ib and little christina-第3章

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

at　the　end　of　that　time；　one　day　the　boatman　came　over　to　see　Ib；　with

a　kind　greeting　from　Christina。　He　had　something　else　to　say；　which

made　him　hesitate　in　a　strange　manner。　At　last　it　came　out　that

Christina；　who　had　grown　a　very　pretty　girl；　was　more　lucky　than　ever。

She　was　courted　and　admired　by　every　one；　but　her　master's　son；　who

had　been　home　on　a　visit；　was　so　much　pleased　with　Christina　that　he

wished　to　marry　her。　He　had　a　very　good　situation　in　an　office　at

Copenhagen；　and　as　she　had　also　taken　a　liking　for　him；　his　parents

were　not　unwilling　to　consent。　But　Christina；　in　her　heart；　often

thought　of　Ib；　and　knew　how　much　he　thought　of　her；　so　she　felt

inclined　to　refuse　this　good　fortune；　added　the　boatman。　At　first　Ib

said　not　a　word；　but　he　became　as　white　as　the　wall；　and　shook　his

head　gently；　and　then　he　spoke；…　〃Christina　must　not　refuse　this

good　fortune。〃

　　　　〃Then　will　you　write　a　few　words　to　her？〃　said　the　boatman。

　　　　Ib　sat　down　to　write；　but　he　could　not　get　on　at　all。　The　words

were　not　what　he　wished　to　say；　so　he　tore　up　the　page。　The

following　morning；　however；　a　letter　lay　ready　to　be　sent　to

Christina；　and　the　following　is　what　he　wrote：…

　　　　〃The　letter　written　by　you　to　your　father　I　have　read；　and　see

from　it　that　you　are　prosperous　in　everything；　and　that　still　better

fortune　is　in　store　for　you。　Ask　your　own　heart；　Christina；　and

think　over　carefully　what　awaits　you　if　you　take　me　for　your

husband；　for　I　possess　very　little　in　the　world。　Do　not　think　of　me　or

of　my　position；　think　only　of　your　own　welfare。　You　are　bound　to　me　by

no　promises；　and　if　in　your　heart　you　have　given　me　one；　I　release　you

from　it。　May　every　blessing　and　happiness　be　poured　out　upon　you；

Christina。　Heaven　will　give　me　the　heart's　consolation。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ever　your　sincere　friend；　IB。〃



　　　　This　letter　was　sent；　and　Christina　received　it　in　due　time。　In

the　course　of　the　following　November；　her　banns　were　published　in

the　church　on　the　heath；　and　also　in　Copenhagen；　where　the

bridegroom　lived。　She　was　taken　to　Copenhagen　under　the　protection

of　her　future　mother…in…law；　because　the　bridegroom　could　not　spare

time　from　his　numerous　occupations　for　a　journey　so　far　into

Jutland。　On　the　journey；　Christina　met　her　father　at　one　of　the

villages　through　which　they　passed；　and　here　he　took　leave　of　her。

Very　little　was　said　about　the　matter　to　Ib；　and　he　did　not　refer　to

it；　his　mother；　however；　noticed　that　he　had　grown　very　silent　and

pensive。　Thinking　as　he　did　of　old　times；　no　wonder　the　three　nuts

came　into　his　mind　which　the　gypsy　woman　had　given　him　when　a　child；

and　of　the　two　which　he　had　given　to　Christina。　These　wishing　nuts；

after　all；　had　proved　true　fortune…tellers。　One　had　contained　a　gilded

carriage　and　noble　horses；　and　the　other　beautiful　clothes；　all　of

these　Christina　would　now　have　in　her　new　home　at　Copenhagen。　Her　part

had　come　true。　And　for　him　the　nut　had　contained　only　black　earth。　The

gypsy　woman　had　said　it　was　the　best　for　him。　Perhaps　it　was；　and　this

also　would　be　fulfilled。　He　understood　the　gypsy　woman's　meaning

now。　The　black　earth…　the　dark　grave…　was　the　best　thing　for　him　now。

　　　　Again　years　passed　away；　not　many；　but　they　seemed　long　years　to

Ib。　The　old　innkeeper　and　his　wife　died　one　after　the　other；　and　the

whole　of　their　property；　many　thousand　dollars；　was　inherited　by　their

son。　Christina　could　have　the　golden　carriage　now；　and　plenty　of

fine　clothes。　During　the　two　long　years　which　followed；　no　letter　came

from　Christina　to　her　father；　and　when　at　last　her　father　received　one

from　her；　it　did　not　speak　of　prosperity　or　happiness。　Poor　Christina！

Neither　she　nor　her　husband　understood　how　to　economize　or　save；　and

the　riches　brought　no　blessing　with　them；　because　they　had　not　asked

for　it。

　　　　Years　passed；　and　for　many　summers　the　heath　was　covered　with

bloom；　in　winter　the　snow　rested　upon　it；　and　the　rough　winds　blew

across　the　ridge　under　which　stood　Ib's　sheltered　home。　One　spring　day

the　sun　shone　brightly；　and　he　was　guiding　the　plough　across　his

field。　The　ploughshare　struck　against　something　which　he　fancied　was　a

firestone；　and　then　he　saw　glittering　in　the　earth　a　splinter　of

shining　metal　which　the　plough　had　cut　from　something　which　gleamed

brightly　in　the　furrow。　He　searched；　and　found　a　large　golden　armlet

of　superior　workmanship；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　plough　had

disturbed　a　Hun's　grave。　He　searched　further；　and　found　more

valuable　treasures；　which　Ib　showed　to　the　clergyman；　who　explained

their　value　to　him。　Then　he　went　to　the　magistrate；　who　informed　the

president　of　the　museum　of　the　discovery；　and　advised　Ib　to　take　the

treasures　himself　to　the　president。

　　　　〃You　have　found　in　the　earth　the　best　thing　you　could　find；〃

said　the　magistrate。

　　　　〃The　best　thing；〃　thought　Ib；　〃the　very　best　thing　for　me；…　and

found　in　the　earth！　Well；　if　it　really　is　so；　then　the　gypsy　woman　was

right　in　her　prophecy。〃

　　　　So　Ib　went　in　the　ferry…boat　from　Aarhus　to　Copenhagen。　To　him　who

had　only　sailed　once　or　twice　on　the　river　near　his　own　home；　this

seemed　like　a　voyage　on　the　ocean；　and　at　length　he　arrived　at

Copenhagen。　The　value　of　the　gold　he　had　found　was　paid　to　him；　it　was

a　large　sum…　six　hundred　dollars。　Then　Ib　of　the　heath　went　out；　and

wandered　about　in　the　great　city。

　　　　On　the　evening　before　the　day　he　had　settled　to　return　with　the

captain　of　the　passage…boat；　Ib　lost　himself　in　the　streets；　and

took　quite　a　different　turning　to　the　one　he　wished　to　follow。　He

wandered　on　till　he　found　himself　in　a　poor　street　of　the　suburb

called　Christian's　Haven。　Not　a　creature　could　be　seen。　At　last　a　very

little　girl　came　out　of　one　of　the　wretched…looking　houses；　and　Ib

asked　her　to　tell　him　the　way　to　the　street　he　wanted；　she　looked　up

timidly　at　him；　and　began　to　cry　bitterly。　He　asked　her　what　was　the

matter；　but　what　she　said　he　could　not　understand。　So　he　went　along

the　street　with　her；　and　as　they　passed　under　a　lamp；　the　light　fell

on　the　little　girl's　face。　A　strange　sensation　came　over　Ib；　as　he

caught　sight　of　it。　The　living；　breathing　embodiment　of　Little

Christina　stood　before　him；　just　as　he　remembered　her　in　the　days　of

her　childhood。　He　followed　the　child　to　the　wretched　house；　and

ascended　the　narrow；　crazy　staircase　which　led　to　a　little　garret　in

the　roof。　The　air　in　the　room　was　heavy　and　stifling；　no　light　was

burning；　and　from　one　corner　came　sounds　of　moaning　and　sighing。　It

was　the　mother　of　the　child　who　lay　there　on　a　miserable　bed。　With　the

help　of　a　match；　Ib　struck　a　light；　and　approached　her。

　　　　〃Can　I　be　of　any　service　to　you？〃　he　asked。　〃This　little　girl

brought　me　up　here；　but　I　am　a　stranger　in　this　city。　Are　there　no

neighbors　or　any　one　whom　I　can　call？〃

　　　　Then　he　raised　the　head　of　the　sick　woman；　and　smoothed　her

pillow。　He　started　as　he　did　so。　It　was　Christina　of　the　heath！　No　one

had　mentioned　her　name　to　Ib　for　years；　it　would　have　disturbed　his

peace　of　mind；　especially　as　the　reports　respecting　her　were　not　good。

The　wealth　which　her　husband　had　inherited　from　his　parents　had　made

him　proud　and　arrogant。　He　had　given　up　his　certain　appointment；　and

travelled　for　six　months　in　foreign　lands；　and；　on　his　return；　had

lived　in　great　style；　and　got　into　terrible　debt。　For　a　time　he　had

trembled　on　the　high　pedestal　on　which　he　had　placed　himself；　till

at　last　he　toppled　over；　and　ruin　came。　His　numerous　merry　companions；

and　the　visitors　at　his　table；　said　it　served　him　right；　for　he　had

kept　house　like　a　madman。　One　morning　his　corpse　was　found　in　the

canal。　The　cold　hand　of　death　had　already　touched　the　heart　of

Christina。　Her　youngest　child；　looked　for　in　the　midst　of

prosperity；　had　sunk　into　the　grave　when　only　a　few　weeks　old；　and

at　last　Christina　herself　became　sick　unto　death；　and　lay；　forsaken

and　dying；　in　a　miserable　room；　amid　poverty　she　might　have　borne　in

her　younger　d