the silver shilling-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SILVER　SHILLING

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THERE　was　once　a　shilling；　which　came　forth　from　the　mint

springing　and　shouting；　〃Hurrah！　now　I　am　going　out　into　the　wide

world。〃　And　truly　it　did　go　out　into　the　wide　world。　The　children　held

it　with　warm　hands；　the　miser　with　a　cold　and　convulsive　grasp；　and

the　old　people　turned　it　about；　goodness　knows　how　many　times；　while

the　young　people　soon　allowed　it　to　roll　away　from　them。　The

shilling　was　made　of　silver；　it　contained　very　little　copper；　and

considered　itself　quite　out　in　the　world　when　it　had　been　circulated

for　a　year　in　the　country　in　which　it　had　been　coined。　One　day；　it

really　did　go　out　into　the　world；　for　it　belonged　to　a　gentleman　who

was　about　to　travel　in　foreign　lands。　This　gentleman　was　not　aware

that　the　shilling　lay　at　the　bottom　of　his　purse　when　he　started；　till

he　one　day　found　it　between　his　fingers。　〃Why；〃　cried　he；　〃here　is　a

shilling　from　home；　well；　it　must　go　on　its　travels　with　me　now！〃

and　the　shilling　jumped　and　rattled　for　joy；　when　it　was　put　back

again　into　the　purse。

　　　　Here　it　lay　among　a　number　of　foreign　companions；　who　were

always　coming　and　going；　one　taking　the　place　of　another；　but　the

shilling　from　home　was　always　put　back；　and　had　to　remain　in　the

purse；　which　was　certainly　a　mark　of　distinction。　Many　weeks　passed；

during　which　the　shilling　had　travelled　a　long　distance　in　the

purse；　without　in　the　least　knowing　where　he　was。　He　had　found　out

that　the　other　coins　were　French　and　Italian；　and　one　coin　said　they

were　in　this　town；　and　another　said　they　were　in　that；　but　the

shilling　was　unable　to　make　out　or　imagine　what　they　meant。　A　man

certainly　cannot　see　much　of　the　world　if　he　is　tied　up　in　a　bag；

and　this　was　really　the　shilling's　fate。　But　one　day；　as　he　was

lying　in　the　purse；　he　noticed　that　it　was　not　quite　closed；　and　so　he

slipped　near　to　the　opening　to　have　a　little　peep　into　society。　He

certainly　had　not　the　least　idea　of　what　would　follow；　but　he　was

curious；　and　curiosity　often　brings　its　own　punishment。　In　his

eagerness；　he　came　so　near　the　edge　of　the　purse　that　he　slipped　out

into　the　pocket　of　the　trousers；　and　when；　in　the　evening；　the　purse

was　taken　out；　the　shilling　was　left　behind　in　the　corner　to　which

it　had　fallen。　As　the　clothes　were　being　carried　into　the　hall；　the

shilling　fell　out　on　the　floor；　unheard　and　unnoticed　by　any　one。

The　next　morning　the　clothes　were　taken　back　to　the　room；　the

gentleman　put　them　on；　and　started　on　his　journey　again；　but　the

shilling　remained　behind　on　the　floor。　After　a　time　it　was　found；

and　being　considered　a　good　coin；　was　placed　with　three　other　coins。

〃Ah；〃　thought　the　shilling；　〃this　is　pleasant；　I　shall　now　see　the

world；　become　acquainted　with　other　people；　and　learn　other　customs。〃

　　　　〃Do　you　call　that　a　shilling？〃　said　some　one　the　next　moment。

〃That　is　not　a　genuine　coin　of　the　country；…　it　is　false；　it　is　good

for　nothing。〃

　　　　Now　begins　the　story　as　it　was　afterwards　related　by　the

shilling　himself。

　　　　〃'False！　good　for　nothing！'　said　he。　That　remark　went　through

and　through　me　like　a　dagger。　I　knew　that　I　had　a　true　ring；　and

that　mine　was　a　genuine　stamp。　These　people　must　at　all　events　be

wrong；　or　they　could　not　mean　me。　But　yes；　I　was　the　one　they　called

'false；　and　good　for　nothing。'

　　　　〃'Then　I　must　pay　it　away　in　the　dark；'　said　the　man　who　had

received　me。　So　I　was　to　be　got　rid　of　in　the　darkness；　and　be　again

insulted　in　broad　daylight。

　　　　〃'False！　good　for　nothing！'　Oh；　I　must　contrive　to　get　lost；

thought　I。　And　I　trembled　between　the　fingers　of　the　people　every　time

they　tried　to　pass　me　off　slyly　as　a　coin　of　the　country。　Ah！

unhappy　shilling　that　I　was！　Of　what　use　were　my　silver；　my　stamp；　and

my　real　value　here；　where　all　these　qualities　were　worthless。　In　the

eyes　of　the　world；　a　man　is　valued　just　according　to　the　opinion

formed　of　him。　It　must　be　a　shocking　thing　to　have　a　guilty

conscience；　and　to　be　sneaking　about　on　account　of　wicked　deeds。　As

for　me；　innocent　as　I　was；　I　could　not　help　shuddering　before　their

eyes　whenever　they　brought　me　out；　for　I　knew　I　should　be　thrown

back　again　up　the　table　as　a　false　pretender。　At　length　I　was　paid

away　to　a　poor　old　woman；　who　received　me　as　wages　for　a　hard　day's

work。　But　she　could　not　again　get　rid　of　me；　no　one　would　take　me。　I

was　to　the　woman　a　most　unlucky　shilling。　'I　am　positively　obliged

to　pass　this　shilling　to　somebody；'　said　she；　'I　cannot；　with　the　best

intentions；　lay　by　a　bad　shilling。　The　rich　baker　shall　have　it；…　he

can　bear　the　loss　better　than　I　can。　But；　after　all；　it　is　not　a　right

thing　to　do。'

　　　　〃'Ah！'　sighed　I　to　myself；　'am　I　also　to　be　a　burden　on　the

conscience　of　this　poor　woman？　Am　I　then　in　my　old　days　so

completely　changed？'　The　woman　offered　me　to　the　rich　baker；　but　he

knew　the　current　money　too　well；　and　as　soon　as　he　received　me　he

threw　me　almost　in　the　woman's　face。　She　could　get　no　bread　for　me；

and　I　felt　quite　grieved　to　the　heart　that　I　should　be　cause　of　so

much　trouble　to　another；　and　be　treated　as　a　cast…off　coin。　I　who；

in　my　young　days；　felt　so　joyful　in　the　certainty　of　my　own　value；　and

knew　so　well　that　I　bore　a　genuine　stamp。　I　was　as　sorrowful　now　as

a　poor　shilling　can　be　when　nobody　will　have　him。　The　woman　took　me

home　again　with　her；　and　looking　at　me　very　earnestly；　she　said；

'No；　I　will　not　try　to　deceive　any　one　with　thee　again。　I　will　bore

a　hole　through　thee；　that　everyone　may　know　that　thou　art　a　false

and　worthless　thing；　and　yet；　why　should　I　do　that？　Very　likely　thou

art　a　lucky　shilling。　A　thought　has　just　struck　me　that　it　is　so；

and　I　believe　it。　Yes；　I　will　make　a　hole　in　the　shilling；'　said

she；　'and　run　a　string　through　it；　and　then　give　it　to　my　neighbor's

little　one　to　hang　round　her　neck；　as　a　lucky　shilling。'　So　she

drilled　a　hole　through　me。

　　　　〃It　is　really　not　at　all　pleasant　to　have　a　hole　bored　through

one；　but　we　can　submit　to　a　great　deal　when　it　is　done　with　a　good

intention。　A　string　was　drawn　through　the　hole；　and　I　became　a　kind　of

medal。　They　hung　me　round　the　neck　of　a　little　child；　and　the　child

laughed　at　me　and　kissed　me；　and　I　rested　for　one　whole　night　on　the

warm；　innocent　breast　of　a　child。

　　　　〃In　the　morning　the　child's　mother　took　me　between　her　fingers；

and　had　certain　thoughts　about　me；　which　I　very　soon　found　out。　First；

she　looked　for　a　pair　of　scissors；　and　cut　the　string。

　　　　〃'Lucky　shilling！'　said　she；　'certainly　this　is　what　I　mean　to

try。'　Then　she　laid　me　in　vinegar　till　I　became　quite　green；　and　after

that　she　filled　up　the　hole　with　cement；　rubbed　me　a　little　to

brighten　me　up；　and　went　out　in　the　twilight　hour　to　the　lottery

collector；　to　buy　herself　a　ticket；　with　a　shilling　that　should

bring　luck。　How　everything　seemed　to　cause　me　trouble。　The　lottery

collector　pressed　me　so　hard　that　I　thought　I　should　crack。　I　had　been

called　false；　I　had　been　thrown　away；…　that　I　knew；　and　there　were

many　shillings　and　coins　with　inscriptions　and　stamps　of　all　kinds

lying　about。　I　well　knew　how　proud　they　were；　so　I　avoided　them　from

very　shame。　With　the　collector　were　several　men　who　seemed　to　have　a

great　deal　to　do；　so　I　fell　unnoticed　into　a　chest；　among　several

other　coins。

　　　　〃Whether　the　lottery　ticket　gained　a　prize；　I　know　not；　but　this　I

know；　that　in　a　very　few　days　after；　I　was　recognized　as　a　bad

shilling；　and　laid　aside。　Everything　that　happened　seemed　always　to

add　to　my　sorrow。　Even　if　a　man　has　a　good　character；　it　is　of　no

use　for　him　to　deny　what　is　said　of　him；　for　he　is　not　considered　an

impartial　judge　of　himself。

　　　　〃A　year　passed；　and　in　this　way　I　had　been　changed　from　hand　to

hand；　always　abused；　always　looked　at　with　displeasure；　and　trusted　by

no　one；　but　I　trusted　in　myself；　and　had　no　confidence　in　the　world。

Yes；　that　was　a　very　dark　time。

　　　　〃At　length　one　day　I　was　passed　to　a　traveller