever　shoemaker；　and　in　summer　managed　the　farm

for　her　quite　alone。　His　father　had　been　dead　some　time；　and　his

mother　kept　no　farm　servants。　Sometimes；　but　very　seldom；　he　heard

of　Christina；　through　a　postillion　or　eel…seller　who　was　passing。

But　she　was　well　off　with　the　rich　innkeeper；　and　after　being

confirmed　she　wrote　a　letter　to　her　father；　in　which　was　a　kind

message　to　Ib　and　his　mother。　In　this　letter；　she　mentioned　that　her

master　and　mistress　had　made　her　a　present　of　a　beautiful　new　dress；

and　some　nice　under…clothes。　This　was；　of　course；　pleasant　news。

　　　　One　day；　in　the　following　spring；　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door

of　the　house　where　Ib's　old　mother　lived；　and　when　they　opened　it；

lo　and　behold；　in　stepped　the　boatman　and　Christina。　She　had　come　to

pay　them　a　visit；　and　to　spend　the　day。　A　carriage　had　to　come　from

the　Herning　hotel　to　the　next　village；　and　she　had　taken　the

opportunity　to　see　her　friends　once　more。　She　looked　as　elegant　as　a

real　lady；　and　wore　a　pretty　dress；　beautifully　made　on　purpose　for

her。　There　she　stood；　in　full　dress；　while　Ib　wore　only　his　working

clothes。　He　could　not　utter　a　word；　he　could　only　seize　her　hand　and

hold　it　fast　in　his　own；　but　he　felt　too　happy　and　glad　to　open　his

lips。　Christina；　however；　was　quite　at　her　ease；　she　talked　and

talked；　and　kissed　him　in　the　most　friendly　manner。　Even　afterwards；

when　they　were　left　alone；　and　she　asked；　〃Did　you　know　me　again；　Ib？〃

he　still　stood　holding　her　hand；　and　said　at　last；　〃You　are　become

quite　a　grand　lady；　Christina；　and　I　am　only　a　rough　working　man；

but　I　have　often　thought　of　you　and　of　old　times。〃　Then　they

wandered　up　the　great　ridge；　and　looked　across　the　stream　to　the

heath；　where　the　little　hills　were　covered　with　the　flowering　broom。

Ib　said　nothing；　but　before　the　time　came　for　them　to　part；　it

became　quite　clear　to　him　that　Christina　must　be　his　wife：　had　they

not　even　in　childhood　been　called　the　betrothed？　To　him　it　seemed　as

if　they　were　really　engaged　to　each　other；　although　not　a　word　had

been　spoken　on　the　subject。　They　had　only　a　few　more　hours　to　remain

together；　for　Christina　was　obliged　to　return　that　evening　to　the

neighboring　village；　to　be　ready　for　the　carriage　which　was　to　start

the　next　morning　early　for　Herning。　Ib　and　her　father　accompanied

her　to　the　village。　It　was　a　fine　moonlight　evening；　and　when　they

arrived；　Ib　stood　holding　Christina's　hand　in　his；　as　if　he　could

not　let　her　go。　His　eyes　brightened；　and　the　words　he　uttered　came

with　hesitation　from　his　lips；　but　from　the　deepest　recesses　of　his

heart：　〃Christina；　if　you　have　not　become　too　grand；　and　if　you　can　be

contented　to　live　in　my　mother's　house　as　my　wife；　we　will　be

married　some　day。　But　we　can　wait　for　a　while。〃

　　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　she　replied；　〃Let　us　wait　a　little　longer；　Ib。　I　can

trust　you；　for　I　believe　that　I　do　love　you。　But　let　me　think　it

over。〃　Then　he　kissed　her　lips；　and　so　they　parted。

　　　　On　the　way　home；　Ib　told　the　boatman　that　he　and　Christina　were　as

good　as　engaged　to　each　other；　and　the　boatman　found　out　that　he　had

always　expected　it　would　be　so；　and　went　home　with　Ib　that　evening；

and　remained　the　night　in　the　farmhouse；　but　nothing　further　was

said　of　the　engagement。　During　the　next　year；　two　letters　passed

between　Ib　and　Christina。　They　were　signed；　〃Faithful　till　death；〃　but

at　the　end　of　that　time；　on